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Beadlock wheels look tough, and that's why a lot of people want them. What they actually do is narrower than that, and so are the rules about using them on the road. This guide covers both so you know what you're buying.
What a beadlock does
On a normal wheel, the tyre is held on the rim by air pressure alone. The pressure pushes the tyre's bead outward against the lip of the wheel. At road pressures that hold is very strong. Drop to single digits for deep sand or rock crawling and it gets weak enough that a hard turn or a sideways hit can push the bead off the rim. The tyre goes flat on the spot.
A true beadlock fixes this mechanically. The outer bead of the tyre sits on a shelf and is clamped down by a bolted ring, so it stays put whatever the pressure is. That lets you run pressures low enough to get the tyre's full footprint on the ground without it coming off.
True, simulated and hybrid
True beadlock
The ring is structural. A full circle of bolts clamps the tyre bead between the ring and the wheel. Fitting a tyre means tightening every bolt in sequence to the right torque, then rechecking them after some use.
Simulated beadlock
The tyre mounts the normal way, held by air pressure. The ring bolts to the face of the wheel and doesn't touch the tyre. It gives you the look, and it puts a replaceable piece of alloy between rocks and the lip of your wheel.
Hybrid beadlock
A hybrid wheel is built to accept either. You can run it with a true ring, with a simulated ring, or with no ring at all, and change between them later.
Are beadlocks road legal in Australia?
The short version is that true beadlocks are sold for off-road use, and you shouldn't assume they can go on a registered vehicle. Vehicle standards are set state by state, and the rules and how they're enforced vary. Before fitting a true beadlock ring to anything you drive on the road, check with your state or territory road authority, or talk to an engineering signatory. It's also worth asking your insurer, since an unapproved modification can affect a claim.
A simulated ring is a different matter, because the tyre is mounted on a conventional bead seat exactly like any other alloy wheel. The usual wheel rules still apply. The wheel has to be load rated for the vehicle, the tyres can't poke out past the guards, and there are limits on how far you can widen the track with a lower offset.
For a 4x4 that is driven on the road during the week, a simulated ring or no ring is the configuration to choose.
Who needs a true beadlock?
Fewer people than you'd guess from the car park at a 4x4 show. If you air down to 15 to 18 psi for beach driving, a standard wheel holds the tyre without trouble. Our tyre pressure guide covers those ranges.
True beadlocks make sense when you're regularly below 10 psi. That means competition trucks, dedicated rock crawlers and vehicles that spend their weekends in very soft dunes. Those are mostly trailered or club-registered rigs.
The AT-01 hybrid beadlock
The wheel we stock is the ATI AT-01, a 17x8.5 hybrid beadlock. We like it because it doesn't force the decision on day one. You can buy the wheel, run it on the road with a simulated ring, and have the option of a true ring later if the vehicle becomes a dedicated off-roader.
It's made from heat-treated A356 aluminium with a 1,250kg load rating and a recessed valve stem that's protected from rocks. It comes in machined, bronze or black, in 6x139.7, 5x150 and 6x114.3 stud patterns, with a range of offsets and a lifetime structural warranty.
The rings are sold separately and are forged from 6061 aluminium:
- The imitation beadlock ring for the look and some rim protection.
- The true beadlock ring, supplied with grade 10.9 hardware, for off-road use.
- The black hardware kit to fill the bolt holes if you run no ring.
Each ring kit does one wheel and includes 24 bolts and washers. You'll also want a spline drive lug nut set in the right thread for your vehicle.
Before you order wheels
- Confirm your stud pattern. 6x139.7 suits most Japanese utes and wagons, 5x150 suits the 100, 200 and 300 Series Landcruiser, and 6x114.3 suits the Navara D40 and NP300. Check your own vehicle before ordering.
- Choose an offset that keeps the tyre under the guard. A lower offset pushes the wheel outward.
- Check the load rating against your vehicle's axle loads, particularly if you tour heavy.
- If you're unsure about fitment, ask us before you buy. Wheels are expensive to send back.
Common questions
Can I run very low pressures with a simulated beadlock ring?
No. A simulated ring doesn't clamp the tyre, so the wheel behaves like any standard alloy at low pressure.
Do beadlock wheels need more maintenance?
True beadlocks do. The ring bolts need to be torqued in sequence and rechecked from time to time. Simulated rings just need the occasional check that the bolts are tight.
Can I swap from a simulated ring to a true ring later?
On a hybrid wheel like the AT-01, yes. The tyre has to come off and be remounted with the true ring.
Will a tyre deflator work on beadlock wheels?
The ATI tyre deflators have an extended tip made to reach the valve on beadlock wheels.
