18" Hutchinson double bead locks...

[K20Chevrolet]

So based on these specs what is really different about these wheels vs. their current "Rock Monster" wheel offerings?

http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com/products.php?product=dodge

It seems like they might already offer GM/Dodge/Ford 8-lug wheels in 17" sizes with a few different backspacing options.

Is this something fundamentally different, or just a different "look".


-G

Hi,

the major difference is, their rockmonster wheels are cast aluminum, these here are forged, so stronger and a lot lighter. According to Hutchinson more than 20% lighter. (31.8lbs to roughly 43 lbs)
The other difference is that the Rockmonster wheels only fit over smaler brakes because the casting is relatively thick. The forged ones are thinner, due to the stronger forging and therefore would even clear my big F550 brakes. (~16.4 or 16.5" inner wheel diameter). The cast ones are more ~15.5".
Sure the look is different and on my design, the wheel spokes are on the inner part of the wheel, the outer is just a "ring". So if you damage that offroad, you can just change that outer ring.. the cast ones have the spider on the outside, so if you damage that, you´ll pay a lot more for a replacment outer ring than on my design...

Plus my design would offer the ability to do a two tone color, if one would want that....

 

[blazinzuk]

Dot legality of beadlocks is a bit of a myth in some states. In my state it does not state that the only way the tire can be on the wheel is using pneumatic pressure. No rule in Idaho that the wheel cannot be a bead lock.

Might wanna look into that.

In addition a big wheel why not just a 20" I would be way more interested in a 20" wheel than an 18" wheel.

Off road tire choice is more prevalent in the 20" range. Of course if you are looking at more street type tires and not aggressive off road tires I really don't know.

I also know the whole liability thing is blown way out of porportion. What about guys who are using wheels from the early 60s, their wheels aren't DOT approved. The only way the insurance can refuse to pay because you are running non DOT wheels is if they can prove the wheel caused the accident.

This is not conjecture this is from knowing 2 friends who were running beadlocks and got into accidents, both of them their faults. Both asked the cops if the fact that they had non DOT wheels would affect it. Both cops said no, and in both cases it was not an issue.

See anywhere on your brakes where it says DOT approved?

In addition to that your location reads Maine, so if you are running a tire that is larger than a 2" difference from what the manufacturer recommends, your rig is not legal to drive in Maine.

I think your stepping over a dime to pick up a penny here.

I would bet money your frame heights are off of what Maine laws say too

 

[K20Chevrolet]

Dot legality of beadlocks is a bit of a myth in some states. In my state it does not state that the only way the tire can be on the wheel is using pneumatic pressure. No rule in Idaho that the wheel cannot be a bead lock.

Might wanna look into that.

In addition a big wheel why not just a 20" I would be way more interested in a 20" wheel than an 18" wheel.

Off road tire choice is more prevalent in the 20" range. Of course if you are looking at more street type tires and not aggressive off road tires I really don't know.

I also know the whole liability thing is blown way out of porportion. What about guys who are using wheels from the early 60s, their wheels aren't DOT approved. The only way the insurance can refuse to pay because you are running non DOT wheels is if they can prove the wheel caused the accident.

This is not conjecture this is from knowing 2 friends who were running beadlocks and got into accidents, both of them their faults. Both asked the cops if the fact that they had non DOT wheels would affect it. Both cops said no, and in both cases it was not an issue.

See anywhere on your brakes where it says DOT approved?

In addition to that your location reads Maine, so if you are running a tire that is larger than a 2" difference from what the manufacturer recommends, your rig is not legal to drive in Maine.

I think your stepping over a dime to pick up a penny here.

I would bet money your frame heights are off of what Maine laws say too

As to the 18" size, this is dead anyways... mentioned before. The 20" size was priced, but at $2000 a wheel way too high... so then I wnt back to the 17" option mentioned before. the tire choice is good for 17" wheels.

The brakes are in fact DOT approved on an F550, not on my chevy truck, true. However, the truck the brakes come from is much larger and able to handle heavier loads, so the brakes are more than enough for my truck, therefore technically legal.

