1 Piece Internal Beadlock Wheel

[blk88]

I've been a quest to this forum for a while as I want to make my '98 Tahoe into an expedition vehicle for family camping in the future. I decided to register to share a new product that I think alot of us on this forum can realte to. It's a 1 piece internal beadlock wheel. Typical beadlocks have no exterior bead on the rim and uses an external ring with typically 32 bolts to pinch the exterior tire bead to the interior bead on the rim. Quick explanation for those that are new to beadlocks. They allow the user to air down tires to low and very low air pressures and not popping a bead since it's pinched. This allows the tire sidewall to fold and obtain superior traction on rocks, in sand and mud, etc. These work great if you do mostly trial runs on them and not much highway driving. B.A.D. Wheels Inc. (B.A.D. = Bead Assist Device) has ingeniously come up with a design that keeps the exterior bead on the wheel making it safe for highway driving and pitching the interior tire bead from the interior side of the tire allowing the tire to be aired down to just about any p.s.i. like a typical beadlock. The wheel has an exterior rock ring protection against the rock if you like playing in the rocks, run it for looks or run it without. Either way it's a good looking wheel. They aren't available yet and the purpose of this thread is to create awareness of options that are available to us. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCzzy4mguCs&feature=player_embedded

 

[txflyyaker]

Centerline has something similar called the ICE wheel which has been around for a couple years now.

 

[High_Country]

Also, check out the Hutchinson brand of wheels. They make wheels for the military vehicles (think Humvee and HEMTT and such) and they have a line of 'civilian' wheels called "rock monsters". It's an internal bead lock as well. I think they are very attractive as well.....but not cheap (like $400/ea).

http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com/

 

[Route55]

The Hutchinson is a great product, and is designed off of the double beadlock wheels the military has used since the 80's on humvees (they may have designed them?) The technology goes back to WW2.

The product you highlighted looks interesting, but IMO has a 2 big flaws, it only locks the outer bead, and a stiff sidewall tire would be very hard to get mounted up. As a seasoned rockcrawler and hardcore offroad guy for years, I see the advantage in having both sides protected. That is why I usually run H1 Humvee wheels on my rig. I also like the Hutchinson wheels and the inner air lock style wheels.

Don't get me wrong, I think the product you highlighted is interesting, it is just a bit dated in thinking with only locking the outer bead, and I'd like to see how well a stiff sidewall tire mounts up.

 

[blk88]

The Centerline and Hutchinson wheels are pricey. I think the Centerline is around $700 a piece! All great points Route55. There are a lot of guys tht run the H1's and they work well. The only fall back is that they are steel and 16.5" wheels. You are limited to what you can run with that size. I have to disagree with only locking the outer bead as a flaw. There are many well proven beadlocks out there that only lock the outer bead. A lot of Ultra 4 cars run them. I look at those cars/rigs being the ultimate proving grounds. There will be an article by Offroad soon on these wheels so hopefully it will shed some more light for you guys on how they function. The owner/ designer of the wheel will be at SEMA as well, so we'll see how they are preceived.

 

[bob91yj]

More and more desert racers and rock crawlers are going to beadlocks on both sides of the wheel, regardless of the design. We ran the Staun inflatable beadlock (similar to an inner liner) on our Jeepspeed car. Other than the increased weight they worked great for us, often staying inflated even if the tire itself was destroyed. The beauty of the Staun system is it will work with most any DOT approved wheel.

 

[Stumpalump]

I use Staun and like them because they stabilize the sidewall near the rim. That allows you to run at speed with very low pressure.

 

[Route55]

I agree that the 16.5 is a pain, although some of the newer 17s are starting to filter into the market now, although they are demanding a premium. I predict they will come down greatly in price in the next few years.

A decade or so ago I bought my first 8 bolt H1 wheels when $150 each was a good deal. Now you can get the better 12 bolts for $35-$40.

I really like the Staun product but have never run them. They seem like the perfect system when added to light aluminum wheels.

 

[blk88]

I agree. The Staun are a good product. All the major beadlocks out there work well.

Where the design of the B.A.D. Wheel sets itself apart from most others wheels is that it meets or exceeds all the tire and wheel national standards. Which mean it will have a DOT stamp on them, if that means anything to people. Not many beadlocks can claim that. The wheel has been approved by national standard testing to run up to 42" tire. Once the interior lock is in place you don't have to worry or mess with a thing. No bolts to recheck and torque, no interior bladder that you have to maintain pressure in, no leaky tires like typical beadlocks, etc. Run them on the highway all day long and have the assurance than they are safe. They are stout wheels too. Soon there will be really world usage and abuse to prove they are worthy to run with anything out there. Being able to talk to the guy that designed them, I've had a little insight on how they were designed. His objective was to exceed in almost all areas of wheel design standards to make this wheel as beefy as possible and economic as well. Once it's available it should be in the pricing of most of the major beadlock pricing, if not a little better. He's a retired highway patrol officer and has competed in Top Truck Challenge in the past. Safety has been a very high priority in his design. He's a great guy, with a great idea and has sacrificed a lot to get this wheel to where it is today. No big companies, just a lot of hard work and scraping money up here and there to be able to bring this to the market.

