To Bead Lock or Not
- Thread starter Dad's Toy
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Depends on how low a pressure you are going and how crazy a situation you are looking to get yourself into.
I ran down to between 25 and 28 PSI at the FJ Summit with no issues and although the TRD look to be bead lock, there are not; the ring is just for show.
If you have a good tie-strap on you, you can always use that to reset your tire should you walk it off the bead.
How To: Reseat a Tire Bead on a 4WD
The link above has some videos on how to do it.
Okki
KidVermicious
New member
I run 15 without problems. I think unless the OP is losing beads, or wants to get into the 5-8 PSI range, then beadlocks aren't necessary.
FactoryRide
New member
If you go ahead and ball out, I believe you'd be the first 5th gen with beadlocks!!
mrvandelay
New member
MetalTech 4x4 has beadlocks on their 5th Gen I think.
BigredTEX
New member
I run 15 psi on load range D Mud Terrains with no problems. I'm not racing down the trails, but have never lost a bead.
Ducmonsta
New member
IMO, beadlocks are for trailered rigs. Unless you really don't care about the possibility of vibration at highway speeds, the constant care for the beadlock rings, and generally more weight. If you have the cash, buy beadlocks and a set of really aggressive tires and keep them as an offroad set. Assuming you actually plan on wheeling that often and that hard. Keeping a set of usable a/t tires for daily driving would be the best way to go about it.
1engineer
Moderator
While I have not personally run beadlocks on my vehicle, I have designed off highway commercial vehicles that needed beadlocks and we designed a special beadlock setup for it. You need beadlocks if:
1. You have enough torque that you can actually rotate the tire on the wheel during acceleration.
2. You plan on impact loads being great enough to unseat the tire from the wheel. This can happen during low or high speed with normal or low pressures.
It really depends on the application. Are you going to do heavy rock crawling where you will drop your 4Runner off of 3-4 ft ledges? How about high speed desert running where 20 ft jumps are common? Do you plan on installing electric drive motors where the torque is so great you will twist the tire off the rim?
Bead lock rims are neccessary in heavy duty applications. In normal off roading they will cause you more problems (balance, weight) than solutions.
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nevada
Senior Member
depending on your tire/wheel combo and driving style, you should be able to get into the single digits before you start popping beads.
10psi shouldnt be an issue. i think ive ran as low as 5 before i started having problems.
i run in deep snow a lot, and sometimes we run down to 1psi. there is a pretty big difference in traction between 1, and 2psi when the snow conditions are just right.
10psi shouldnt be an issue. i think ive ran as low as 5 before i started having problems.
i run in deep snow a lot, and sometimes we run down to 1psi. there is a pretty big difference in traction between 1, and 2psi when the snow conditions are just right.
Gerdo
New member
When in Moab, we will air down at the beginning of the week, run trails and drive the roads and highway aired down. We will air back up before we head home. We will easily log a couple of hundred miles and have never had any issues. We run the upper end of difficulty trails including many steps and 4' ledges.
If I was building a buggy, yes I would use bead locks.
If I was building a buggy, yes I would use bead locks.
FactoryRide
New member
Yeah I do believe they do. Forgot about them. I think they have the walker evans beadlocks.
And beadlocks are a no go on the roads here. So check you state regulations as already mentioned.
Qjake
New member
Okki posted a link on how to re-seat a tire. If you carry the items used there and also a full size spare, or two if you are that concerned, You won't have to deal with the price and hassles of beadlocks.
Also as everyone has asked but I didn't see the answer. To what extent do you wheel that you are considering beadlocks??
Also as everyone has asked but I didn't see the answer. To what extent do you wheel that you are considering beadlocks??
Qjake
New member
Yup Walker Evans on their 5th gen! and also on their FJ I believe. They built their 5th gen with the intent of crawling it hence the need for beadlocks. And yes many states have regulations against beadlocks on the street.
G8RB8_12SR5
New member
I prefer the second video method on that link. Great risk, great reward. =D
Thanks for the inputs
I guess after hearing from you guys I will for go the bead locks. I have never had an issue before but the last offroading I did was in a regular cab Tacoma and it was so light I could probably run flat on it with out breaking a bead. haha. And since this is my everyday driver (every other month) I don't think I would want to take any 4' ledges with it. Not at least until it is paid off. :banana:
I guess after hearing from you guys I will for go the bead locks. I have never had an issue before but the last offroading I did was in a regular cab Tacoma and it was so light I could probably run flat on it with out breaking a bead. haha. And since this is my everyday driver (every other month) I don't think I would want to take any 4' ledges with it. Not at least until it is paid off. :banana:
mrbrenan
official vendor
A lot of comments on weight here. Have you thought about going with a hybrid wheel? We recently added a set of hybrids on one of our 4Runners from RRW. The wheels are under 25lbs. Compare that to other beadlocks like DL (commonly run on Jeeps) sitting at over 40lbs. Check out RRW if you are concerned with the weight but still want beadlocks. Also, they are forged. Mad pricey but crazy sexy.
