Just got um on and they welded on killer.. these are super beefey and use 16 3/8's bolts super thick steel rings. More specs to come.... oh yea 89 bucks a corner with all the hard ware..weld on yourself.

Mike
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/348991b9/bc/Shop+Pics/Mvc-013s.jpg?BCNr5C9ArV8xwX3X

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/348991b9/bc/Shop+Pics/Mvc-014s.jpg?BCNr5C9AsNY5lQ98

Major BEEF! Don't expect those rings to crown at all.
Who's making them Mike?

So you just gotta track down some steel wheels w/the right offset and cut off the outer rim/ring ? Then weld on eh? Then air down to 3 psi and floor it and jump the living shiot outta yo tuck cuz now that you got beadlocks you can do anything...right?

cool :D :D

Originally posted by Stonyford
So you just gotta track down some steel wheels w/the right offset and cut off the outer rim/ring ? Then weld on eh? Then air down to 3 psi and floor it and jump the living shiot outta yo tuck cuz now that you got beadlocks you can do anything...right?

:confused:

This sounds cool so who is making them? What is the advantage,disadvantage over a beadlock with more bolts? Any testing? I know the competition is beating this price by $20.00bucks a corner and has more bolts on there sets. Any info would be helpful.:D

Alright, who's selling beadlocks for $69 a corner WITH all the hardware????

This setup can get away with less bolts is likely due to the thickness of the ring; it's not going to distort or crown, and will give even pressure all around.

Originally posted by cbassett
Alright, who's selling beadlocks for $69 a corner WITH all the hardware????

This setup can get away with less bolts is likely due to the thickness of the ring; it's not going to distort or crown, and will give even pressure all around.

Well Rockstomper of course. They are 70.00 a corner and his website tells it all. They are thick and have 32 bolts I think or 36.
Look for yourself. www.rockstomper.com

Ah, I thought they were $90 a corner. Plus, RockStomper's rings aren't this thick, and his rings suffer from crowning.
They are good rings, but these look hot too.

Cool that is what I was asking for , advantages. That is a good design from the pics to eliminate crowning.

I do know that rockstomper sells his DIY beadlocks for 80/corner. Im looking into that right now.
Scott

I believe that the outer rim was left on. I think this was due to the thickness of the rings, which made not necessary to cut off the outer rim. I may be wrong, but that's what I remember from when they were doing it.

Originally posted by Ketchup Dog
I do know that rockstomper sells his DIY beadlocks for 80/corner. Im looking into that right now.
Scott

He now sells them with nylock nuts instead of nutserts, for $70 per wheel.

Scott's were 70 a corner before the first of the year. They are more now.

Snowball, are you sellin them? If not who is?


.../dan

i just tested my new rockstompers and they work just fine. i am very happy with them. to get past the crowning i installed a 9/16" wide 40" long fan belt around inside the ring of bolts to give it a similar compression backing ring. they crushed down somewhat but seems to be working just fine so far. the only issue i had was the valve stem. it points directly at the ring and has very little clearance for tire pressure reading and filling. i used some angled brass stems and they point perfectly. now the issue is they have a smaller air hole and the special valve stem for the equal does not fit into it. i installed them with regular valve cores and the equal has clogged up the valve and makes it really slow to air up or down. its just never done..........

Originally posted by kodak
Scott's were 70 a corner before the first of the year. They are more now.

Snowball, are you sellin them? If not who is?


.../dan

Yes he is, Bent and Twisted 4 Wheel Drive 530-342-3003

Originally posted by hip
i just tested my new rockstompers and they work just fine. i am very happy with them. to get past the crowning i installed a 9/16" wide 40" long fan belt around inside the ring of bolts to give it a similar compression backing ring. they crushed down somewhat but seems to be working just fine so far. the only issue i had was the valve stem. it points directly at the ring and has very little clearance for tire pressure reading and filling. i used some angled brass stems and they point perfectly. now the issue is they have a smaller air hole and the special valve stem for the equal does not fit into it. i installed them with regular valve cores and the equal has clogged up the valve and makes it really slow to air up or down. its just never done..........