The 2" more diameter is actually 2 sizes up, but that is ONLY for trucks with ABS brakes, not the old trucks!! I asked cops in the area and they said as long as the tires are fully covered by the fender, they don´t care how tall they are IF the vehicle is over 30 years old and has no ABS.

True on the frame hight, but I´m exactly at the max limit for the weight class of my truck, so still legal, even if the number is exactly what they state as a max!

 

[blazinzuk]

The brakes are in fact DOT approved on an F550, not on my chevy truck, true. However, the truck the brakes come from is much larger and able to handle heavier loads, so the brakes are more than enough for my truck, therefore technically legal.

The 2" more diameter is actually 2 sizes up, but that is ONLY for trucks with ABS brakes, not the old trucks!! I asked cops in the area and they said as long as the tires are fully covered by the fender, they don´t care how tall they are IF the vehicle is over 30 years old and has no ABS.

True on the frame hight, but I´m exactly at the max limit for the weight class of my truck, so still legal, even if the number is exactly what they state as a max!

I am not saying your brakes aren't legal but there is no DOT stamp on a rotor or brake pad, or a caliper and I think big brakes are something that needs to thought about alot more than most think about it.

The cops may say that but Maine statutes say it applies to every vehicle so just be aware of that. Most cops here don't enforce the vast majority of lift laws.

So I didn't see it above buy why not get a weld wheel ( forged) and do an inner air lock?

And Maine simply does not have a law that requires you to run a DOT approved wheel.

I understand the want for something very specific for your truck I do that too. I just want other people reading this thread to understand that just cause the wheel doesn't say DOT doesn't mean you can't use it.

 

[K20Chevrolet]

I am not saying your brakes aren't legal but there is no DOT stamp on a rotor or brake pad, or a caliper and I think big brakes are something that needs to thought about alot more than most think about it.

The cops may say that but Maine statutes say it applies to every vehicle so just be aware of that. Most cops here don't enforce the vast majority of lift laws.

So I didn't see it above buy why not get a weld wheel ( forged) and do an inner air lock?

And Maine simply does not have a law that requires you to run a DOT approved wheel.

I understand the want for something very specific for your truck I do that too. I just want other people reading this thread to understand that just cause the wheel doesn't say DOT doesn't mean you can't use it.

You are right and the laws change so often anyways that one year it´s legal, the next not anymore. But most of the time if you don´t race around town like crazy they won´t bother you. True that Maine might not have a law for DOT wheels, but since the truck might end up in Germany sometime, the DOT is necessary to even get the even more strict TÜV approval.
I might actually end up getting a set of weld forged wheels (if they fit over my brakes in 17") and run internal inflatable bead locs.. unless all of a sudden 4 more people would want a set of the Hutchinsons...

I agree, most add power, large tires but never upgrade the brakes. It might work out for a while, but sometimes a bad situation might catch that someone and then the big brakes could make the difference between alive or not!

 

[blazinzuk]

Shoot I can' afford a normal set of Hutchinsons, but hopefully when 16.5s go the way of the dinosaur and no one makes em anymore I will be able to step up to em.

Another option for DOT approved beadlocks. Although these just lock the outer bead, I am not even sure if they are available yet

http://www.badwheelsinc.com/index.htm

 

[K20Chevrolet]

Shoot I can' afford a normal set of Hutchinsons, but hopefully when 16.5s go the way of the dinosaur and no one makes em anymore I will be able to step up to em.

Another option for DOT approved beadlocks. Although these just lock the outer bead, I am not even sure if they are available yet

http://www.badwheelsinc.com/index.htm

I checked the wheels out, but there are a few problems why it won´t work for me. The deep drop center would not work with my brakes, not enough clearance. the backspacing of 3.5" on a 10" wide wheel is way off! on a 10" wheel I´d need about 5.5" to 6" backspacing... plus 10" wide wheel is too much for what I need, 8.5 to 9 " max would work.

I guess I might just have to use internal air bead locks.... with regular forged wheels...