Are Beadlock wheels okay for a daily driver?

[david nakken]

I have a 2021 jeep gladiator coming next week that I am installing a 2 inch mopar lift and 37 BF goodrich itres. I want 17 inch rims and love the KMC beadlock machined wheel. If I put those Beadlocks on this gladiator and drive it as my daily driver and even take trips to yellowstone etc. will I have a problem? I am going to purchase 5 tires and wheels so I will be able to rotate with the spare. Any advice for me? Alot of the wheels are not in stock right now because of Covid and I want a polished traditional look. Thanks.

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[j.o.y.ride]

Technically illegal. None are DOT approved. There's one really heavy inner locking wheel that is DOT but it's like 50lbs.

Saying that, thousands run them no issue at all. Proper torque and thread lock.

I've decided to not do it. For me, the incremental benefit of traction isn't worth it. YMMV.

 

[LostWoods]

If you are buying for looks the answer is a solid no. They have trade-offs (poor economy and don't balance for shit) and aren't road legal (liability) so unless you need that traction, and generally, you will know when you hit that point, they are a terrible choice.

 

[david nakken]

If you are buying for looks the answer is a solid no. They have trade-offs (poor economy and don't balance for shit) and aren't road legal (liability) so unless you need that traction, and generally, you will know when you hit that point, they are a terrible choice.

Thanks for responding. You cant buy wheels anywhere right now everythings on back order but this helps me not make a mistake.

 

[bastage]

Some beadlocks ARE DOT compliant. Hutchison & AEV Borah both are. Not sure about the KMC. Individual states may also have mandates about it though which would also apply.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I think of the guys laying 400, 500, 600, HP to a sticky track, launching all that HP and twisting their chassis and busting parts, and wonder - are they necessary for the power these trucks generate under the conditions you'd see with 35 or 37" tires?

Anyone ever spin a tire on the rim?
Anyone brake a bead and lose air on the trail?

OR are they for looks and bragging rights, to have a tougher looking truck and really serve no function in all but the most extreme conditions?

 

[bastage]

Anyone brake a bead and lose air on the trail?

I would running non beadlocks at less then 10 psi..

After my first time out on the trail airing down to 9 instead of the 15 that I always did before I am sold on them. Even outside of the rocks the extra soft ride on washboard was what really amazed me.

 

[TheSolarWizard]

I think of the guys laying 400, 500, 600, HP to a sticky track, launching all that HP and twisting their chassis and busting parts, and wonder - are they necessary for the power these trucks generate under the conditions you'd see with 35 or 37" tires?

Anyone ever spin a tire on the rim?
Anyone brake a bead and lose air on the trail?

OR are they for looks and bragging rights, to have a tougher looking truck and really serve no function in all but the most extreme conditions?

ive definitely de wheeled a tire off-road before at 14 psi

that being said my diesel is gonna get 8.5” wheels on 13.5“ tires because with a 5” difference, at that pressure it’s unlikely to happen

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I would running non beadlocks at less then 10 psi..

After my first time out on the trail airing down to 9 instead of the 15 that I always did before I am sold on them. Even outside of the rocks the extra soft ride on washboard was what really amazed me.

Yeah, if you needed to air down that far for the traction, 10 psi is likely not going to hold well enough to keep the seal.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Has anyone done a test of lowest pressure on normal rims vs beadlock? Whatever it is that's your marginal benefit to do cost benefit analysis on.

 

[bastage]

Has anyone done a test of lowest pressure on normal rims vs beadlock? Whatever it is that's your marginal benefit to do cost benefit analysis on.

Not possible to really test as its very scenario specific. A little too hard in the wrong spot & you can break a beadlock's inner seal at 20 psi. Or you could hit nothing wrong & run a non beadlock at 12 and be ok.

Generally though the beadlock is of course going to allow much lower pressure. Like half.. And depending on what your individual use case is that may or may not be worth it to you.

Also of note beadlocks overall cost of ownership could in fact be lower over a long period of time. Your not paying someone else to install them so over the course of enough sets of tires you could make back the excess you spent on them. Or in my case I was going to get the AEV Borah protection rings, but then I found the beadlocks new for about 100 less then just the protection rings.

 

[tysongladiator]

If you are buying for looks the answer is a solid no. They have trade-offs (poor economy and don't balance for shit) and aren't road legal (liability) so unless you need that traction, and generally, you will know when you hit that point, they are a terrible choice.

I agree! Got a friend with a JKU on beadlocks and 37s. Having to use beads to balance. Started having death wobble and can't get rid of it. Replaced all front end components. But, he refuses to believe it's the wheels even though they had a little bit of a shake that progressively got worse. Not a good idea.

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