Gauge-Store is now offering competition bead lock wheels!  eadlock wheels are actually a specially designed safety device that is designed to protect drivers from having the bead of their tires separate from their rims while driving.  

atv/utv bead lock

  Why would someone intentionally lower the air pressure in their tires to the point where it could dangerously separate from the wheel? Off-road, tire deflation is often done in order to create a wider footprint for the tire itself. Releasing air causes more sidewall sag, which in turn widens the contact patch on the tire tread. This can be useful when crossing sandy areas, muddy passages or when attempting to better spread out the weight of a vehicle over soggy or uncertain ground.  On a street tire, the bead is firmly held onto the rim due to the air pressure inside the tire. At the inflation pressures recommended by the manufacturer, there is little or no danger of bead separation while cruising down the highway. However, if the pressure is allowed to fall below a certain point, then the grip that the tire’s bead has on the lip of the wheel becomes increasingly tenuous. This could lead to it sliding off at the worst possible time.

  In other applications, such as drag racing, tires are frequently run with very little air pressure inside of them to not only increase traction via a wider contact patch, but also to encourage sidewall flex when launching a car or truck off the line. This flex absorbs some of the force of the acceleration and helps to prevent tire chatter and spin.

  In both cases, beadlock wheels mechanically lock the tire bead to the rim, taking air pressure out of the equation and helping to ensure that the tire remains firmly in place no matter how wild maneuvers might get out on the trail or the strip. Beadlock wheels can also help save drivers should they suffer a flat tire while miles away from civilization, as they can keep the damaged tire from separating from the rim even at zero inflation. This can often mean the difference between an expensive tow and a long, slow drive back to a service station.

  Bottom Line: Beadlock wheels are for advanced off-road use only. Unless you’re serious about heavy-duty off-road fun.  Put your money into some aftermarket custom wheels, if your not in need of a beadlock!!