Some questions about beadlocks

KarlVP · Jul 31, 2006

Are Beadlocks Illegal in WA?

I can't find anything to say that they are not legal. Since my TJ is my daily driver, I don't want to have to run two sets of wheels on it. I also have to drive it to the trail and whatnot.

If I were to beadlock a set of DOT wheels, would that be okay?

How many folks here on the board have been stoped by the law for having them on. (And I want first hand accounts, not "well I heard it from my buddies brother, who's sisters husband's buddy's wife got pulled over....")

JPFREAK · Jul 31, 2006

I've never heard of people getting hasseled around here.

Bobbo3234 · Jul 31, 2006

Does a wheel need to be DOT approved to be legal on the road?? Someone told me they don't, but I wasn't sure.

Brian H · Jul 31, 2006

Bead locks are illegal to drive on the street. But the ggod thing is that all the tire stores are coming out with the fake bead locks now and im sure that the cops wont give it a second look. If you were to get into a wreck you might get in trouble tho.

KarlVP · Jul 31, 2006

Brian H said:
Bead locks are illegal to drive on the street. But the ggod thing is that all the tire stores are coming out with the fake bead locks now and im sure that the cops wont give it a second look. If you were to get into a wreck you might get in trouble tho.

Can you show me the law that says they are NOT LEGAL?

I have searched all the RCW's but I can not find the rules about wheels. I have found them regarding tires, but not wheels.

Brian H · Jul 31, 2006

KarlVP said:
Can you show me the law that says they are NOT LEGAL?

I have searched all the RCW's but I can not find the rules about wheels. I have found them regarding tires, but not wheels.

Im going by what I was told when I worked as a tire tech.

KarlVP · Jul 31, 2006

Here is the info straight from the RCW. I am calling beadlocks "wheel disks" unless someone knows better.

1) No vehicle shall be equipped with wheel nuts, hub caps, or wheel discs extending outside the body of the vehicle when viewed from directly above which:

(a) Incorporate winged projections; or

(b) Constitute a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists.

For the purposes of this section, a wheel nut is defined as an exposed nut which is mounted at the center or hub of a wheel, and is not one of the ordinary hexagonal nuts which secure a wheel to an axle and are normally covered by a hub cap or wheel disc.

(2) Tire rims and wheel discs shall have no visible cracks, elongated bolt holes, or indications of repair by welding. In addition, the lateral and radial runout of each rim bead area shall not exceed one-eighth of an inch of total indicated runout.

(3) King pins or ball joints shall not be worn to the extent that front wheels tip in or out more than one-quarter of an inch at the lower edge of the tire.

WHITE TRASH1 · Jul 31, 2006

You arent going to find a law that says "beadlocks are illegal" no matter how hard you try.. The issue is you arent allowed to modify a DOT approved wheel which is just what happens when you either cut the lip of of a wheel to weld the ring on or simply weld the ring to the outer lip.

So no beadlocks arent technically legal but on the other hand Ive never heard of anyone getting hassled about it at all.

Bobbo3234 · Jul 31, 2006

just get the beadlocks and ride on those 31" doughnuts during the week

Brian H · Jul 31, 2006

Why get bead locks if you dont even have lockers?

Jaydog · Jul 31, 2006

There is a post on this issue on Pirate, one of the guys sent an email asking if it where illegal and they said it was, although they didn't respond as to why.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15915&page=1&pp=25&highlight=beadlock+legality

Symon623 · Jul 31, 2006

I've never heard or witnessed anyone getting riffed for Beadlocks, but tires stickin out too far in WA? Or, of all things here in AZ, mudflaps on trucks? Not Jeeps but trucks? A little bias here? Hmmm...... I've done over 100 miles in and around Silverton CO with guys on BL's and work with a few that run em daily....No issues. The nice thing is that wheel manufacturers are making the fake ones so the cops can't tell the diff? :redneck:

boxboy · Jul 31, 2006

You will need to go to the DOT regs (CFR) Code of Federal Regulations as they regulate what you can and can't do with everything that deals with transportation. The State acknowledges all Federal regs and enforces them then you add the states regs on top of them (RCW)

Every vehicle on any road in the US is governed by the CFR's and if it is not DOT approved it is illegal to run on the road and if it is a DOT approved part that you have modified it is illegal on the road.

Totalled · Jul 31, 2006

They aren't legal because they aren't DOT approved. Same reason you can run drag slicks on your street car.

Harvester of Sorrow · Jul 31, 2006

I street drive mine to and from the trail...I have not as of yet been pulled over for them. I am excessive in the amount of tire stickout as well...

Personally I don't think you will have a problem. If you don't drive like an ass...you won't get treated like one.

Has worked so far.

KarlVP · Jul 31, 2006

Brian H said:
Why get bead locks if you dont even have lockers?

I can't afford lockers so I guess that is a good question. I'm glad that people see that I can wheel open open and hold my own on 28 inch tires.

Apparently I can wheel with the best of them on my D30 with no ring and pinion in it either.

While we are at it, how do I have 4wd with no front driveshaft?

I'm so confused, I guess I don't need beadlocks. :haha:

Tankota · Jul 31, 2006

SysWillys said:
I've never heard or witnessed anyone getting riffed for Beadlocks, but tires stickin out too far in WA? Or, of all things here in AZ, mudflaps on trucks? Not Jeeps but trucks? A little bias here? Hmmm...... I've done over 100 miles in and around Silverton CO with guys on BL's and work with a few that run em daily....No issues. The nice thing is that wheel manufacturers are making the fake ones so the cops can't tell the diff? :redneck:

When DSI lived here he kept getting tickets for beadlocks...might have had something to do with BRIGHT RED RINGS on them:clappy:

BTW, my beadlocks match the tire in color (muddy black) so they aren't very noticable. Also, the rings are narrow so they aren't obvious.
Gott love those fake beadlocks...never thought they help me out but apparently they do.

TreeClimber · Jul 31, 2006

I ain't yer lawyer

Title 49: Transportation
PART 571â€"FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS
Subpart Bâ€"Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Â§ 571.110 Standard No. 110; Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less.

S4.4.1 Requirements. Each rim shall:
(a) Be constructed to the dimensions of a rim that is listed pursuant to the definition of test rim in paragraph S3. of Â§571.109 (Standard No. 109) for use with the tire size designation with which the vehicle is equipped.
(b) In the event of rapid loss of inflation pressure with the vehicle traveling in a straight line at a speed of 97 kilometers per hour, retain the deflated tire until the vehicle can be stopped with a controlled braking application.

Title 49: Transportation
PART 571â€"FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS
Subpart Bâ€"Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Â§ 571.109 Standard No. 109; New pneumatic tires.
Rim means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon which the tire beads are seated.