New Goodyear Wrangler MTs appear to be available again

[mgFray]

Easy search, but they seem to have gone up since I first looked...

H1 Hummer Beadlock Inserts

PVC Beadlock insert for 16.5 Diameter H1 Humvee wheels. WigSplitter Pro PVC inserts are the highest quality inserts on the market! We machine our inserts with precision and quality standards in place to ensure fitment and balancing. Other companies may offer a similar product but we assure you...

www.wigsplitterpro.com

Those are the ones. It was definitely cheaper them me trying to do it myself. (roughly for a set of 4 the cost of another tire.)

 

[TNDRIVER]

What is the inside dimension of the pvc? I found a 6’ long joint that was like 15 1/2” inside if I remember correctly. I like the stand it up idea that Mogman suggested.

In the true spirit of I don't know any better I believe I would start looking at the local construction and supply companies to scrounge up a piece of pipe and make these myself!

 

[mgFray]

In the true spirit of I don't know any better I believe I would start looking at the local construction and supply companies to scrounge up a piece of pipe and make these myself!

Doesn't look like it's hard to make them. Just need to chamfer the edges, and then add a cutout (of some kind) for the air valve.

 

[Mogman]

Maybe he can get the ID/OD/wall thickness etc, before installing the 5th one, should not be too difficult to cross the number to a production PVC pipe.
It would be much easier if one had a lathe big enough to chuck it up.

 

[Coug]

Trailworthyfab had on their website that to order a set of PVC beadlocks they wanted to know the exact tire you were using.
This was because the old rubber beadlock/runflat had some squish to it, and wouldn't have issues if the diameter of the bead was a little different between tire brands. The PVC ones have zero ability to squish, so have to be made to the correct tolerance or you'll either end up too large and the rim won't fully bolt together, or too loose and allowing the tire to move on the rim. I'd imagine just a little small won't be a major issue as it will still keep the bead of the tire from coming off the rim, but too tight would definitely be an issue.

 

[mgFray]

Maybe he can get the ID/OD/wall thickness etc, before installing the 5th one, should not be too difficult to cross the number to a production PVC pipe.
It would be much easier if one had a lathe big enough to chuck it up.

Unfortunately all of them are in the tires and are a bear to remove. However, I can get tell you it's a blue/green PVC with an 18" O.D. pipe. Only one of the pipes has any writing on it. There was a number "1120", which I looked up and it says it's for water main/sewer usage.

I didn't see anything that says Sch 40 or Sch 80.

I did find, after some googling, and article that talked about how someone made these PVC inserts. Look up "Bill Vista Custom Hummer Double Beadlocks".

Talks about sizing, chamfering, and cutting the relief for the valve stem nut.

 

[mgFray]

Trailworthyfab had on their website that to order a set of PVC beadlocks they wanted to know the exact tire you were using.
This was because the old rubber beadlock/runflat had some squish to it, and wouldn't have issues if the diameter of the bead was a little different between tire brands. The PVC ones have zero ability to squish, so have to be made to the correct tolerance or you'll either end up too large and the rim won't fully bolt together, or too loose and allowing the tire to move on the rim. I'd imagine just a little small won't be a major issue as it will still keep the bead of the tire from coming off the rim, but too tight would definitely be an issue.

Part of the reason I went with wigsplitter was Trail Worthy was confusing "custom PVC". I don't need custom, standard rim, standard tires..

As for fit, with the standard 12 bolt rims, and Wrangler MT -- the wigsplitter are 'tight' but not unreasonable. There is no way that bead is going to move.. It is tough to bolt the wheel halves together, but it takes less then 85 ft-lbs, as long as you do a little bit... over and over and over and over and over and over tightening down the outer rim half.

One huge advantage to this (over not having the inner beadlock), airing this up was SIMPLE. The bead was already against the rim (tightly) and just putting in air it instantly started to fill.. no leaks.

It's a lot of work (without air tools turning the nuts) but so far, it all seems reasonable. (and it's one hell of an arm workout!)

Takes me about 20 minutes to unbolt the old tire, 10 minutes to break the bead and separate it. Then I clean/repaint as necessary. Reassembly, put the inner rim on a bucket.. set the tire on the rim, add the o-ring and a small bit of tire slime as a lubricant on the o-ring... then set the outer wheel and start bolting it down with standard grade 8 washer/nut torqing to 85 then 125 ft-lbs... that takes about an hour for me. Then air it up, verify it holds air. Let ALL of the air out, and replace the standard washer/nuts with the correct NEW wheel nuts, one at a time.. again torquing to 85 ft-lbs until all of them are replaced, then go around and up to to 125 ft-lbs. That takes about another 30-45 minutes... inflate it ONE more time and verify holding air.. then ready to install it.. All in all about 2 to 2 1/2 hours including the wheel change on the HMMWV. (I suspect air tool would cut this in half.)

 

[Mogman]

Part of the reason I went with wigsplitter was Trail Worthy was confusing "custom PVC". I don't need custom, standard rim, standard tires..

As for fit, with the standard 12 bolt rims, and Wrangler MT -- the wigsplitter are 'tight' but not unreasonable. There is no way that bead is going to move.. It is tough to bolt the wheel halves together, but it takes less then 85 ft-lbs, as long as you do a little bit... over and over and over and over and over and over tightening down the outer rim half.

One huge advantage to this (over not having the inner beadlock), airing this up was SIMPLE. The bead was already against the rim (tightly) and just putting in air it instantly started to fill.. no leaks.

It's a lot of work (without air tools turning the nuts) but so far, it all seems reasonable. (and it's one hell of an arm workout!)

Takes me about 20 minutes to unbolt the old tire, 10 minutes to break the bead and separate it. Then I clean/repaint as necessary. Reassembly, put the inner rim on a bucket.. set the tire on the rim, add the o-ring and a small bit of tire slime as a lubricant on the o-ring... then set the outer wheel and start bolting it down with standard grade 8 washer/nut torqing to 85 then 125 ft-lbs... that takes about an hour for me. Then air it up, verify it holds air. Let ALL of the air out, and replace the standard washer/nuts with the correct NEW wheel nuts, one at a time.. again torquing to 85 ft-lbs until all of them are replaced, then go around and up to to 125 ft-lbs. That takes about another 30-45 minutes... inflate it ONE more time and verify holding air.. then ready to install it.. All in all about 2 to 2 1/2 hours including the wheel change on the HMMWV. (I suspect air tool would cut this in half.)

Of course without air it is a little different but after you air them down you can do every other nut at the same time, by hand one at a time would not be as tedious