I have had my Eatons for almost two years now and I have had no problems while running them with my 35" SSR's. Well, the tires are getting balder and I'm looking towards getting 36 SX's. My buddy had the same situation and when he installed the SX's they did not have a fat enough bead to get fully clamped down. He tried mutiple tires with no luck so he ordered High Impacts which look killer. I would love to get them but can't afford it.
So I ask would it be possible to put the rings in a press or something to make the bead area smaller? Am I making sense?:confused:
Any and all ideas would be great.

Thanks, Phil:usa:

Huh? Fat enough bead? I have 36" SX's and I've run them on Bart beadlocks and Champions with no problems. SX's have the thickest bead I've ever seen. I guess I don't know exactly what you are refering to. Any pics?

yeah It seems wierd to me too. I had SSR's and SX's right next to each other and the SX's bead felt thinner. Bead as in the part that gets clamped inbetween the rim and ring.

Any ideas?

Phil:usa:

sounds crazy. call eaton.:confused:

Here's how you handle that: get three or four of the same size bolts as your locks use, except about a 1/4" longer. Start these bolts and that will help you get the others started. Then take the long ones out and put in the right ones.

Originally posted by Jeepmangled87
sounds crazy. call eaton.:confused:

Called them and they were no help.

Originally posted by reddwarf
Here's how you handle that: get three or four of the same size bolts as your locks use, except about a 1/4" longer. Start these bolts and that will help you get the others started. Then take the long ones out and put in the right ones.

Yeah I know that trick if the bead on the SX's was THICKER than the SSR's but it is smaller. So the ring hits the rim before the bead is clamped down enough.

Anyone?

Phil:usa:

I run eaton beadlocks and 38.5 sx's. If anything I think the bead is too thick. I tighten all the bolts down ( finially after I got them started ) I still have a 1/4 inch gap between the ring and the rim. No leaks for a year and a half.

Originally posted by badfish
I run eaton beadlocks and 38.5 sx's. If anything I think the bead is too thick. I tighten all the bolts down ( finially after I got them started ) I still have a 1/4 inch gap between the ring and the rim. No leaks for a year and a half.

Well I wish the 36's were the same as your 38's but no luck for me.

what if I take the tire off the rim then bolt the ring back on and just hit it with a BFH to make the bead gap area smaller? Sounds dumb but it could work. Maybe, or ruin my rings. Well.....

Phil:usa:

Hmm....I see. Sounds like you got defective SXs.

Originally posted by reddwarf
Hmm....I see. Sounds like you got defective SXs.

Yeah my buddy tried about 10 different tires. I think, I'll ask.

just get the 38's

Originally posted by camo
just get the 38's

That would be nice but I would lose all my gearing that I just got by putting in the Atlas:(

Phil:usa:

No way!!!

Originally posted by reddwarf
No way!!!

what?

38"s will not make you lose the gearing gain of an Atlas.

Do the math

Yeah I will have the same crawl ratio but that is because that does not take tire size into acount. Right? If two Jeeps were side by side and Jeep A had 29 inch tires and Jeep B had 44 inch all other things being equal. If both were in low low and let the clutch out Jeep B would travel a set distance faster, right? Now I'm confusing myself. This is what I ment by lose of gearing.

Phil:usa:

with all things equal the only thing that's different is that jeep a for a given engine rotation and time travel less distance then B...the overall speed is better on A and the only advantage to b is ground clearance....that and a is more efficient......

enuff of the A and B crap. get the 38's

Originally posted by camo
enuff of the A and B crap. get the 38's

Fine Camo you buy them and I'll run them.:D

I agree.... or maybe think about a 37" tire... the boggers are a real nice tire.... wont affect your gearing too much either.. if at all....

Originally posted by joes75
I agree.... or maybe think about a 37" tire... the boggers are a real nice tire.... wont affect your gearing too much either.. if at all....

I have given much thought to getting the 37x13 Bogger but I'm not sure if the Jeep would fit on the trailer. :mad:

Phil

Well I had 38 boggers and 38 SXs and the SXs had a MUCH thicker bead so I dont think getting the boggers would help any...I say just sell the 36s and save a little and get 38s:D

I would try making a shim out of something to go between the bead and the rim. maybe some kind of plastic so that you could cut it with a knife or maybe make some rings out of 1/4 round stock steel. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by camo
enuff of the A and B crap. get the 38's

Thats how i got 38's, camo picked on my penner 35's

Originally posted by TJpwr


Fine Camo you buy them and I'll run them.:D

If you can fit 36's you can fit 38's, and if you can't afford 38's now just work an extra day or two and you will have the money saved up. Maybe go with regular TSL's instead to cover the price difference. I have 37" SSR's and they BARELY have a thick enough bead. How tight are you tightening the bolts? I've heard everywhere from 12-24lb/ft of torque I'm using about 16-18lb/ft

Originally posted by NE-RokToy


If you can fit 36's you can fit 38's, and if you can't afford 38's now just work an extra day or two and you will have the money saved up. Maybe go with regular TSL's instead to cover the price difference. I have 37" SSR's and they BARELY have a thick enough bead. How tight are you tightening the bolts? I've heard everywhere from 12-24lb/ft of torque I'm using about 16-18lb/ft

I'm tightening them the same amount as you. Even with the SSR's the ring bottemed out on the rim.

Originally posted by TJpwr


I'm tightening them the same amount as you. Even with the SSR's the ring bottemed out on the rim.

thats weird only one of mine bottomed out and I used a very accurate wrench (aviation buddy) I think that kinda shows the quality of these wheels, sad to say it.

My old SX's fit these eatons just fine. Both were brand new. Not a leak after a week. Then I broke 'em down and sold them to get a 4.0 tcase instead. :flipoff2:

your bead locks are used, yes?

So could your ring be coaned enough from the previous install to cause your current problem?

Then just buy 4 new rings, with a side of 38s!!!

New to me :D He had a set on them for about as long as I did, then sold them to me. I started to remove the orange paint the that PO put on there and then go the SX's so I said to hell with it :D

I guess they could have been coned a bit since the rings are real thin and flimsy :p

Originally posted by ashmanjeepXJ
your bead locks are used, yes?

So could your ring be coaned enough from the previous install to cause your current problem?

Then just buy 4 new rings, with a side of 38s!!!

The SSR's that are on my wheels now are the only tires that have ever been installed on them. Maybe I'll call to see how much rings are.

Thanks, Phil:usa: