Bead lock wheels

[Chairokey]

Could someone explain Bead lock wheels to me? I understand they allow you to air down and prevent the tire from slipping off the wheel, but I was watching an installation video where the guy inserted a couple beads inside the tire and said they balance the wheel by finding the light spots. This confused me. Also the locker ring is what I thought kept the wheel from slipping off because it went up the sidewall a little bit to create more resistance. However the one he put on didn't seem to go any higher than the wheel did. Maybe I just saw it wrong. Could anyone explain to me how it works?

 

[GCM 2]

Could someone explain Bead lock wheels to me? I understand they allow you to air down and prevent the tire from slipping off the wheel,

Yes, this is correct.

but I was watching an installation video where the guy inserted a couple beads inside the tire and said they balance the wheel by finding the light spots. This confused me.

What you probably saw was someone using "Dynabeads". These are small beads inserted through the valve stem, which actually roll around inside the tire. This helps to balance a tire at normal street and highway speeds from having otherwise unruly manners. This is typically done when normal road force balancing with lead weights does not help oversized tires. "Dynabeads" have nothing to do with keeping the tire from losing its seated bead against the rim/wheel lip.

Also the locker ring is what I thought kept the wheel from slipping off because it went up the sidewall a little bit to create more resistance. However the one he put on didn't seem to go any higher than the wheel did. Maybe I just saw it wrong. Could anyone explain to me how it works?

Yes, the bead lock ring clamps the tires steel bead to a flange surface on the wheel. The beadlock ring only needs to be the height of the tires steel bead. Try watching this video of "how to mount a tire on to a beadlock wheel", it's one of the clearer example, although there are many different techniques to mount the tire to the rim, this basic principle about covers it.....and it's not usually as easy as the tire this guy mounts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIYrGJmHM78&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Edit: I just realized this is probably the same video you watched hopefully I at least cleared up the Dynabeads thing for you.

 

[TrailBear]

Not sure about the bead's to balance them, but bead locks grip the outside bead of tire. They have a ridge on the out side lip that holds the inside of the bead once you bolt the outer ring on. Normally your tire bead is kept on by air pushing it out onto the tapered lip on the rim. Not sure this will make sense.

 

[kaptkrappy]

Also the locker ring is what I thought kept the wheel from slipping off because it went up the sidewall a little bit to create more resistance. However the one he put on didn't seem to go any higher than the wheel did. Maybe I just saw it wrong. Could anyone explain to me how it works?

Maybe this will help.

 

[Chairokey]

Maybe this will help.

<img src="http://wayalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=3521"/>

Perfect! Thank you very much! Is it basically impossible to blow out a bead with bead lockers on? Or can it still happen under extreme conditions?

 

[Prime8]

Perfect! Thank you very much! Is it basically impossible to blow out a bead with bead lockers on? Or can it still happen under extreme conditions?

You'd have to either have the rubber bead tear off of the tire, have a failure of your ring, or have numerous bolt failures. So its highly unlikely with REAL beadlocks.