I have seen a few people just weld up the old valve stem hole and drill a new one further inside the wheel for better access.

Originally posted by hip
i just tested my new rockstompers and they work just fine. i am very happy with them. to get past the crowning i installed a 9/16" wide 40" long fan belt around inside the ring of bolts to give it a similar compression backing ring. they crushed down somewhat but seems to be working just fine so far. the only issue i had was the valve stem. it points directly at the ring and has very little clearance for tire pressure reading and filling. i used some angled brass stems and they point perfectly. now the issue is they have a smaller air hole and the special valve stem for the equal does not fit into it. i installed them with regular valve cores and the equal has clogged up the valve and makes it really slow to air up or down. its just never done..........

I sent BillaVista an addendum of my expience for his article, he is eventually going to update it. Here it is, seeing as we are on the subject:

Earlier this year, Bill and I bought bead locks from RockStomper. Bill wrote an article about his experience, and mine was more or less the same, with the following additions/exceptions:


The Delivery Issue

As some of you may know, when our package of bead locks was delivered it had been dropped and one ring was damaged. I volunteered to take this one and sort it out with Scott and Rockstomper. The good news was that he immediately agreed that the bent ring was not my problem, and agreed to send me another one, after which he would try to get compensation back from UPS for the damaged package.

The 'bad' news was that in the end it took until February before I got that final ring. You could look at it as I ordered at the end of November and finally got my product mid February, but there were other circumstances surrounding the issue.

Basically when Scott said he would send a new ring to me, in the back of my mind I was thinking 'I'll never see that', not because I thought he wouldn't send it, but because things have a mysterious way of disappearing on their way to me. When this ring did not show up after 6 weeks, I called and he sent another one, this one registered so that we could somehow trace it. This one took forever, to the point where we actually put a trace on it because we thought is wasn't coming and it came the next day. If it didn't come at that point I would have couriered it myself. The problem with registered mail is that although you can trace it, it takes a week.

So lesson learned. Do I think they failed me by not sending it overnight? No. I think their obligation ended when they agreed to send the new ring at their own expense. Had I to do it over again, I would offered to pay to have it couriered – that is the only real way to have a traceable package sent. I do think the missed an opportunity to serve me better, but they are under no obligation to do so.

The Coning Issue

Anyone who reads Bill's story will see there is a lot in there about the coning of the outer ring. In order to prevent this, I put in a fan belt inside of the bolts to help prevent it. I used a 17405 fan belt, which I believe means it was 17 (mm?) wide, and 40.5 inches long. It fits perfect, and although it does not resolve the coning issue completely, I believe it does relieve it greatly, as well as providing a barrier against debris getting into the bolts. I think it would solve the issue completely if the belt were wider, but I got the widest one I could and it was not wide enough for SX swampers. For something with a normal sized bead, like a BFG or MTR, I think it would probably work fine.

I have to agree with Bill that the idea of evenly tourqueing these bolts down to 10 foot pounds is a joke. I got mine even at what I believe was abut 15 foot pounds, but that took about 6 ~ 8 go rounds with a small ratchet. Hands up anyone who even has a torque wrench that goes that low. It's basically impossible.

With nylocks it might be easier to tourque to 10 foot pounds.

My view, having done it, is that the coning is not really an issue, nor is the 'evenness' of the torque. As long as you get good load on all those 32 bolts, you will be fine. The fan belt helps from an aesthetic point of view, but in either case, I don't think that the side load on the bolts is one which ultimately effects their ability to hold the bead on or stay tight.

The Nutserts

The nutserts are a pain, but they may be the least objectionable solution available.

My basic problem with them is that they are aluminum, and just don't 'feel' right when you are tightening them. I buggered 2 of them when I was installing them, and did in two more when trying to get the ring started. Once they are in they work OK, but they always feel a little like they are stripping when you are tightening them. As it turned out, most of them were not, but it's just not a comfortable feeling right off.

