Bead lock questions

Spazbyt

Spazbyt

Hooked
Kmc grenade crawl wheels with 37" Baja Boss tires. I got the ring pulled down completely with 25 ft.lbs but I noticed the last few times around the bolt heads seemed to be getting closer to the inside of the counter sinks, so much so that the socket was starting to rub the ring.
Could the ring be warping with only 25 ft.lbs? How can I check the ring is pulled down straight? I'm guessing I may need spacers?
 

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Coning on my beadlocks was pretty evident, even at 25 lbs. Mickey's have pretty thick beads, I had to use spacers. If your ring doesn't sit completely flat after torque, or pretty close to flat, you are coning and should consider spacers. Im on Walker Evans beadlocks though, not KMCs. I cant tell from your picture if you have coning. Ive seen guys run with a little bit of coning with no problems, ive also seen guys show up at the trail missing 8-10 bolt heads.
 
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I just put a set of BFG Reds on the Crawlers this spring and they did the same thing. I considered getting spacers but I didn't notice this happening until the very end of the torqueing process. I've wheeled on them all Summer and Fall without issues. I may throw a set of spacers on this Winter, but then again, I may not.
 
Spazbyt said:
Kmc grenade crawl wheels with 37" Baja Boss tires. I got the ring pulled down completely with 25 ft.lbs but I noticed the last few times around the bolt heads seemed to be getting closer to the inside of the counter sinks, so much so that the socket was starting to rub the ring.
Could the ring be warping with only 25 ft.lbs? How can I check the ring is pulled down straight? I'm guessing I may need spacers?
Click to expand...

I run method bead locks with 37x13.50 coopers. If you have a combination square blade or a similar straightedge, just run it across the center of the ring. when I did this, the gap from coning was almost an 1/8” even with the 1/4” aluminum spacers that I run. Note, there should be no gap between your ring and your wheel or spacer (if you use one)

I called Method and they said they have tested these wheels with the Coopers under load and said they had no issues. However, they did offer me an upgrade to some heavier rings that they recently started to produce.

I opted to stay with my current setup, and as others have said, I’ve had no issues. I always figured, shit if wtjstudios runs these bead locks with his 40s, I should be good.
 
Thanks for the good info guys. (y) Coning is a good way to describe it. I only got the one tire on so I'll call KMC and see what thickness spacers they offer before I mount the rest of them.
 
Spazbyt said:
Thanks for the good info guys. (y) Coning is a good way to describe it. I only got the one tire on so I'll call KMC and see what thickness spacers they offer before I mount the rest of them.
Click to expand...

Did you end up going with spacers? I’m putting Baja bosses on tank wheels right now and it seems like they may need spacers.
 
Put a straight edge the Beadlock ring and definitely coning a good 3/16” or so on the inside. I’ll give KMC a call to get spacers.
 
I have about a 1/8" gap on my KMC Machete with the Cooper STT 17x13.50, been running them that way since 2018 no issues.
 
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