Yes, I know I've ragged on steel wheels

Yes, I hate home made bead locks...

These aren't home made, and they were the right price...

So, I came across some steel MRW bead locks for the right price, but was concerned for the strength of the inner bead, as when I used to run steel wheels (non bead locks) I'd bent the inner and outer beads often.

The bead lock ought to strengthen the outer ring enough that it should no longer be an issue.

I called 66CJDean on Pirate4x4 (Performance Cryogenics - http://www.performancecryogenics.com/) knowing that he made some steel re-enforcements for the 16.5" Dia hummer bead locks that everyone runs, and asked about rings for 15" rims...

He said that in the past he had made them, but no one bought them, but that the same rings for the 16.5's ought to work on the 15's.

I bought 5 rings and decided to weld em on...

One Steel, 15x8.5 MRW bead lock. 18 bolts per bead lock, steel wheel converted by a factory, no grinding, no leaking, no siliconing.
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85535.jpg

Note the outer ring is a stamped piece and not a flat piece. I think this adds to strength BIG time compared to the DIY flat outer rings.
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85536.jpg

the back side with the normal, steel wheel inner bead -
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85537.jpg

the ring (16.00 each)
1/2" round stock rolled into a ring, overlapping for approx 6" in one piece.
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85538.jpg

pretty close to a 15" rim as delivered -
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85539.jpg

Used a wire wheel for the angle grinder to take the factory powdercoat off - worked AWESOME -
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85542.jpg

grabbed 3 pairs of vice grips, and clamped it on -
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85541.jpg

started welding, moving the vice grips, and only welding behind the vice grips.
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85543.jpg

http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85544.jpg

the first one I did, I fully welded the outer ring, and did 4 welds on the inside of the wheel to prevent the inner bead from 'rolling'.
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85547.jpg

I ground this smooth, and painted it -
http://www.therideracing.com/images/Jeep/Shop11808/stp85548.jpg

the other 4, I decided to weld ~2" every 4" on the outside, (2" gaps in between welds) and then weld on the inside in-between those sections. I didnt grind at all, and just called it good.

I hope that these will prevent me from fawking up some perfectly good wheels, and their extra weight over my alumiums will be like running water in my tires!

These are nice because they don't take up precious room for calipers that the traditional wheel re-enforcements do, and they ought to do about the same job...

I'll be sure to let people know how they work out...

I thought I told you a dozen times...

The battery charger is for charging batteries! Even Chris knows that.

Hanging out with Scrappy too long is my guess...

:flipoff2:

--ron

Nice wheels! :flipoff2:


I put the same rings on my steel beadlock rims, and they're holding up very well. Mine came from Stazworks, 1/2" round stock.

http://www.shadowco.org/~cal/temp/koh/workparty/IMG_0194.jpg

...

I put the same rings on my steel beadlock rims, and they're holding up very well. Mine came from Stazworks, 1/2" round stock.



So you're saying to me that you're a "I bought a Chinese steel, worthless add on gonna run it in KOH retard too?"

Opie, you are a one tenth away from certification, and you are gonna tell me face to face that half inch round Chinese less than A36 HRS welded to a round form is going to resist any force not resisted in basic form perpendicular in any way in less than 4 times diameter, let alone off axis force, well, you fail sir, and I failed you.

Definition of stupid beyond words.

:D

--ron

Ron - this is a jeep.

When faced with the problem of:

I've bent this EXACT SAME THING in the past -

I did what every good jeep owner does - weld some 1/2" stock to it!

:laughing: :laughing:

Its okay though, because I had to un-plug Phil's dryer to plug into a 220v outlet. My 110 unit stayed covered in dust for this mod! :smokin:

Ron - this is a jeep.

...

Gawd, gotta love the out man.

Wish I could use that one every day. I'm sure even one of my "real" customers would do anything but laugh at that and then promptly stick it to me in a very real way. I know I stay in business doing "fab" all day every day telling Hass and customers like that all the time.