What I found is that before installing the outer rings, you should get yourself several 3 inch bolts to go into the nut serts. These you can use to start the ring. I found that I screwed up 2 nutserts by trying to get the bolts that came with the rings started when they simply aren't long enough to start a thick bead like a swamper. Do yourself a favour, get the longer bolts, start the ring with the longer bolts, then switch to the regular ones when you get all 32 bolts started. I did this on my last 2 and they worked out fine, no nutserts destroyed.

When you are getting those longer bolts, also get yourself several nylock locking nuts to fit them. This is what I did, so if I destroyed a nutsert, I could just use one of the longer bolts, put a nylock on it, and I would then repair the nutsert next time I broke down the wheel. This will ease your mind, to have everything you need sitting there, and be prepared for a nutsert breakage ahead of time, because basically you just have to accept that a certain small percentage of these are going to break, and when they do, you cannot fix it without breaking the entire wheel apart. So be prepared and you will have fewer headaches.

The BBs

I also put BBs in my tires, and I can report the same effects as Bill. I put in 12 oz in each tire, just because my tires are notoriously hard to balance, and in my mind if the principal behind all this is correct, then a little more weight than necessary should simply distribute itself evenly around the tire.

My rig has never driven this well with swampers on it – not even when I first got it out of the balancing shop after getting my swampers mounted the first time. There is less vibration, less hopping, and significantly reduced flat spot effect. The BBS also redistribute themselves after I've been wheeling, whereas any fixed weight is going to potentially get moved, and/or will not adjust to changes in the wheel after wheeling.

BBs (or something similar) work, plain and simple.

Originally posted by kodak
Scott's were 70 a corner before the first of the year. They are more now.


.../dan


Not that this is the purpose of the thread, but just so I'm straight here(and because I can never get Scott on the phone), is the kit with nylocks now more? I got the following from his website today, and I don't think any of this was on his site previous to the first of this year.



At the time of order, please specify if you would like nutserts (threaded inserts that pop like a pop-rivet into the inner lock rings) or Nylock nuts with your beadlocks. Nylock nuts will require two wrenches during tire install, but will never vibrate loose, plus they cost less. Nutserts are easier to work with during tire installation, but are more expensive and more difficult to install.

15" hex-head-bolt beadlock kit, with Nylock nuts. are $70 per kit.

Rockstomper beadlocks start at $70 per lock kit, require welding for installation, and are simply designed to be the best and strongest beadlocks on the market.

The kit with the nylocks is LESS. The kit with the nutserts is MORE.

I HATE the nutserts, but if I had to do it over again, I'd still get them over the nylocks. Only because I'm a lazy bastard, and it's a big enough PITA to tighten those 128 bolts as it is, without having to get a wrench on the other side of them.

But that's just my opinion.

Originally posted by ChadLloyd
The kit with the nylocks is LESS. The kit with the nutserts is MORE.

I HATE the nutserts, but if I had to do it over again, I'd still get them over the nylocks. Only because I'm a lazy bastard, and it's a big enough PITA to tighten those 128 bolts as it is, without having to get a wrench on the other side of them.

But that's just my opinion.


I was just wondering if Rockstompers site is wrong, and I'm the only one that didn't know about it;)

Looks like a pretty recent update. They also have "mud rings" now with a smaller ID. The ring is nowhere CLOSE to the thickness of the pic above though.

Originally posted by Ryan



I was just wondering if Rockstompers site is wrong, and I'm the only one that didn't know about it;)

Looks like a pretty recent update. They also have "mud rings" now with a smaller ID. The ring is nowhere CLOSE to the thickness of the pic above though.


On a separate issue - his price went UP as was said around the first of the year, then the release of the nylock option caused a price drop... Two separate price changes based on different issues.

Originally posted by DRM



On a separate issue - his price went UP as was said around the first of the year, then the release of the nylock option caused a price drop... Two separate price changes based on different issues.

Yeah, that's why I was trying to get it cleared up that they DO offer a kit for $70 NOW, regardless of pre-2002 pricing:D

I know a lot of people probably haven't checked Rockstompers site recently.

Okay, subject officially dropped:laughing:

as for the issue of relocating the valve stem. you can weld the hole up. I didn't. just put a regular stem in the hole and drilled a new hole on the opposite side of the rim. this is real help full when I fill up. I use the clip on air chuck. I can check the pressure without taking off the air chuck.

