[Piet]

OK... I have been surfing but not found the answers yet. (Might be good to add to the FAQ?) Can someone point me in the right direction?

1) What are beadlocks for? (I know that they stop the tire bead from breaking... but how?) Are they protecting the rim?

2) What are lockers for? (I understand this is different the the vaccum engagement on my YJ) How?

3) What are the main reasons for (I am trying to understand the Pros & Cons of different "Lift" options)

1. Body Lifts?
2. Shackle kits?
3. Spring over Axle (SOA)

I warned you... Newbie questions... Thanks!

[Piet]

I don't think it is mean.. However I could not find it in the FAQ on on this site.

1) Beadlocks... I found many post on "check out these beadlocks" and "found some cheap beadlocks" "have you made beadlocks" etc... but nothing on how they work. I did find a good explanation on wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beadlock#Standard_beadlocks

A standard beadlock is designed to clamp the tire bead between an outer and an inner ring. The inner ring may be welded onto a standard wheel increasing wheel width by anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 inches or may be formed as part of the wheel when the wheel is made in the factory. The outer ring is then bolted onto the inner ring with the bead clamped between them. Anywhere between 16 and 32 bolts at around 10 ft·lbf are used around the circumference of the wheel to keep the clamp tight. The rings and bolts can cause problems with balancing the wheel and tire because all the added weight is on one side. This style is used exclusively for offroad use.

It is important to note that most standard beadlocks clamp only the outside bead. This is fine in most cases because the outside bead is the side that comes unseated most often while off-roading.

Streetlocks
Some people want their vehicle to look like it has beadlocks, but don't actually need the benefits of real beadlocks. Many wheels are therefore made to look like beadlocks but they don't actually lock anything. The off-road community generally refers to these as "streetlocks" since the owners typically don't use them for off road use. Streetlocks do improve the structural integrity of the wheel though, and are a good alternative for states where beadlock wheels are not street legal.

2) Lockers... I finaly found a thread in the TJ Forum (My Bad)http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2777514

3) Different Lifts... I understand WHAT they are... I am trying hard to find a place to evaluated them... From what I have read so far...

1. Body Lifts? Cheapest way to make more tire room.. but increases Center of Gravity
2. Shackle kits? More expensive, lifts the motor/tranny/ etc above the ground, limited increase in center of gravity.
3. Spring over Axle (SOA)? Quite a job to do.. frees up the very significant space under the axle tubes where the spring packs normally reside. The only real disadvantage of going SOA is the possibility of inducing wheel hop.

Is that it in a nutshell?

[coachchuck]

Almost,
You didn't ask about a spring lift.
This is springs with more arch in them to lift the jeep.

On SOA (spring over axle) it can also have problems with bump steer if not done correctly and you have to add for axle rap.

On the bead locks, there are also interal locks like staus (I might have spell incorrectly). I don't personally know anyone that runs the internal so I can't give an opinion on them. Simplified, they are a hard inner tube that that locks the tire to both inner front and back of rims.

Hopes this helps some.

[Piet]

Originally Posted by coachchuck

Almost, You didn't ask about a spring lift.

Ooo Even more lurking required. Thanks.. just looking for a pointer in the right directions.

[dbikers]

it's a fair enough question....here's the wiki on it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beadlock


you can yahoo images and web sites of beadlocks that should help with the explanation...this should point you in the right direction to answer your questions....

[Burnerman]

Most beadlocks are not legal for street use. If it matters.....

[Joe Dillard]

Originally Posted by Burnerman

Most beadlocks are not legal for street use. If it matters.....

Not sure where you get your information from, but perhaps everybody should read this.

We have known better than to believe that beadlocks are not street legal for use for years & years here. We laugh when told otherwise.

Read post #8 carefully.

http://www.jeeptalk.worldoversea.com/index.php?showtopic=9472

[jeepjared84]

Originally Posted by Joe Dillard

Not sure where you get your information from, but perhaps everybody should read this.

We have known better than to believe that beadlocks are not street legal for use for years & years here. We laugh when told otherwise.

Read post #8 carefully.

http://www.jeeptalk.worldoversea.com/index.php?showtopic=9472

Thanks for posting that Joe. I always wondered why people always said they were or weren't legal.

[muddy93]

"Body Lifts? Cheapest way to make more tire room.. but increases Center of Gravity"
actuaily, body lifts do not raise the center of gravity as much as you might think. the body lift just raises the body, all the heavy stuff, engine, trans, T-case, etc.... prety much stay in the same spot.

Shackle kits? More expensive, lifts the motor/tranny/ etc above the ground, limited increase in center of gravity."

depending on where you get it, a new set of lift shackles could be cheaper than a body lift, quadratec has lift shackels from $30 to $80 per pair.
However, with lift shackles, if the shackle is 2" longer than the stock shackle, you're only going to get about 1" of lift because you are only lifting one end of the leaf spring. also, sense you are only lifting one end of the spring, you have to keep an eye on your caster and pinion angles.