Normal off road rig I wouldn't bother. I do have them set for my crawler buggy on that I also runs Stauns on, I've bashed the heck out of the steel rims and do need something to beef them up. I won a set of four on Pirate 4x4 made by these folks, great quality!! http://copperheadfab.com/
Rock Rings
- Thread starter R_Lefebvre
- Start date
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Yeah, I haven't found a "cheap" set of rims yet for my truck locally. Checked Summit, and they have a Cragar Soft 8 16x7 5x4.75 for $61 which isn't bad. $40 would be even better. The LR bolt pattern is actually 5 on 120 I believe, but I think the 5x4.75 works and people are using it.
I'd prefer the Pro Comp Series 98 style, but Summit doesn't carry them, and Jegs doesn't carry Pro Comp at all?
EXP-T100
Adventurer
Rim stiffeners / Rock Rings
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=722880
http://copperheadfab.com/index.php?action=catview&cat=Rim Stiffeners
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Beadlocks-Rockrings_c_17.html
http://www.thetoyoutfitters.net/Rim_Stiffeners.html
http://throttlehappy.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=1354
if you can lay a nice even bead then balancing will not be a problem. i have a set of wheel i add ballostic fab's bead lock to and there is no problem with balancing them. Rim stiffeners do work very well i will be adding them to my new wheels. i have bent more wheel from expo type traveling than i ever have with my 4runner truggy. I say go for it and next time you cant dag or did not see that hole you dont have to worry so much :smiley_drive:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=722880
http://copperheadfab.com/index.php?action=catview&cat=Rim Stiffeners
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Beadlocks-Rockrings_c_17.html
http://www.thetoyoutfitters.net/Rim_Stiffeners.html
http://throttlehappy.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=1354
if you can lay a nice even bead then balancing will not be a problem. i have a set of wheel i add ballostic fab's bead lock to and there is no problem with balancing them. Rim stiffeners do work very well i will be adding them to my new wheels. i have bent more wheel from expo type traveling than i ever have with my 4runner truggy. I say go for it and next time you cant dag or did not see that hole you dont have to worry so much :smiley_drive:
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
Try ebay too. I've heard that all these black steel wheels regardless of Cragar, ARE, whatever come from the same factory in China. Ebay might get you the same wheel without the $20/wheel "brand name" mark up.
SeaRubi
Explorer
i think your tires are failing you. you're running the cooper ST's, right? not a bad tire, but a proper MT would protect the wheel more. if you're grinding the wheels into rocks a lot it's probably because you're spinning and sliding into them. i think you'd find that with a nice set of MT's and a detroit in the rear of your disco those wheels won't be getting chewed up as much.
as far as the AR/GCR wheels and all the rest. the bead sucks on all of these compared to what you have. if you air down < 15 expect blown beads with the girth and weight of your DII.
as far as the AR/GCR wheels and all the rest. the bead sucks on all of these compared to what you have. if you air down < 15 expect blown beads with the girth and weight of your DII.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
A big part of it is because I'm running skinnies. 245/75/16, and I think these wheels are 8" wide. So the wheel isn't protected at all by the tire. It doesn't have much to do with spinning and slipping sideways, it's just the terrain I'm on. Happens very frequently where the trail just forces you to grind the wheels on the rocks. Or you just can't even see what's under the water. There's one trail I've done twice now that there is just no choice. It's off camber with a small ledge on the side, and you grind the wheels trying to get up.
I never run less than 20psi, usually try for 25. Just too much sidewall bulge and the ST's don't have any tread on the sides. I know I'm giving up traction, but I have yet to tear a sidewall.
I never run less than 20psi, usually try for 25. Just too much sidewall bulge and the ST's don't have any tread on the sides. I know I'm giving up traction, but I have yet to tear a sidewall.
SeaRubi
Explorer
dude it's the tires. you need something with a lip protector as found on the newer radial muds like the BFG KM2 or the GY MT/R.
Look around at what others are running on the same trail networks. 245/75 and 8" wide rim should be fine. this is the stock size for the '03-'06 rubicons, except they're fitted with goodyear MT/R's. I took mine through plenty of rocks aired down to 11 or 12 psi and never suffered more than a few scratches. You might consider going to 265's for your next set of tires for more meat around the bead. I assure you that your neck of the woods has no monopoly on rocks :sombrero:
245's on 8" alloy rim:
You also need to be down to at least 15psi to be aired down if on trails. I'm happiest between 11~13psi. At 10psi or lower you're pushing the limits for a non beadlock rim. above that is generally ok if you're not getting real crazy with putting a lot of weight on the corners while angled over.
