Bead grip vs. Beadlock wheels

[NJRadioGuy]

I'm a bit late to this thread but it's very timely for me now. I'm currently on stock Rubicon 7.5" wide wheels with 315/70R17s. Within the next year I plan to move up to 37s (Baja Boss MTs probably), and will need wider wheels by then. I'd rather buy the wheels now and get the benefit from the wider wheel with my 35s, and not have as big an expense next year.

But I'm having a tough choice deciding which Method BG wheel to go with. What are the functional differences between the 701, 703, 709, etc? Is one better than the other in different conditions? Most of my offroad driving is east coast wheeling (easy and moderate trails with lots of small moving boulders), and a fair amount of solo overlanding. While I don't do crazy stuff, I hope these new wheels will see action in Colorado and maybe someday on the Rubicon Trail.

I'm a bit concerned with the comments made about valve stem placement and the potential for damage. My stock Rubicon rims are all trashed from trail damage and I really want to prevent this with whatever I get. So is one better than any other? And are there rash rings available for the 701 and 703? And final question, with a Firecracker Red Rubicon, should I consider the bronze or just stick with black?

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[Krondor]

I have routinely ran method 316s (non beadgrip) at 10-12 lbs on 7 rated trails in Moab without even a slight issue. Bead grips will be more than enough for what you are doing.

*I did just switch to bead grips though, thanks @Krondor.

I've had 701's, 702's, and a couple 703's... yes the bead grip design is really a thing. I've held 5 psi goofing off in sand and over rocks. No they will not hold if you are being buggy like crazy but then you really need the beadLOCK wheels for sub 5 psi shenanigans.

I bought Method wheels after seeing what KOH crews put their rigs through. I have no doubts that they will handle whatever I can throw at them.

I'm a fan, but I am sure if you try them you will see what I mean.

Go give them a run Rusty. Let us hear your review!

 

[Krondor]

I'm a bit concerned with the comments made about valve stem placement and the potential for damage. My stock Rubicon rims are all trashed from trail damage and I really want to prevent this with whatever I get. So is one better than any other? And are there rash rings available for the 701 and 703? And final question, with a Firecracker Red Rubicon, should I consider the bronze or just stick with black?

I've loved the bead grip wheels and all are very surely tough enough to race the King of the Hammers, so I have no doubt that they will hold up to your needs. None of my valve stems have suffered except for a couple of "Method" valve caps that got skinned a bit. I do carry a kit to repair a lost valve if it's worrying you that much:

https://a.co/d/gzr7MvW

The trail damage is unavoidable, but they will hold. The deep dish setup my help prevent inner spoke and valve stem damage but the outer ring? Get one of the "beadlock" looking bead grip wheels or actual beadLOCK wheels so you can buy new rings after they get chewed up.

Seems like a big expense to look good to me, but rings are cheaper than wheels. Unless you get Mopar... $309 a ring?? WTF?

Anyway, another vote for Method beadgrip wheels. Have fun out there!

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Get one of the "beadlock" looking bead grip wheels or actual beadLOCK wheels so you can buy new rings after they get chewed up.

Seems like a big expense to look good to me, but rings are cheaper than wheels.

Can I get rings for the 701 or 703? Or are there any Beadgrip wheels with a protective ring? As for looking good, that's not the reason I need to buy a set. 37s won't fit on my stock 7.5" rims, and I'd rather split the expense between 2025 and 2026--wheels now and tires next year. Of course, I do want them to look nice, hence the question about bronze vs black, but that's not even close to the main reason why I'm doing this.

 

[Chip]

Ok, my report on the Method 709-hd wheel with Apex valves -

I have been debating locks or grips for my Jeep for some time now. I have an XR and there are a couple aftermarket choices for beadlock rings other than the Mopar rings. In the end, I decided I didn't want the extra work of the lock rings plus, knowing my luck, if I were to be in an accident on the road, my luck is an insurance attorney WOULD home in on the non DOT legal rings and nail me, whether the accident was my fault or not.

I saw the 709HD was available with impact rings for a reasonable price through Discount Tire here in Colorado Springs so I jumped on a set. I called both Apex and Method to try to get dimensions on the valve pocket of the wheel to see if and what size of Valve would work. No dice on info. Apex didn't know for sure because of the new wheel and the guy at Method I talked to couldn't find the pocket dimension.

So, I eyeballed all the pics available on the web of the new wheel and decided to gamble and order a set of the XL valves.

XL valves work perfect with the 709HD wheel.

I didn't get my tape measure out, but eyeballing it, I'd guess the end of the Apex valve cap is about 3/4 to 1 inch inside of the wheel IF you are also using the optional impact rings by Method. The release tab for the valves is pretty close to the wheel, but there's still plenty of room to get a quick grip of it with my big fat fingers.

