LOCAL COMPANY.....B.A.D. BEADLOCK WHEELS

powerstrokin04

powerstrokin04

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Location
Ellenboro NC
Found this company while doing some research... They are out of Gaffney, SC. The Rims themself are made about 5 miles from my house in York, SC. The founder is a Retired SC State Trooper who had a podium finish at Four Wheeler Magazine Top Truck Challenge. Im going to try and contact them and tell them about NC4x4 and get them on board! I did a forum search and found nothing on them.

http://badwheelsinc.com/
OFF ROAD artical
http://www.off-roadweb.com/tech/1302or_b_a_d_eklipse_17_bead_lock_wheels/
 
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After looking at his website on the FAQ section they are DOT compliant!

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They are street legal because there bead assist not bead lock...the difference between the two of them I dont know but the style uses the wheel to hold the tire on and not an outer ring
 
I've seen these wheels in person..neat idea...not sure how easy of an install it would be. though
 
Per website it says no more than 5 mins per wheel to install assist bead

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Dont need a huge explanation, but why aren't bead locks DOT legal? Ive just always wondered
 
I haven't seen a real reason or even a reason why they aren't street legal...

Likely because a company doesn't want the DOT red tape of them being legal or the liability
 
liability... A regular bead lock the tire is held on from the outside so if that fails the tire comes off the wheel where these or double military type bead locks the tire is held on from the inside.
 
keoni004 said:
There are a few DOT beadlocks out there. BAD Eklipse's got a nod in 4x4 Offroad (March 2013, p27); and an old link from Pirate talking about some other DOT compliant ones back in 2005 (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/axle...-compliant-bead-lock-wheel-now-available.html). I'm hoping that BAD makes a few other sizes than the 17x10 available soon.
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They never were actually DOT approved nor do they continue to make them. The steel wheel was DOT but the bead lock design never got final approval.

Someone needs to give Hutchinson a run for there money to drive the cost down on double bead locks. I've never seen a standard type bead lock that was DOT approved and I don't think you ever will.
 
250krawler said:
liability... A regular bead lock the tire is held on from the outside so if that fails the tire comes off the wheel where these or double military type bead locks the tire is held on from the inside.
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The military/Hutchinson type still fall apart if they come unbolted, leading to sudden/rapid deflation, possible loss of control, etc, etc, etc.

The big reason I've seen why most don't go through the DOT certification process is that it's expensive, and it's not a sure thing. Without a military contract or something to require/pay for the process, there's no incentive there. Makes a lot of sense to me.
 
GotLime? said:
Has anyone ever been hassled for running beadlocks on the street?
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Nope, but goes back to the liability thing.


The military/Hutchinson type still fall apart if they come unbolted, leading to sudden/rapid deflation, possible loss of control, etc, etc, etc.

The big reason I've seen why most don't go through the DOT certification process is that it's expensive, and it's not a sure thing. Without a military contract or something to require/pay for the process, there's no incentive there. Makes a lot of sense to me.
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I agree cost is the driving factor and I'm sure a big part of why the Hutchinson's cost so much and it's very much true that they can still fail but the design of bolting an inner and outer wheel shell together over clamping the bead to the outside of the wheel surely has something to do with it.

These BAD wheels appear to be the safest of all of them as far as that goes, I'm guessing by design they could still function as a normal wheel with out the lock rings on the inside?
 
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