If you don't trust your tires while aired down - what's the point in thinking about something like rock rings? Think about it - get some real tires on there better suited for the trails you want to run. Ask the locals what works and what doesn't. You'll get an ear full. Pay attention to the smallest sizes that seem to work and get home without damage.
cheers
-ike
Look around at what others are running on the same trail networks. 245/75 and 8" wide rim should be fine. this is the stock size for the '03-'06 rubicons, except they're fitted with goodyear MT/R's. I took mine through plenty of rocks aired down to 11 or 12 psi and never suffered more than a few scratches. You might consider going to 265's for your next set of tires for more meat around the bead. I assure you that your neck of the woods has no monopoly on rocks :sombrero:
245's on 8" alloy rim:
You also need to be down to at least 15psi to be aired down if on trails. I'm happiest between 11~13psi. At 10psi or lower you're pushing the limits for a non beadlock rim. above that is generally ok if you're not getting real crazy with putting a lot of weight on the corners while angled over.
If you don't trust your tires while aired down - what's the point in thinking about something like rock rings? Think about it - get some real tires on there better suited for the trails you want to run. Ask the locals what works and what doesn't. You'll get an ear full. Pay attention to the smallest sizes that seem to work and get home without damage.
cheers
-ike
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
These are my tires at 15psi.
I know I don't have a monopoly on rocks. But, I'm running skinnies. I'm the only guy I've seen running skinnies around here. Everybody else has big fat M/T's. I won't put M/T's on my truck. At least not right now. The tires work up to the level of trail I want to do, and have good road manners. I'm just trying to solve the rim problem.
I'll suffer with the rim problems if the only solution is an M/T. Hell, I'll definitely try the rock rings before I buy brand new tires.
I know I don't have a monopoly on rocks. But, I'm running skinnies. I'm the only guy I've seen running skinnies around here. Everybody else has big fat M/T's. I won't put M/T's on my truck. At least not right now. The tires work up to the level of trail I want to do, and have good road manners. I'm just trying to solve the rim problem.
I'll suffer with the rim problems if the only solution is an M/T. Hell, I'll definitely try the rock rings before I buy brand new tires.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
Just as a small hijack, that works for you & your rig, but I'd be wallowing all over the place at 15psi or less, and I'm not driving anything close to an F-600 either. When I bother to air down my '84 Xcab at all, 19 psi is my usual setting - even when on a "rock crawling" trail like Doran Cyn or John Bull or Dusy-Irshim. 30psi is what I normally take the Sub down to. Ideal air down pressure is related to every possible variable involved in the rig + driver combo. Or so that is MHO.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Yeah, that Jeep must be... 1-2000 lbs lighter than my truck?
SeaRubi
Explorer
fantastic point. I know better than to make outlandish statements but I went and done it anyway, huh :elkgrin:
I never weighed my rangie but it was probably much lighter than the standard armored-up rover config. with 235/85 and 255/85 the sweet spot for me seemed to be around 13 psi.
and yes, Rob, the jeep is probably a good 2k lighter than your DII. Getting back to the rings - I doubt you'd be able to mount a set of the rings to your alloys, anyhow, right?
I am very much not a fan of all the aftermarket steel wheels, but it seems like if you're getting that much grief from abrasion and don't want to step-up your tire size, then moving on to a set of steel rims seems like the obvious and most cost-effective choice, no? And if you're not airing down past 15 psi then my quip about bead holding ability of the rim is probably moot.
food for thought
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I'm very much planning on going to steel wheels. The rock ring talk was about welding them to said steel wheels. It's just, in August I was on a trail with a guy in a Jeep with nice fat 35" MT's, and he damaged his steel wheels on the same rock I did. 
I'm just thinking, there's gotta be a better way.
I'm just thinking, there's gotta be a better way.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I think the big thing is to think of steel wheels as "red shirts". If you 'wheel they will get futzed over. That's all there is to it. As for the lip bending and the tire losing air, it is such a rare thing I don't stress about it. Besides, that's what the full size spare is supposed to deal with.
$0.02
$0.02
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
This guy just installed a Rugged Ridge product:
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f96/rugged-ridge-wheel-protectors-973137/
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f96/rugged-ridge-wheel-protectors-973137/
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