more tire/wheel talk...

[owen]

I got a set of 38.5x14.5x16.5 TSL/SX's on a aluminum 16.5x12. These are brand new, and I have only used them to mock-up. The problem is that one has already lost the bead while I was working them around to get them on the truck! I had no idea as to the downside of 16.5's and the lack of bead retention. With no weld on lock kits available, I am looking at the Hummer wheel. Here are the questions: Why do Hummers lock and nobody ekse does? Do the Hummers have an inside lock? Can I put an 18" wide Bogger on a Hummer width wheel? Why will Stazworks not answer/return my calls? Why did I buy these wheels without asking you guys? Who can recenter Hummers? Should I use spacers and not recenter them? Is that possible?......

 

[mikey_d05]

I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that hummer wheels have an internal lock, like a band running around the inside of the tire. When you bolt the wheel together, this band presses both beads against the sides of the rim, becoming an internal double beadlock. About your width question, I don't know how wide hummer rims actually are but 8"-10" of width is plenty for a tire like yours. However, not trying to insult your intelligence, just wondering, did you happen to air the tires up when you were mocking them up or just try and put them on the beads? The only thing holding the bead on a 16.5" tire in place is air pressure and a tiny amount of friction, absolutely nothing else. So....if you had no air in them at all I could see them coming off when you were throwing them around. Sure you didn't put a 16.5" tire on a 16" rim?

 

[owen]

I aired them down a little(I thought) and obviously it was too much. Just trying to get the truck in the garage!

 

[bdozeraz]

I've got the same tires on 16.5 X 9.75 rims and I don't have too much trouble with them. I only run them down to about 12psi. They burp air once in awhile and I do lose a bead from time to time, but not that often. I'm waiting for the Staun internal beadlocks to come out here in the U.S. they cost about the same as the shops want to beadlock my wheels.


Brent