Page 1 of 1

New winter rims and tires

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 12:55 pm
by GadgetPhreak
I put on a set of studded Cooper Discoverer STT Maxx for the winter in 255/80R17 (same size as my summer tires). I’ll report back on their performance after I get a few snow runs in.

Note: I am running them on TR Beadlock rims and typically air down to 3-5psi in the snow which affects performance levels..

-Ben

Image

Image

Image

Image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: New winter rims and tires

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:44 pm
by Sonarman
Nice,
Are those rims DOT approved?

Re: New winter rims and tires

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:47 pm
by GadgetPhreak
Nope.. but I run them anyway ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: New winter rims and tires

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:29 pm
by Haf-e
There actually isn't "DOT approved" wheels - they (DOT) don't inspect, test, approve - they just write standards which give the requirements for wheels. The standards don't specifically object to bead lock wheels - they just don't describe them in the standard, so they can't be listed as meeting the DOT requirements.

There has been a guy on the pirate4x4 site offering a reward for anyone who can show they got a ticket that showed the actual violation for bead lock wheels being illegal - last I heard it was still unclaimed. I am sure people have been sited for very broad violations - such as "unsafe tires" but not bead locks specifically.

The challenge with bead locks is getting a shop to mount them and keeping up on the torquing that is required. I think high quality wheels ( like these trail ready's) have a machined ring that reduces that requirement compared to the flat steel rings which the cheaper DIY bead lock kit ls use which end up with only the rubber under compression which results in loose bolts.

Re: New winter rims and tires

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 6:03 pm
by one2many
Really like your TR rims (both sets :mrgreen: ) gadgetphreak, IIRC you have disc brakes therefore use a 5x130 pcd, on a 17" rim. Are these TR rims available in the 5x160 pcd as well? And are the TR's available in 16" as well? (IIRC no 16")
cheers.

Re: New winter rims and tires

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:02 pm
by Haf-e
Since Trail Ready is located in the town I live in I will post what I know. They are very nice wheels.

Their wheels are available in the 5x160 pattern to bolt onto a standard 710/712 drum brake setup. They are wide - I measured one an it is 9.5 inches from the outside edge on the front to the outside edge on the back - they are listed as being 8.5 inches wide with the way the bead locks work. They are not available in 16 inch - only 17 inch. They can have real beadlock rings or just simulated ones.

The backspacing is deep for this type of wheel - 6 inches - but the wheel is so wide that the outside edge of the rim ends up moving outward about 2.5 inches compared to the stock steel wheels - so they will throw up mud on the sides and onto the rear view mirrors. Some type of extended wheel well is required.

GadgetPhreak's disc brake conversion was an early one-off design which has a wheel pattern of 5x114 (Mercedes ML320 pattern) and required machining of the wheel flanges and the wheel drive castings in addition to custom brackets and different plumbing.

Unfortunately, these Trail Ready wheels are not suitable for the disc brake conversion kits that I am offering as the backspacing is not enough to work with my design - the wheels would be placed even farther outward than they are on the stock drum brakes, which is already at the limit in my opinion.

Re: New winter rims and tires

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:01 pm
by one2many
Thanks Haf-e that answers all my questions....you read my mind