The only bitch I have with the wheel is. If you drop a valve stem cap inside. it is a bitch to get out without some kinda tool. :flipoff2:

Originally posted by kodak
The only bitch I have with the wheel is. If you drop a valve stem cap inside. it is a bitch to get out without some kinda tool. :flipoff2:

LOL. Yeah, I lost 'bout six of them sumbitches already!

Hey Kodak, YOU should be wrenchin right now instead of yackin on the BBS...log-off BEEEYATCH! :flipoff2:

I think another perceiveable benefit of these new rings is 64 less bolts to install/maintain.

We are selling them.... They are the entire kit for 89.00 the outer ring is double wall and a total of 5/8's thick. 1/4 on the outer ring and 3/8s on the middle ring and then the weld in ring....with 3/8s bolts... all you do is take the paint or chrome off of the wheel and center the weld in ring and proceed;) easy

Mike-
BandT

Bent and Twisted is a great source for the ring kits.

The hardware is L-9 3/8 button head allens that are black, or you can have grade-8 3/8 flush mount 82 degree allen heads for $10.00 more per ring. Both bolt options come with STEEL pim nuts also known as nutserts. No crappy aluminum nuts for us.

16 bolt rings are the most common type of beadlock out. The advantage of 16 bolts is, that's what almost everyone else has.
If Snowball rolls the Sammy and never has beadlocks again, you can always get another set of outter rings from someone else.

If you have 16 bolt rings now and need new outters, you can purchase them seperately. The hardware can also be retrofitted to your old inner rings.

see ya.
tony

Originally posted by ROCKATTACK
16 bolt rings are the most common type of beadlock out. The advantage of 16 bolts is, that's what almost everyone else has.
If Snowball rolls the Sammy and never has beadlocks again, you can always get another set of outter rings from someone else.

If you have 16 bolt rings now and need new outters, you can purchase them seperately. The hardware can also be retrofitted to your old inner rings.

see ya.
tony

Ok - so who else makes 16 bolt rings? Eaton is the only one I know of... MRT is 18 and 32, Champion is 24...

Originally posted by DRM


Ok - so who else makes 16 bolt rings? Eaton is the only one I know of... MRT is 18 and 32, Champion is 24...

I'm pretty sure TrailReady's are 24 bolt also.

16 bolt rings:

stockton wheel, bart, bart wheels from summit, rock equipment, king wheel, old four wheel parts wheels, carmen racing wheels, eaton, allied 16 bolt

these manufacures make up most of the sales of beadlock's.
I'm not saying a rockstomper ring or trailready is not a good ring,
only that they have not build very many wheels or rings compared to the list above.

on these type of kits, some manufacturers claim that it adds
approx 2" to the width of the rim without removing the outer
bead.....

So, like they say, a 8" rim becomes a 10. a 10" becomes a 12"

Is this the case??? Cause I wouldn't want to order any stock
rims in my finish "desired" size until I knew how much the
bead-lock kit would add to it...... and, 12" is too much for what
I want, and 10 is the minimum..........

But then again, that's what a lathe is for anyway.....

--Sherpa

I have to agree with Bill that the idea of evenly tourqueing these bolts down to 10 foot pounds is a joke. I got mine even at what I believe was abut 15 foot pounds, but that took about 6 ~ 8 go rounds with a small ratchet.

Hands up anyone who even has a torque wrench that goes that low. It's basically impossible.




Sure it's possible..... It's called an INCH-POUND TORQUE WRENCH.




you just multiply the foot-pound rating by 12.... Viola! an easier
way to tweek your bolts accurately.

And, if you're really anal about it, you can buy pre-set torque
wrenches for the desired ratings..... I find them all the time at
local surplus places here...

--Sherpa

Originally posted by ROCKATTACK
16 bolt rings:

stockton wheel, bart, bart wheels from summit, rock equipment, king wheel, old four wheel parts wheels, carmen racing wheels, eaton, allied 16 bolt

I was pretty sure most - if not all - of these beadlocks are made by the same manufacturer....