When push comes to shove, and you do any real fab, as I'm sure you know, that's not even a weak excuse. Goodbye you...

Bryan, I showed you more at "my" expense. You, sir, will go forth and do better than this shit, period.

You post up less than worthless shit, I will call you on it. Price of what it is. Fuck if you like it. Tell it to Richard, I'm sure he'll understand, if he doesn't, tell it to Matt, that fuck got an ear full from me over the last few months about living the life of a real hack. I'm sure he's happy on doing what he's good at, talking shit he can't back up over the phone these days....

So about thoses calcs....? You got anything? Richard? Like to see it, I have the shit to prove it, do you? Still say .50 ROHRS<A36-0500X18 sourced from China amounts to shit at X4 or more dia.

Proof of off road cheap fucks until proven other wise. Nothing more.

:flipoff2:

--ron

Good Job Ranger. I likey! I may do that myself soon. Thanks for post.:D

Gawd, gotta love the out man.

Wish I could use that one every day. I'm sure even one of my "real" customers would do anything but laugh at that and then promptly stick it to me in a very real way. I know I stay in business doing "fab" all day every day telling Hass and customers like that all the time.

When push comes to shove, and you do any real fab, as I'm sure you know, that's not even a weak excuse. Goodbye you...

Bryan, I showed you more at "my" expense. You, sir, will go forth and do better than this shit, period.

You post up less than worthless shit, I will call you on it. Price of what it is. Fuck if you like it. Tell it to Richard, I'm sure he'll understand, if he doesn't, tell it to Matt, that fuck got an ear full from me over the last few months about living the life of a real hack. I'm sure he's happy on doing what he's good at, talking shit he can't back up over the phone these days....

So about thoses calcs....? You got anything? Richard? Like to see it, I have the shit to prove it, do you? Still say .50 ROHRS<A36-0500X18 sourced from China amounts to shit at X4 or more dia.

Proof of off road cheap fucks until proven other wise. Nothing more.

:flipoff2:

--ron

I bet you get a pretty good WiFi signal up in that ivory tower.
:flipoff2: Billy

I bet you get a pretty good WiFi signal up in that ivory tower.
:flipoff2: Billy

Do you see anything that he's actually wrong on?:confused:



Ron,

Unfortunately, constraints are a bitch.

If he went out much towards the center of the wheel, caliper clearance would become an issue. It'd be hard to get much section at all.

Now, I believe the only aluminum wheel he's bent is...mine..so he could be a Champion, but that could run into a money constraint.

I guess there's always "learn to drive" but come on, let's be reasonable here.



Isn't this the official website of cheap fucks, anyway?

Gawd, gotta love the out man.

Wish I could use that one every day. I'm sure even one of my "real" customers would do anything but laugh at that and then promptly stick it to me in a very real way. I know I stay in business doing "fab" all day every day telling Hass and customers like that all the time.

When push comes to shove, and you do any real fab, as I'm sure you know, that's not even a weak excuse. Goodbye you...

Bryan, I showed you more at "my" expense. You, sir, will go forth and do better than this shit, period.

You post up less than worthless shit, I will call you on it. Price of what it is. Fuck if you like it. Tell it to Richard, I'm sure he'll understand, if he doesn't, tell it to Matt, that fuck got an ear full from me over the last few months about living the life of a real hack. I'm sure he's happy on doing what he's good at, talking shit he can't back up over the phone these days....

So about thoses calcs....? You got anything? Richard? Like to see it, I have the shit to prove it, do you? Still say .50 ROHRS<A36-0500X18 sourced from China amounts to shit at X4 or more dia.

Proof of off road cheap fucks until proven other wise. Nothing more.

:flipoff2:

--ron

Hmmmm.....

Really no comment needed, but what the hell.