If you don't get the impact rings with the wheels, the valve caps would be pretty much flush with the side of the wheel.

I had Rock rash on my standard XR wheels and had thought about the beadgrips in the past, but not having some type of replaceable ring kept me from buying at the time.

As far as weight, I didn't have a scale to accurately compare them, but just by picking them up, it felt like the Method, with impact ring, might

be a few pounds lighter than the factory XR wheel.

I've only ran 1 rocky trail with the wheels since getting them so far, aired down to 10 lbs, and no issues.

In short - get the impact rings and the XL Apex valves.

 

[Krondor]

Can I get rings for the 701 or 703? Or are there any Beadgrip wheels with a protective ring? As for looking good, that's not the reason I need to buy a set. 37s won't fit on my stock 7.5" rims, and I'd rather split the expense between 2025 and 2026--wheels now and tires next year. Of course, I do want them to look nice, hence the question about bronze vs black, but that's not even close to the main reason why I'm doing this.

Neither the 701 or 703 have rings or ways to mount rings. Here is the full line of bead grip wheels:

https://www.methodracewheels.com/collections/bead-grip-wheels

@Chip has the only ones with a ring and even researched valves for you. Nice setup Tom!

 

[wibornz]

Neither the 701 or 703 have rings or ways to mount rings. Here is the full line of bead grip wheels:

https://www.methodracewheels.com/collections/bead-grip-wheels

@Chip has the only ones with a ring and even researched valves for you. Nice setup Tom!

There are some cool wheels for sure. I like the 709 and add the Impact rings.

I priced them out with the impact rings. $2480.40 and then add another 150 for the Apex Design valve stems and a set of TPMS, and I am north of $2,700 for wheels. Yikes. But it is the cost of wheeling. Better so spend the money at home on the Jeep than a potential expensive recovery.

 

[Chip]

Addendum to my report above -

Someone else had mentioned that the Haltec clamping air chucks would not work with the Apex valves and that was my experience also.

Instead of having the face of the Haltecs machined down to work with the Apex valves, I splurged for a set of 4 of the Apex chucks for my quad tire inflation system. I also carry a single air line and ordered one of Apex's high flow screw on chucks just to try it.

I didn't time it to see how much quicker the high flow valve is compared to other clamp on valves, but it seemed it was maybe a tad quicker. However, you also have the extra time involved screwing on and screwing off the chuck.

Apex's push on chucks are the bees knees! They clamp in two places on opposing sides of the valve stem and work perfect with either the Apex valves or standard Schrader valves. And, they are so much smoother and quicker to attach to the stem than my Haltecs were! I tried putting a little grease on the Haltec retaining "clips / arms" that the collars slid over, but they always were very stiff to operate. Not so with the Apex chucks - these things are smooth and quick!

 

[RudeJeepin]

Not sure if these would work on the Apex valves...
https://a.co/d/9zfTreI

They come in closed flow, open flow, straight or 90degree.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Addendum to my report above -

Someone else had mentioned that the Haltec clamping air chucks would not work with the Apex valves and that was my experience also.

Instead of having the face of the Haltecs machined down to work with the Apex valves, I splurged for a set of 4 of the Apex chucks for my quad tire inflation system. I also carry a single air line and ordered one of Apex's high flow screw on chucks just to try it.

I didn't time it to see how much quicker the high flow valve is compared to other clamp on valves, but it seemed it was maybe a tad quicker. However, you also have the extra time involved screwing on and screwing off the chuck.

Apex's push on chucks are the bees knees! They clamp in two places on opposing sides of the valve stem and work perfect with either the Apex valves or standard Schrader valves. And, they are so much smoother and quicker to attach to the stem than my Haltecs were! I tried putting a little grease on the Haltec retaining "clips / arms" that the collars slid over, but they always were very stiff to operate. Not so with the Apex chucks - these things are smooth and quick!

Good feedback on the push-on Apex chucks. I only machined the Haltecs out of convenience. It worked for me as I was able to measure how much it took to fully depress the Apex schrader valves and machine the Haltecs to do that. It definitely matters that the scrader valves are fully depressed with regard to air-up time.

 

[Upnover]

Hey I just got the 709s mounted up at discount in CS.
Can confirm too the Apex XL are needed for the 709s, I had to sell my standard, but I was planning to get different wheels.
I thought about doing the whole apex setup but man it gets pricy and what I have works. You can see the stem is protected. Overall like the look and the impact rings are pretty sweet.

 

[LSJKU]

I'm likin' them, a lot!

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