Sleeper Hold: Beadlock Wheels

How do beadlock wheels work you ask? We’ve got your back.

In normal non-beadlock function, the tires bead (the smooth portion that joins the wheel lip) is stretched over the slightly larger wheel bead, and when air pressure is introduced inside the tire, that pressure forces itself against the tire bead, and in turn against the wheel rim. That huge pressure and friction creates the seal that your tires roll on.

In off-road scenarios, it’s necessary to “air down” your tires to increase the contact patch. Airing down allows for less pressure inside the tire, and in turn, a more flexible tire tread, that will more easily envelop obstacles in its path, than ride up over them. That loss of pressure inside the tire comes at a cost though, it means less pressure holding that bead against the rim. To add insult to injury, the terrain you are dispatching your tires over may put additional stressors on the sidewalls of the tires which could contribute to bead-loss.

Enter beadlock wheels. The beadlock has an exterior ring of durable metal (often aircraft grade aluminum) that sandwiches the tire bead on the outside of the wheel and provides a clamping force against the bead, not allowing it to be pulled away by the environment or from general use. The clamp keeping the bead secure also has the benefit of allowing users to air down to even lower single digit pressures to maximize the effectiveness of their tires and to improve their ride.

There is a double beadlock wheel as well, manufactured by Hutchinson under their Rock Monster division, which clamps both beads of the tire. Check our Hutchinson Rock Monster article for more info on that!