[Texas]

If you don't want to read the back story here, just skip down to the bottom of the post.

I'm in the process of building my Ranger and on April 6th I ordered a "Big Wheel Kit" from Wild Boar ATV. I have had great experiences with them in the past and you just can't beat the price of their Big Wheel kits, between me and couple friends/family members we have purchased 8 sets from them in the past couple of years. And who doesn't love free shipping and no sales tax! So they called me April 9th and said that the wheels (15" STI HD4) were on back order and that I may want to choose a different wheel to get them in sooner. I told them I would wait because I didn't like the other wheels and (to make a long story not quite as long) yesterday I ended up upgrading to the MSA M21 Lok Gunmetal Beadlock rims. Because I needed to have the Ranger ready for this weekend he went ahead and shipped them out immediately without mounting them.

Now to my actual question... Has anyone had any experience mounting beadlock wheels themselves? I so I would appreciate any tips. He said that they are pretty easy to mount, but nothing usually turns out to be easy for me. I watched a couple of youtube videos, but I figured some of my fellow Ranger owners may have some advice.

 

[carnivore]

Mounting tires on Beadlocks are quite easy. Take the beadock ring off. soap up the edge of the tire on both sides with some dish soap, and push the rim through one side of the tire. You will have to push hard, and try to spin the rim to get it through the opening. Once that's done flip the tire over, and set the rim center on something to space it up off the table, as the tire will ne against the table and the rim will want to fall away.
Take the ring and center it in the tire, lining it up with the bolt holes. Thread in the ring bolts by hand as far as you can go, then snug them up with a socket wrench in a star pattern, being careful not to over tighten them. Then take a torque wrench and in a star pattern tighten them down to 12 Ft pounds. Air them up, being careful not to get your hand between the rim and the tire on the backside, as the tire has to seat as its getting pumped up and could pinch you pretty bad. air them up to the recommended seating pressure, usually 35 psi. On my Motoclaws I had to air them up the 35 PSI for 24 hours to get them stretched too the proper size, then air them down to a good ride pressure. I put mine at 16 PSI.

 

[Texas]

Thanks for the detailed information carnivore, they are out for delivery today so hopefully I'll can give it a shot this evening.

 

[trog]

what brand did ya get jarrod T&S

 

[Texas]

what brand did ya get jarrod T&S

I got the MSA M21 Lok Gunmetal Beadlocks. Honestly I think that they are the best looking rim out right now, but I had no intention of spending the extra money on them. I needed them by this weekend though and at this point the extra $340 to upgrade was a drop in the bucket.

 

[Texas]

The wheels turned out great. The air compressor I was using didn't have enough pressure to seat them, but I've got em all put together and I'll bring em to the local tire shop tomorrow to air em up good. I used carnivore's advice and it was a lot easier than I though it would be. I did deviate from the dishsoap though, I used a light spray of WD40 on the tire. The tires slid right on the rim just from me dropping them from about a foot. Pardon the terrible pics, my ancient iPhone does not like the dark.

 

[wwf]

Looking good Jarrod, can't wait to see how your build turns out!

 

[carnivore]

Ya that looks good!

 

[Decbowhunter]

Looks good and Curt did a great job of explaining how to mount them that's how we do it on the race car as well

 

[Expat]

Just adding this note in case someone has issues and searches this thread up. If you, like me, find your bead too thick and your beak lock bolts seem too short, don't force them. By forcing them you can warp your lock ring or strip the threads in your wheel. The fix is to get some longer bolts, once you squeeze the bead down some you can swap them with the shorter ones one at a time. I had to do this with mine since the Super Swamper beads run pretty thick. Also on bead locks you will need to check the torque a good many times after riding until the bead has stopped compressing.

 

[rocknroll]

Soap works good and won't deteriorate rubber like petroleum products sometimes do.

 

[taylorbordelon]

Those wheels are real beadlocks? My buddy has the same ones but I didn't know they were beadlocks. I thought that was just a beauty ring or a simulated beadlock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Expat]

Yes the MSA M-21s are most certainly true bead locks.
Mine are kinda dirty in this picture but you can see the bead clamped between the ring and the wheel.

Those wheels are real beadlocks? My buddy has the same ones but I didn't know they were beadlocks. I thought that was just a beauty ring or a simulated beadlock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Texas]

Those wheels are real beadlocks? My buddy has the same ones but I didn't know they were beadlocks. I thought that was just a beauty ring or a simulated beadlock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yeah they are real bead locks. At least the outside bead is, the inside bead is like any other wheel. I think the rock crawler Jeep - type bead locks are on both sides, so I don't know if everyone considers these to be true bead locks or not.