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Tire pressure on full size with and w/o beadlocks

N

Ned Kelly

1/2 ton status
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Winnipeg, MB
I'm contemplating on phasing out my old school 16.5x10" rims w/39.5" Swampers to a 17" rim/tire (37" tire most likely).
I'm debating perhaps even getting some Allied 32 bolt beadlocks, for both street and trail use.
Mud and snow mostly for my wheeling.

What pressures can one air down a full size weight rig to:

1. Without beadlocks ?

2. With beadlocks ?

I
 
Just a suggestion, you could probably get some Inner Air Locks for your wheels cheaper than you can buy new beadlocks AND you'd lock both beads instead of one (regardless of rim dia).
 
The air pressure for me depends on the tire itself as it does beadlock or not.

I air my radial non-beadlocked tires down to 15psi. If they were beadlocked, I wouldn't feel comfortable going below 12psi because I'd be worried about sidewalls.

My K5 was beadlocked with Swamper TSL and I would drop to 8psi. Without beadlocks I'd probably do 10 to 12. I have very little concern with Swamper sidewall durability.
 
Non headlocked it depends on terrain. I have successfully wheeled a 16.5 at 8 psi on snow. But I was very careful.

I no longer run lower pressures. Even with my double headlocked wheels I tend to be right around 10 psi. On snow though I will go much lower. Like 3 or 4.
 
I like 15 also on my 37 inch krawlers on 17 inch rims. I have gone as low as 13 but didn't feet it was enough. I have only popped one bead and that was when the truck slid sideways and nailed a rock with the sidewall.
 
I run 5 psi in the front and less in the rear. gauge doesnt go low enough. H1 double beadlocks and ill never go back. Other rigs running 15" beadlocked wheels seem to hold an inner bead at 8 psi but the same 9" wide with 15+ wide tires, 17" will burp the inner bead at 15 psi which is pretty much useless for the areas we wheel in.
no experience in non beadlocked wheels.
 
Man I will drop my tires down to 8 on sand and pretty much no pressure on snow. I don't worry about the sidewalls.

On the street I run 38. Which is prob too high
 
Good info guys.
Yeah, I was looking at the Inner Air Locks. Cost is reasonable and nice to have locks on both beads.
 
nvrenuf said:
Just a suggestion, you could probably get some Inner Air Locks for your wheels cheaper than you can buy new beadlocks AND you'd lock both beads instead of one (regardless of rim dia).
Click to expand...

I've been contemplating this, still undecided but I need to find a solution for the new 17" tires I picked up.
 
If I start loosing beads on my H2 rims when I air way down, then I'm going to inner airlocks.
 
Blazooki said:
If I start loosing beads on my H2 rims when I air way down, then I'm going to inner airlocks.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't mind an H2/inner airlock setup.

I assume you run wheel weights if you need to balance them?
 
On point that wasn't raised is the cross section difference

I've always like running the non beadlock rim ~4" or more narrower than the section width of the tire. This helps keep it on the bead.

With that caveat, I ran 8 for a couple years, no issues. Moved up to 12 because it felt more stable between obstacles and offered better clearance. Mind you the tire sidewall stiffness for mine dictated that being about and extra inch or so worth of clearance

When I went to a D60, I got tired of it humping everything so I went to 15. Didn't notice any traction loss, but better clearance and less squishy once again
 
Tire pressure is relative to the weight of the vehicle and size of the tire. Just think of your weight being distributed over the tire's footprint area as the lbs per in^2. And it must carry through to some extent to bead retention. So moving to a smaller tire will give you higher ideal pressures. This guy probably doesn't even need valve cores to retain the beads.

chuck3.jpg


(wonder how it steers)
 
On my samurai I had 33" swamper SSR on it. Snow wheeling I pulled the valve cores. Without beadlocks. Sand I was at about 2 psi. Rocks around 3 or 4.

Best thing to do is prepare for a blown bead and start experimenting
 
I'll run my tires at about 6psi in the snow and 7 or 8 in the rocks
 
I have 315s on 16x7 wheels and I run 25 psi on the street and 15 psi off-road with no issues so far.
 
skunked said:
I wouldn't mind an H2/inner airlock setup.

I assume you run wheel weights if you need to balance them?
Click to expand...

I got tire beads in mine because I just couldn't not run something. Keith runs his with nothing and they are fine on the street. For some reason the H2s really like to keep their beads on. I figured I'd wait and see before I dropped the 5 bills on the air locks. Another benefit is they are super light weight overall when you are done. I welded rock rings on mine cause thats the big worry with H2s..cracking that lip
 
Blazooki said:
I got tire beads in mine because I just couldn't not run something. Keith runs his with nothing and they are fine on the street. For some reason the H2s really like to keep their beads on. I figured I'd wait and see before I dropped the 5 bills on the air locks. Another benefit is they are super light weight overall when you are done. I welded rock rings on mine cause thats the big worry with H2s..cracking that lip
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. The weight savings has been something I've been considering in my decision as well. I was also debating the new AE beadlocks which come in at 42lbs/$300 a piece. I'd probably be roughly at the same cost running a H2 rim with inner-airlocks however I'll be double beadlocked with the H2's.

And I'll be spending some time on the street so I need to be balanced.
 
I run 40/13.5/17 on a h2 wheels. Usually down to 2psi on snow, and have only lost one bead...was at 2.5 psi with the left rear folded over hard, pretty good sidehill on snow.

One annoying thing without beadlocks, is that the tire will rotate on the wheel enough to make balancing with weights pointless.
 
I should add that my h2 wheels are different than what I see everybody else running, same backspace and width. if you google 06 h2 wheel it will come up
 
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