#&^%@@$ Beadlocks

[Mark3395]

Have the misfortune of needing to replace some damaged 14.50s on a few A3s. Fortunately I have a great wheel balancer to help change them.

Well, I bought it from GL Lockbourne off a bad photo and it turned out to be a huge tire changer. Took it anyway.

Anyway with the help of a muscular friend we managed to get the bad tire off and the beadlock out. Even managed to get it back into another tire today and am not looking for my hoard of valve stems to air it up.

What a pain in the fanny. Couple questions:

1. Is the beadlock needed? I dont' figure on ever deflating to drive on sand (and think the idea was goofy for the USG). Hard to image those big tires overcoming internal air pressure and deflating. And beadlocks won't stop them from deflating if pressure's lost anyway?

2. Somebody please tell me the simple, fast, easy way to get that beadlock into the tire. We did it with the tire flat on the ground and a couple tire prybars but hope there's an easier way.

And yes, we used the TM, but it's not very informative.

And I still need a wheel balancer I think.

Thanks much.

Mark

 

[patracy]

Beadlock isn't needed unless you're going to air down.

Pay someone else to do it.

You don't need a wheel balancer. Just use the golf ball technique or try adding additional weights or lug nuts as needed to counter the weight of the CTIS.

 

[mikew]

They're a b*@ch!!! I don't think there is an easy way.

The beadlock won't stop them from deflating but will let you re-inflate a flat tire. Without the beadlock, i suspect a flat will easily pop the tire off the bead and re-inflation might be a challenge.

Good luck!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Its not really that hard, you still have my number? PM if not. I could type 50000 words or tell you on the phone in 30SECs.