 

[Skrewball]

When mounting the tire, what keeps the pivot pins to the side and out of the way?

When reaching through the inner bead, is the safety bead on the inside of the wheel smaller or shallower to gain access for arms?

Can you mount these up without a tire machine?

Do the pivot pins have multiple holes for the clips/cotter pins to ensure the nut can't loosen much?

With testing, does the inner locking ring cut/rough up the inside of the tire with low tire pressures(lots of sidewall flex)?

Not hating on the design, just trying to help with real world questions..

 

[Route55]

Since you seem to have an "in" with the designer, have you brought up the inner bead issue? Does he plan to offer wheels with the lock on both sides somehow?

Like others, I'm not hating on the design, however as an individual whom has been very involved in the offroad world for the last 15 years, including running a parts business in the past, I have seen the single bead design going away quickly. As much as I love old technology, this product makes about as much sense to me as someone launching a new carburator design.

IMHO, I feel the product is interesting, but already dated, prior to launching.

 

[Route55]

BTW, I believe the Hutchinson double beadlock is DOT approved.

 

[blk88]

When mounting the tire, what keeps the pivot pins to the side and out of the way?

The patented pivotal stud design was a prototype design and will not be on the production wheel. The pivotal stud has been replaced with a solid straight stud. This changed helps keep the cost down and added ease for assembly. It was a win-win change.

When reaching through the inner bead, is the safety bead on the inside of the wheel smaller or shallower to gain access for arms?

Actually the interior safety bead is as tall and wide as the Tire and Rim Association allows, which is taller and wider than the most typical wheels. Accessibility to installing the interior lock rings is from the backside of the wheel, which has a deep drop center into the air chamber. A typical drop center on a standard wheel is about 3/4." The B.A.D. Wheel is just under 2.5" deep allowing room to get into the air chamber securing the internal lock rings. Along with that, the wheel still clears brake calipers.

Can you mount these up without a tire machine?

Yes. A 42" Pitbull Rocker was installed in a home garage with 2 pry bars with the aid of soap and water. Then internal lock rings were installed securing the outer bead. It was then aired up with a typical air compressor securing both beads with no ratchet straps, CO2 tanks or chemicals and flame source.


Do the pivot pins have multiple holes for the clips/cotter pins to ensure the nut can't loosen much?

As stated above, the patented pivotal stud will be replaced with a solid straight stud. The stud will have multiple holes to work with various tire bead thicknesses.

With testing, does the inner locking ring cut/rough up the inside of the tire with low tire pressures (lots of sidewall flex)?

No. The internal locking ring has no purtuding edges. Only minor knurling on the face of the lock ring to grip the tire and prevent the tire from sliping on the wheel.

Not hating on the design, just trying to help with real world questions..

All good questions. Most new ideas come with questions. No worries.

 

[warrpath4x4]

i have a set of innerairlocks, basicly like a staun but you can buy replacement tubes at just about any tire shop.

 

[blk88]

Since you seem to have an "in" with the designer, have you brought up the inner bead issue? Does he plan to offer wheels with the lock on both sides somehow?

There is already a double bedlock design in the works, but targeted towards a 20" wheel design to be used in racing applications and goverment use. It will be a forged wheel and probably pretty costly. I don't know much about that wheel at this point. Who knows, maybe it will eventually work it's way into the cast design.

Like others, I'm not hating on the design, however as an individual whom has been very involved in the offroad world for the last 15 years, including running a parts business in the past, I have seen the single bead design going away quickly. As much as I love old technology, this product makes about as much sense to me as someone launching a new carburator design.

I don't think single beadlocks will be going away anytime soon. Walkers are consistently on back order, sometimes being a few months at a time. Heck, vehicles are still designed with leaf springs when links offer higher performance!

IMHO, I feel the product is interesting, but already dated, prior to launching.

Remember that the idea and design of the B.A.D. Wheel is to assist the natural bead of the tire and wheel. You can forgo installing the lock ring and still drive this wheel safely. Put the internal lock rings in, air down to single digits and rock crawl with it. It's a dual purpose wheel with absolutely no maintenance after installation.