Daily Driver, Go Where I Want To Build

jjvw said:
Have we seen any wear out yet? The bladder is just a normal inner tube. The money and design is in the "tire" and the second Schrader valve.
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No, it was just heresay when i was reading about Beadlock rim vs Coyote when i was choosing which way to go. The install was definitely a knock-down for coyotes, not just the process of the coyote install but not having the removeable beadlock plate makes home install way more difficult.
mrblaine said:
They wear at precisely the same rate as beadlock rings, bolts, and threaded holes/spacers do.
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What about when you air way down, at what psi does the tire rubber start pushing into / rubbing on the inner tire?
 
B00mb00m said:
No, it was just heresay when i was reading about Beadlock rim vs Coyote when i was choosing which way to go. The install was definitely a knock-down for coyotes, not just the process of the coyote install but not having the removeable beadlock plate makes home install way more difficult.
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It is clear you have never worked with difficult conventional bead lock installs. We've had some that were far more difficult than should be legal. Any time you have 3 guys prying a tire bead open with two flat blade screwdrivers each trying to get it over the inner bead lip, that's a problem.
B00mb00m said:
What about when you air way down, at what psi does the tire rubber start pushing into / rubbing on the inner tire?
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It never doesn't push on the inner tire since that is fully how they function. But, the inner tire sidewall protects the tube from the inside sidewall of the main tire. So, the wear is the same as you expecting your tire sidewall to give up because it is constantly flexing as you drive.

Also, conventional bead locks are a high maintenance item. Most don't do it but they should and since that requires for the sake of safety that you air down the tire fully to check the torque on the bead lock bolts, it becomes even less likely.

I rarely run a trail in JV where someone with bead locks including myself doesn't find a bolt backed out far enough that the next rock it sees contact with will snap it off. If you have bead locks with bolts and any of them have rock scratches on the heads, best check them since they are likely not where you left them.
 
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mrblaine said:
It is clear you have never worked with difficult conventional bead lock installs. We've had some that were far more difficult than should be legal. Any time you have 3 guys prying a tire bead open with two flat blade screwdrivers each trying to get it over the inner bead lip, that's a problem.

It never doesn't push on the inner tire since that is fully how they function. But, the inner tire sidewall protects the tube from the inside sidewall of the main tire. So, the wear is the same as you expecting your tire sidewall to give up because it is constantly flexing as you drive.

Also, conventional bead locks are a high maintenance item. Most don't do it but they should and since that requires for the sake of safety that you air down the tire fully to check the torque on the bead lock bolts, it becomes even less likely.

I rarely run a trail in JV where someone with bead locks including myself doesn't find a bolt backed out far enough that the next rock it sees contact with will snap it off. If you have bead locks with bolts and any of them have rock scratches on the heads, best check them since they are likely not where you left them.
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You are correct on both accounts. Trailready wheels have been pretty easy though extremely tedious for tire installation. I have not checked BL bolt heads (and all mine have scratches) except when i changed tires, and at that time i didnt find any loose. I'm sure you're correct some are twisting under friction on the face. I have thankfully yet to snap a bolt head off.
 
Big exciting upgrade!
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In well under a year, I wore out the rod ends that came with the SwayLoc. I probably started to notice a click after 6 months which became more pronounced as time went on. The linings had fallen out of all four ends.

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I replaced them with 1/2-20 FK rod ends, part # HJMX8T. These are the higher misalignment with 19degs. My front axle flexes to a almost 18deg and I think I was reaching bind on the SwayLoc supplied ends.

The FK replacements are a slightly thinner barrel, but the ball is a larger diameter. With the addition of being higher quality, these should last a lot longer.

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Looking at the fresh install, I remember Blaine mentioning that he uses press in wheel studs instead of bolts. This would improve the clearance around the tire at full steering lock.

After a quick drive, I can definitely feel that the body roll is decreased and the movement feels more controlled. And the irritating clicking sound is gone!
 
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jjvw said:
In well under a year, I wore out the rod ends that came with the SwayLoc. I probably started to notice a click after 6 months which became more pronounced as time went on. The linings had fallen out of all four ends.

View attachment 299613View attachment 299614

I replaced them with FK rod ends, part # HJMX8T. These are the higher misalignment with 19degs. My front axle forces to a bit over 15deg and I think I was reaching bind on the SwayLoc supplied ends.

The FK replacements are a slightly thinner barrel, but the ball is a larger diameter. With the addition of being higher quality, these should last a lot longer.

View attachment 299615

Looking at the fresh install, I remember Blaine mentioning that he uses press in wheel studs instead of bolts. This would improve the clearance around the tire at full steering lock.

After a quick drive, I can definitely feel that the body roll is decreased and the movement feels more controlled. And the irritating clicking sound is gone!
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It looks like you could drop the misalignment spacers too, which is good to know. I am curious to see if mine follow suit with the bigger travel, as they definitely are noisy already with stock movement but nowhere as loose as yours were. Which part are the pressed in studs into, I assume the upper side pressed into the heim?
 
rasband said:
It looks like you could drop the misalignment spacers too, which is good to know. I am curious to see if mine follow suit with the bigger travel, as they definitely are noisy already with stock movement but nowhere as loose as yours were. Which part are the pressed in studs into, I assume the upper side pressed into the heim?
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I didn't use the coned spacer. Only the tapered nut because I had it, but I don't think it is needed.

The stud would go in from the upper, outboard side with the nut facing the frame. I don't think it gets pressed, though. Shave the knurling down enough to make it snug. The stud just gets you a low profile bolt head.
 
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Interesting. I’ve had that sway-loc in there for over a decade and never had an issue with the heims. Yours must have really been flopping around if you noticed a difference in roll after replacing them. Any idea how many miles yours lasted?
 
bobthetj03 said:
Good to note, not that I get the kind of flex you guys do, but good to know if mine start squawking.
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You can figure out if the existing links have enough misalignment by cycling the axle with one sway bar link still attached.

I think if you wanted to be fussy about it, disconnect both links, bring the axle to full flex, and try bolting a link back on. This is the same idea for how we should be checking the driveshaft at full droop.
 
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NashvilleTJ said:
Interesting. I’ve had that sway-loc in there for over a decade and never had an issue with the heims. Yours must have really been flopping around if you noticed a difference in roll after replacing them. Any idea how many miles yours lasted?
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I'm not putting as many miles on in recent years as I was in the past. It wasn't more than 10k as of today. Adding up the movement in the old links, we are looking at about 1/8-3/16" of slop. I think it's just enough for me to notice it. The sound also adds to the perception of uncontrolled movement.

Years ago when I put new rubber on the rear factory sway bar, I could also tell a noticeable difference. I quickly checked those today and everything still seems snug.
 
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mrblaine said:
That is a 97, you should have grabbed the charcoal canister and associated bits for the poor souls on here that are always looking for one.
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Is that it dangling above the power steering reservoir? Someone tell me to go back and I'll go back.
 
Here's some more detail on why I'm using factory rails and why so much of them...

Normally the frame cut is made on the A mark where the frame is bent to become parallel with the other side. The stretch splice is added there pushing the entire arch and complete suspension backwards. The splice at the A mark needs to recreate this same bend.
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Because I was able to get long sections of frame, my thought is to make a second cut at the B mark (approximately) so that both of my splices occur on straight sections of frame. I would reuse the factory bend from the donor frame rather than recreate it at a splice.
 
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