It's not that local tire stores are bad places; it's just that sometimes they don't keep the wheels and tires you want in stock. But what if you could order the wheels from anywhere you wanted and the tires from whoever had them at the best price and then mount them yourself in your very own garage? That's exactly what we did! First we made a call to American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) to get a smokin' deal on five 17x8.5 argent Pintler wheels with beadlocks. They come complete with center caps, all the beadlock hardware, and a full lifetime structural warranty. Then we made a call to Tire Rack for five 35x12.50R17 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tires. And once everything was delivered to our front door we rallied to the garage like a herd of fat girls to a doughnut shop to spin wrenches and mount some rolling stock.
Is That Really All?
Well, yes and no. We haven't balanced our mud tires in years. In most cases it's a waste of time if you go off-road frequently. The tread wears much more unevenly when spinning your rubber in dirt, mud, sand, and rock. Constantly balancing the tires after every outing is a nuisance. We didn't balance these wheels and tires and they rolled smooth from day one. And after nearly 10,000 miles on- and off-road they still do. If for some reason you need your rubber balanced you'll have to hit up a local tire store that can handle larger tires. Or maybe find a tire and wheel combo that Tire Rack can ship you already mounted and balanced.
We found some rubber valve...
We found some rubber valve stems at the local part store and pulled them through the wheels. There is a special tool made to do just this but a sturdy steel valve cap, some pliers, and a little soapy water are a great low-buck alternative. Just don't crush or damage the valve stem.
With the beadlock ring removed...
With the beadlock ring removed we lubed up the inner tire bead of a BFG MT KM2 with soapy water and worked the tire onto the wheel. It's much easier if you let the tires warm in the sun for a while first.
With one bead on the wheel...
With one bead on the wheel you can place a 5-gallon paint bucket under the center of the wheel. This allows the tire to drop into position and onto the lower wheel bead.
The AEV wheels are cast with...
The AEV wheels are cast with the beadlock mounting ring already in the wheel. There is no welding on these wheels; it's a solid one-piece deal. The beadlock rings are knurled to keep the tires from spinning on the wheels in high-traction situations. We wish the beadlock mounting holes had steel inserts, but we can always add them if the tapped holes become a problem. Regardless, it's hard to beat the price and quality of these aluminum beadlocks.
Always use plenty of anti-seize...
Always use plenty of anti-seize on your beadlock bolts. It will keep the threads from galling and keep the bolts from getting stuck.
With the tire and wheel supported...
With the tire and wheel supported by the old paint bucket you can massage the tire over the beadlock wheel lip. A light beating with a dead blow hammer is useful in coercing the tire into place without damaging the tire or wheel.
Install four of the bolts...
Install four of the bolts at opposite ends of each other and lightly tighten them with a nut driver. Then you can install the remaining bolts first by hand, and then with the nut driver in a crisscross pattern.
It takes a long time to properly...
It takes a long time to properly tighten beadlocks so don't rush through it. Slowly cinch them down with a ratchet in a crisscross pattern, then to 10 lb-ft in a crisscross pattern, and finally to 15 lb-ft in a crisscross pattern. It's better to tighten only a little at a time rather than all at once. This helps to make sure the beadlock ring sits flush with the wheel.
Now you're ready to fill 'em...
Now you're ready to fill 'em and seat the inner bead. For safety reasons it's always a good idea to use a clip-on air chuck for filling tires, especially when seating a bead.