PSI & Beadlocks

[roaniecowpony]

I've had the Icon Rebound Pro bead-bolt type wheels for about a year now, with 37s. They are good at preventing pushing a bead off but don't have the clamping anti-spin feature of a real beadlock. But it's been a good compromise for me. They are street approved and don't have the same level of maintenance of a true beadlock. Been to the Rubicon twice and a handful of Moab trails. No problems.

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[Ratbert]

Please share your expertise on the subject as to Max PSI with Beadlocks.
Looking at RaceLine RT232 Monster Beadlocks, they state 25 PSI. Currently running with Nitto Recon Grapplers (37x12.5 R17). Will these be a performance mistake, (MPG) given 90% of my driving is highway to and from work during the week days at 25PSI.
Are all the the Jeeps i see on the road with Beadlocks really running with 25 PSI?

Are you absolutely sure you want / need beadlocks? Are you doing stupidly extreme stuff where you need to air down to single digits?

Mentioning MPG as part of your question is a big hint that beadlocks might not be the right direction.

 

[Ratbert]

Watch this video. It taught me a lot about airing down, and also made me rethink my street psi. From the high teens to 30+, there isn’t a lot of difference in how much tread (surface area) is in contact with the ground. I used to air my 39’s up to 38psi for road trips, but recently have experimented with 25psi and 35psi, and I don’t notice any difference in mpg. But it does ride way smoother at the lower psi.

Do hardcore rock crawlers run load rated E tires? I'd think that a softer sidewall would be desired.

 

[Remorseless]

a bigger tire can do things a smaller tire cant and gains additional clearance in places that it can't be accomplished otherwise (unless you wanna talk about portals)

bigger tires are a necessity for a bunch of different types of wheeling, where a 42# wheel isn't... be obtuse if you want..

I've never been on a trail that said 42# wheels or beadlocks recommended, but I've been on a bunch that said 35" tires minimum and locker recommended.

Just sayin, in for a penny in for a pound. If you're gonna toss on big heavy tires, then a heavy wheel - in the grand scheme of things - ain't doing anything to the Jeep that the big heavy tire isn't already doing to the Jeep.

 

[21JLURDG]

the subject as to Max PSI with Beadlocks. Looking at RaceLine RT232 Monster Beadlocks, they state 25 PSI.

Are you saying Raceline limits the tire psi to 25, or are they recommending 25 psi? I previously ran Spyderlock beadlocks at 28-32 psi and I don't remember any tire psi limits, except for the tire's limit. They did stress strenuously the 25 ft-lbs torque setting for the beadlock bolts.

 

[jellis4148]

I've got the KMC Tank Beadlock. Great wheel. With the Ridge Grapplers they weigh in around 117 pounds. That's not a lot, but I'm a little guy and if I actually had to change the spare it would be all I can handle. That being said, I love them and would buy them again. I run them at 30 psi cold. I air down to around 10 psi. I highly recommend that you put anitsieze on the beadlock bolts. People that change tires often and do a lot of wheeling might not have to, but I mounted mine 3 years ago. If I hadn't of used antisieze I probably wouldn't be able to get them apart this winter when I buy new tires.

 

[JT1]

Just sayin, in for a penny in for a pound. If you're gonna toss on big heavy tires, then a heavy wheel - in the grand scheme of things - ain't doing anything to the Jeep that the big heavy tire isn't already doing to the Jeep.

I think anyone that could save 10% of the wheel and tire weight without sacrificing performance would choose to do so..

 

[fastguy]

KMC Grenades @~32psi on road and 12psi or less off.
I've run up to 36 without any issues for months at a time.
Raceline makes a fantastic BL. Good luck!

 

[Remorseless]

I think anyone that could save 10% of the wheel and tire weight without sacrificing performance would choose to do so..

Beadlocks and beadgrips, while closer than normal wheels and beadlocks, still have a performance differences between them. Beadgrips at 10PSI can absolutely burp out their air (this, in fact, happened to a buddy last wheeling trip in June, though the bead stayed seated enough it was no biggie to refill), but beadlocks at 9PSI aren't even breaking a sweat. So, IMO, you do sacrifice performance with something like a beadgrip. It's just a question of whether or not the added performance of the beadlock is worth the weight/maintenance sacrifice. I'll absolutely sacrifice weight if the performance gains are substantial enough - and beadlocks offer a hell of a performance gain off road.

 

[jellis4148]

Beadlocks and beadgrips, while closer than normal wheels and beadlocks, still have a performance differences between them. Beadgrips at 10PSI can absolutely burp out their air (this, in fact, happened to a buddy last wheeling trip in June, though the bead stayed seated enough it was no biggie to refill), but beadlocks at 9PSI aren't even breaking a sweat. So, IMO, you do sacrifice performance with something like a beadgrip. It's just a question of whether or not the added performance of the beadlock is worth the weight/maintenance sacrifice. I'll absolutely sacrifice weight if the performance gains are substantial enough - and beadlocks offer a hell of a performance gain off road.

If the weight doesn't bother you the maintenance isn't that bad. I check the torque when I rotate every 6,000 miles. Only con is the amount of time to mount them and when you change tires will take longer. I got lucky, or maybe it's the size of my tires, but I did not have to balance any of them. I get no vibration or anything and I have zero weights on my wheels.

 

[Remorseless]

If the weight doesn't bother you the maintenance isn't that bad. I check the torque when I rotate every 6,000 miles. Only con is the amount of time to mount them and when you change tires will take longer. I got lucky, or maybe it's the size of my tires, but I did not have to balance any of them. I get no vibration or anything and I have zero weights on my wheels.

I'm already running beadlocks - KMC Riots. Have been for a while on this Jeep. But, I drive it infrequently so I had to frequent torquing of the ring bolts because they took a while to bed in at the rate I put miles on it.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I think if a guy wants beadlocks, by all means, he should have them, regardless of whether he needs them or just goes to the mall. Efforts to stop someone from getting beadlocks only hurt the economy.

 

[jellis4148]

I think if a guy wants beadlocks, by all means, he should have them, regardless of whether he needs them or just goes to the mall. Efforts to stop someone from getting beadlocks only hurt the economy.

I was going to say the exact same thing. Just because someone doesn't want them, because they think they are a hassle or whatever reason doesn't mean he shouldn't. I 4wheel about once a month, and I love air down to around 10.

 

[Ratbert]

I was going to say the exact same thing. Just because someone doesn't want them, because they think they are a hassle or whatever reason doesn't mean he shouldn't. I 4wheel about once a month, and I love air down to around 10.

Exactly. Just because someone has no need for something and most likely doesn't realize the implications of putting them on their rig they should just blindly dive in and spend the money to do it, right? Who are we to help them consider those potential issues beforehand?

 

[Rangemaster]

Might want to check Method Bead Grip wheels - much lighter than normal beadlocks.

I run mine at 16lbs offroad

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