Well, calcs or no calcs, I've cut a couple tires at speed and haven't bent the rim yet. Regardless of whether or not I know how to calculate material strength, or am willing to spend hours in CAD making the absolutely most strength with least material design, for a garage fab guy looking for a simple and effective way to add strength to the inner bead of my steel beadlocks, I'm satisfied. When you did your calcs, did you forget that that 1/2" round is attached to a wheel? Your insinuations are meaningless.

Besides, they've been tested, so even if I don't have book learning, I have real world experience. My rig happens to have quite a few wheeling trips on it with those cheap ass Chinese steel rings welded on, and they survived one damn tough race. I'll take the wheeling experience (and the wheeling) any day, my friend.

BTW, get that work done that you have sitting there, and send me some more stickers. :flipoff2:

Do you see anything that he's actually wrong on?:confused:


I didn't say anything about him being wrong.
Billy

Hey guys let me talk to my pharmacist in the morning, I may be able to get the killer deal on the Midol ya’ll seem to need. :flipoff2:

Do those wheels work on 14 bolts? :flipoff2:

So you're saying to me that you're a "I bought a Chinese steel, worthless add on gonna run it in KOH retard too?"

Opie, you are a one tenth away from certification, and you are gonna tell me face to face that half inch round Chinese less than A36 HRS welded to a round form is going to resist any force not resisted in basic form perpendicular in any way in less than 4 times diameter, let alone off axis force, well, you fail sir, and I failed you.

Definition of stupid beyond words.

:D

--ron

so what's the damage here....and ron why are you being such a dick??? just curious...good write up opie...

http://www.jonco48.com/blog/toplesschick.jpg

I still think that is Hot!

http://www.jonco48.com/blog/toplesschick.jpg

I still think that is Hot!


:grinpimp:

all ya gotta dois get them forged in chromoly..:flipoff2:

Ok how bout getting them cryod ..would that help ? to change the numbers?


and I highly doubt than Rich has just gotten lucky and not had a bad hit:smokin:

The rings arn't made to make the wheel so they can never bend. They are made so you don't peal the outer lip out so the tire leaks or so you don't smash it so flat that it once again leaks. They do a great job for that and that is a real problem that is now solved with the 1/2" ring welded on.
Don't like it then don do it.

The rings arn't made to make the wheel so they can never bend. They are made so you don't peal the outer lip out so the tire leaks or so you don't smash it so flat that it once again leaks. They do a great job for that and that is a real problem that is now solved with the 1/2" ring welded on.
Don't like it then don do it.

I totally agree! If you dont like it then dont do it.

I totally agree! If you dont like it then dont do it.

The sad reality here is Cap'n Ron can only apply book learned formulas and such cus he aint been wheeling much these days. :D

The sad reality here is Cap'n Ron can only apply book learned formulas and such cus he aint been wheeling much these days. :D

That is sooooooo heartless.

Ron, I still love you!

:D

That is sooooooo heartless.

Ron, I still love you!

:D

Yes it is.......and so true. :flipoff2:

Ron, get that shit done and let's go wheeling, then we can argue around the campfire while drinking beer. :beer:


I'll still need more stickers. :)

Ron, get that shit done and let's go wheeling

:cool2:

I ran em this past weekend at JV...

they never lost an inner bead, and none of them show any signs of peeling back.

I did burp air twice, but I don't believe that to be a fault of the wheel re-enforcement, and instead attribute that to the size of the safety bead on the bead lock.

8 more runs, 4 of which were competitions, and no issues to date. No lost beads, no bent rims, no rolled inner bead seats.

:smokin:

8 more runs, 4 of which were competitions, and no issues to date. No lost beads, no bent rims, no rolled inner bead seats.

:smokin:

And the moral of this story would probably be, some have all the knowledge and chit to get things done and obviously spent way too much time nit picking the efforts of others and in the end never accomplished a god damn thing. (first hand knowledge here, don’t ya know :mad3::mad3:)
Congrats Opie on doin the best with what ya got and getting out there and competing. :D
Garry