But more to the point - are these Bent & Twisted rings based on not only the same bolt count, but the bolts are in the same location radially, allowing all of the manufactured rings mentioned above to easily replace the Bent & Twisted rings?

Originally posted by SHERPA RIG
on these type of kits, some manufacturers claim that it adds
approx 2" to the width of the rim without removing the outer
bead.....

So, like they say, a 8" rim becomes a 10. a 10" becomes a 12"

Is this the case??? Cause I wouldn't want to order any stock
rims in my finish "desired" size until I knew how much the
bead-lock kit would add to it...... and, 12" is too much for what
I want, and 10 is the minimum..........

But then again, that's what a lathe is for anyway.....

--Sherpa


The width added will vary depending on the tire used.


On a stock rim - the width would be measured to the inside of the outer bead (which is the outside surface of the tire bead).

Since a beadlock moved the tire bead surface OUT, to find the "new" width, you do the following

Take the stock wheel width
Add the distance from the old bead surface to the outside edge of the weld on ring
Add the thickness of the tire bead that is clamped (Remember - it will be COMPRESSED byt he rings)

That is your "new" effective wheel width.

Example:

The old rim is 10" wide.
The weld on ring is 1/4"
The distance from the old bead surface to the stock rim lip (where you weld the ring) is 1/4"
The estimated compressed width of the tire bead that is clamped is 1/2".

So add it all together and you get an estimate of the new wheel width as roughly 11".

I have to agree with David's math.

One of my buddies had 15x10's with 35" MT/R's

He got a set of 15x8" based Rockstompers (premade, not doityourself) and once mounted up, they sure look closer to 8.5's than 10's!!

i used 7 1/2" rims and mine measure out at 9" installed. so i think the add two inches is a ballpark figure it really depends on the bead thickness.

16 bolt rings: stockton wheel, bart, bart wheels from summit, rock equipment, king wheel, old four wheel parts wheels, carmen racing wheels, eaton, allied 16 bolt
From personal experience, I know that stockton outers will not bolt on eatons... dunno if you really want to weigh heavily on this as a selling point.

The wheels look stout -- thicker than any I have seen. Stand on that, IMHO.

Randii

Originally posted by ChadLloyd
My basic problem with them is that they are aluminum, and just don't 'feel' right when you are tightening them.

Just a quick clarification: the nutserts are steel, not aluminum. I tried aluminum ones very early on, and never sold a beadlock with aluminum nutserts because of strength issues.

To the question about the bolt pattern being the same as the other guys, the answer is yes. A ring from BNT could be used on the other guys 16 bolt wheels. You could also upgrade the 5/16 bolts to 3/8 at the same time.

see ya,

tony

Yep...

Mike-

in my speedway motors race catalog they sell the inner ring, the outer ring and nuts and bolts for $39.99. think they are 16 or 18 bolt.not sure how tuff they are though.the nuts come pre attached to the inner ring
seems like a good deal
thought you guys might want to know.
there in the brand new catalog, might be on the net by now
www.speedwaymotors.com
BASSET wheel sells some for i think like $45 bucks

Here are the Speedway ones. Shure they are 39.99 each but look how thin the rings are.

I wasa at SnowBalls today, even helped him move a little bit to the new shop, That new shop kicks ass!!!! I saw these beadlocks and they kick ass! very nice fit and finish and talk about beef!:eek: these look better then any I have seen period! I want some:D

is he already moving?

Originally posted by rockrunner64
is he already moving?

Big Time! I think they moved all of it today.

damn i will have to check out the new shop, and also do you know if they have the beadlocks in stock?

Originally posted by rockrunner64
damn i will have to check out the new shop, and also do you know if they have the beadlocks in stock?
I don't know but they are made in lincon or rocklin, forget. close by either way:D

those new beadlocks look bad ass, something thats very foreseeable in the near future for my CJ. Are there any horror stories out there from people using beadlocks on a daily driver other than local law enforcement problems ?

The new shop is huge!!!!!!!!! 15" Beadlocks will be in stock. The move should be completed this weekend.