ATX Slabs repair tip.....

[GCM 2]

For those of you running the ATX Slabs Beadlock wheel, you are riding on some pretty beefy wheels. They are not indestructible, but pretty darn close, Slabs can handle some really serious abuse and have been the best professional grade race wheel i have run to date. Over the last six months I have managed to break 4 allen head bolts on one beadlock ring (the driver front). Maybe it was a lack of maintenance and not doing a thorough torque check, maybe it was the King of the Hammers pre-run flop over, maybe a combo of both. Anyway, I had been through this before with other makes of beadlocks and the typical fix to removing a broken bolt was to drill a pilot hole into the remaining bolt shaft still in the wheel, then use an extracting bit screwed into the pilot hole to grab and reverse out the remaining bolt. Great in theory, rarely good (or easy) in application. ATX Slabs have a design feature that differs from others makes of beadlocks, their ring bolts screw not only into an insert in the wheel like all other makes of beadlocks, but the bolt then passes through the insert and is visible on the inside dish of the wheel. This design feature is what really helped to make the repair of my four broken bolts super easy.
1) I removed my wheel to air down completely and then remove the beadlock ring. I did this because I wanted to see how much broken bolt was still sticking out on the outside of the rim. Actually there was no need to remove beadlock ring, all following steps can be done with wheel on vehicle and air in tire.
2) Grabbed the remaining bolt with pliers and turn it in the direction to force it to thread towards the inside of the rim
3) Remove broken bolt and throw away
4) Replace with new bolt.
5) Check torque on the remaining beadlock allen bolts.

 

[MTG]

Very nice! I hope I do not break a bolt any time soon, but if I do, I hope it's in a place where I can do this easy fix. :thumb:

 

[Jkzinger]

Thanks so much for the tip! Sounds like only a matter of time before I break one!

 

[Notajerryskid]

I was wondering if the slabs broke bolts. I guess every brand of beadlock breaks bolts.

 

[The Wandering Jeeper]

Good to know Greg. I am going to have to do what Eddie did so I can run 20's. I just wish the wheels didn't weigh 67 lbs each.

 

[GCM 2]

I was wondering if the slabs broke bolts. I guess every brand of beadlock breaks bolts.

You know I'm not sure how many others with Slabs have broken bolts, but I'm really leaning towards it being solely my fault. I think I have just been lazy about checking the bolt's tightness and they had backed out enough to catch on a rock face and snap. I was just really happy to be able to remove the broken bolt shafts so darn easy :yup:

 

[Skid_Kid]

You know I'm not sure how many others with Slabs have broken bolts, but I'm really leaning towards it being solely my fault. I think I have just been lazy about checking the bolt's tightness and they had backed out enough to catch on a rock face and snap. I was just really happy to be able to remove the broken bolt shafts so darn easy :yup:

So whenever I get the funds to get my lift and tires, I should something like a monthly torque check on the bolts?

 

[GCM 2]

.....something like a monthly torque check on the bolts?

Typically that's more than enough of a torque check schedule if you are just daily driving around town. I usually do it after a weekend of aired down, hard trail runs, along with all my lug nuts too.

 

[Skid_Kid]

Typically that's more than enough of a torque check schedule if you are just daily driving around town. I usually do it after a weekend of aired down, hard trail runs, along with all my lug nuts too.

Good to know! Thanks Greg!

 

[rtguy1]

Great job. The slabs look better and better. I've been considering trailready wheels since they are USA made but these slabs just rock, literally.

 

[ProtocolJK]

Thanks for the tip! When I get my slabs, it is good to know how easy it is to remove a broken bolt, should I break one.

 

[paychex.308]

very nice bit of info. one would almost think it would have been a bit more difficult to replace.

andrew -

 

[Strainger]

Excellent info. Especially for a relatively inexperienced Jeeper with no mechanical ability like me. Were the replacement bolts hard to find?

 

[GCM 2]

.......Were the replacement bolts hard to find?

Absolutely not hard at all, I pulled one from my wheel and brought it along with me to Home Depot to match it up. It's very common, officialy known as a "cap screw" 3/8"x 1 1/2" in size. Make sure to buy the ones that are stainless steel. Practically any hardware store will carry them :thumb:

 

[Strainger]

Absolutely not hard at all, I pulled one from my wheel and brought it along with me to Home Depot to match it up. It's very common, officialy known as a "cap screw" 3/8"x 1 1/2" in size. Make sure to buy the ones that are stainless steel. Practically any hardware store will carry them :thumb:

Got it. Thanks, Partner. :beer::thumb:

 

[undergroundjk]

Typically SHCS, or 'socket-head cap screw'. Family was in the fastener biz.


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[JeepFan]

Glad I found this info. It may come in handy someday. Thanks GCM2

 

[GCM 2]

Glad I found this info. It may come in handy someday. Thanks GCM2

No problem! But if you just check the bolts occasionally, you should never have to use this tip :icon_crazy:

 

[JeepFan]

Great advice! This morning during a routine tire rotation I completely aired down the tires and torqued all the bolts. I'm amazed at home much abuse Atx wheels can take. Thanks for reminding us that proper maintenance will go a long way in keeping them together.

 

[Moochie]

I've had my Slabs for over 2 years and so far, no broken bolts.