BeadLocks.

[JackstandJohnny]

once u have beadlocks u wont go back.

I cant count how much time i ve seen people trying to get their tire back on the rim on the trail.

i've been there. it sucks. totally.  so does owning a set of tires that are worth more than your jeep........

there is nothing more i'd love than to run a set of 17 AEV beadlocks with toyos, and have a spare just to boot.  however, while beadlocks are good mods, (and one i'm saving up for) i'll laugh at anyone who has spent 4k for said wheels and tires but still runs an open D30/35 combo.  yess people have priorities....  mine is/was lockers. 


my .02.......

[Joel]

I would prioritize beadlocks ahead of a suspension lift, but most of the herd does not understand that beadlocks enhance wheeling performance more then 90% of the available mods on a jeep.

on a stock jeep without a lift, wouldn't airing down to 5psi and losing 2" of  ground clearance out weight the benefits of additional traction? 

[Asia]

I have Jeep Canyon aluminum wheels (8" wide) and the highly regarded TrXus 31"x10.5" M/Ts.  I used to air down to 12 to 14 psi and lost a bead 6 times in total - threw on the spare tire and kept going.  National 4WD (where I bought the tires) cleaned out the tire and rim and remounted my tire 5 times before they got tired of it and made me pay for the last bead I lost.  I now run 16 to 17 psi and haven't lost a bead since.  Less traction - probably, but losing a bead is a PITA.  Not sure why I lost so many beads with relatively high tire pressure, was my rim alittle too wide for a 10.5" wide tire?  Flexible sidewalls on my TrXus?  I can't justify buying beadlocks with the amount of time I devote to wheeling, the wheel weight and my 2.5L 4 banger.

[Bnine]

on a stock jeep without a lift, wouldn't airing down to 5psi and losing 2" of  ground clearance out weight the benefits of additional traction? 

Nope, look at Chris.

He's wheeled like that for a long time, and done better then most. And that with a rubi grater even.

He walked double up, when others in the crowd had a fair amount of trouble.

[esi]

and lost a bead 6 times in total - threw on the spare tire and kept going.  National 4WD (where I bought the tires) cleaned out the tire .  I now run 16 to 17 psi and haven't lost a bead since.  Less traction - probably, but losing a bead is a PITA.

Maybe you should add a can of ether and a book of matches to your recovery gear. With some practice and some common sense its not as dangerous as some think it is. Sometimes on bigger tires and rims its about the only way to seat a bead unless you've got a bunch of bead blasters and people to fire themall at once

[Asia]

Haven't seen the ether trick, saw a few tires seated with rachet straps and a good compressor; neither method addresses cleaning out the dirt, rocks and mud inside the tire, nor cleaning the wheel's bead seat.  Throwing on my spare is easy and fast.