Converting Sasquatch wheels to actual beadlock wheels?

[Scott R Nelson]

I did some searching and have found many YouTube videos on how to take the rings off of Sasquatch wheels, but it's always to change the color or something like that. I can't find anything about how to convert the "beadlock capable" wheels to actual bead lock wheels.

I would appreciate it if someone could point me at information on how to make them actual beadlock wheels.

Thanks.

Sponsored

 

[Jdc]

You'd have to buy a beadlock kit. I'd search around for a deal. https://accessories.ford.com/products/2021-bronco-functional-bead-lock-ring-kit

 

[Theherofails]

https://accessories.ford.com/products/2021-bronco-functional-bead-lock-ring-kit

Check with your dealer to verify the part number, but you order this kit and swap out the beauty rings for the beadlock rings.. Then take the kit to a tire shop that handles 4x4 and have them pull the bead outside the wheel and seat it in the beadlock rings. All done.

You'll have at least one tire that leaks on a near constant basis unless the install is done absolutely methodical - get all of the grease/dirt off the mating surfaces, chase the bolt hole threads to clean them up with a tap and then check torque specs very closely to give you a fighting chance. Ford likes to cross thread the heck out of the Bronco wheel beauty rings, so I strongly recommend cleaning the threads.

 

[TTT]

hi, what you need is to buy the beadlocks, not the beauty rings, the actual beadlocks, and installed them on your wheels, just like that. but its nor recommended for road use because it might leak air

dont forget that the screw are TP or IP torx plus ! regular ones will damage the screws

this is the real beadlock kit
OEM beadlock bronco

torx plus set i have these ones
torx plus set

 

[Scott R Nelson]

Thanks for the pointers. This helps me understand what's involved a bit better. All I can say is Wow! over a thousand bucks just for the parts. I'm not serious about converting mine, since it is rare that I would need super low air pressures. I just wanted to find out what was involved.

 

[Theherofails]

Thanks for the pointers. This helps me understand what's involved a bit better. All I can say is Wow! over a thousand bucks just for the parts. I'm not serious about converting mine, since it is rare that I would need super low air pressures. I just wanted to find otu what was involved.

It's really not ideal unless you use your Bronco has an off-road only vehicle, basically. You can run it beadlocked on the road, but there is no benefit and a lot of negatives. The legality is also questionable, depending on your location.

I've only popped a bead once on the Sasquatch wheels and that was WAY outside typical use case. You can get down to ~10psi no prob from the factory as long as you stay out of sand. I generally don't need any less than 15-17 on the rocks.

 

[BigHoof]

Thanks for the pointers. This helps me understand what's involved a bit better. All I can say is Wow! over a thousand bucks just for the parts. I'm not serious about converting mine, since it is rare that I would need super low air pressures. I just wanted to find out what was involved.

Just in case you don't know, they are for offroad only. Not legal on road.

 

[Razorbak86]

hi, what you need is to buy the beadlocks, not the beauty rings, the actual beadlocks, and installed them on your wheels, just like that. but its nor recommended for road use because it might leak air

dont forget that the screw are TP or IP torx plus ! regular ones will damage the screws

this is the real beadlock kit
OEM beadlock bronco

torx plus set i have these ones
torx plus set

That is not correct. Unfortunately, it keeps getting repeated as fact, albeit with good intentions.

Ford specifies standard Torx 45 (T45) for the beauty rings. More information in the following posts.

On my Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch package, only the T45 fits…

On my Bronco, the TP45 does NOT fit. I am holding it against the bolt, but the bit is not penetrating the standard Torx recess…

The installation instructions for the bead lock rings (attached below) also say to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."

I guess it is possible that Ford has been selling Broncos with both tool specs, but I can only speak about what is on my Bronco and in the Ford installation instructions for the beadlock rings. To be safe, I would recommend trying both bits before attempting to remove the rings, especially if the T45 bit appears to have a very loose fit.

I am a mechanical engineer and a tool junky, so I tried both standard Torx and Torx Plus before commenting above.

Quick follow-up...

After watching a YouTube video in another thread, where the YouTuber used a Torx Plus 40 (TP40) bit to remove his beauty rings, I decided to check the fit myself, to see if Ford actually changed the spec since the time the video was made. Interestingly, although Ford specifies standard Torx 45 (T45) here, the smaller Torx Plus 40 (TP40) does loosely "fit" by penetrating the bolt head (see below)...

... but the fit of the smaller sized TP40 bit is not optimal (i.e., similar to using a standard Torx bit where a Torx Plus bit of the same size is actually specified, in which case the standard Torx is not optimal), and it is not consistent with Ford's instructions to "use a T45 Torx wrench to remove the decorative beauty ring from the wheel."

From an engineering perspective, the T45 bit makes sense here, because it is a larger diameter bit, with more surface area at the perimeter of the bit where the teeth are located, for better contact with the bolt head and better application of torque in this particular application.

I suspect that the non-optimal "fit" of the TP40 bit may explain why some people have stripped a few of the bolt heads when removing their beauty rings (i.e., where the bit cams out of the recess).

 

[Desert_Brush]

Just in case you don't know, they are for offroad only. Not legal on road.

And it doesn't matter what state you live in. It's a DOT law.

 

[CMillBronco]

A little cheaper here:
Ford Performance M-1021K-BL5 Functional Bead Lock Ring Kit (2021+ Bronco / 2022+ Bronco Raptor) (lethalperformance.com)

 

[Scott R Nelson]

Just in case you don't know, they are for offroad only. Not legal on road.

And it doesn't matter what state you live in. It's a DOT law.

We can get away with just about anything in Idaho. Not that I would run them on the street, but getting a ticket for it was way down the list of concerns.

Thanks again for all of the responses.

 

[Scott R Nelson]

A little cheaper here:
Ford Performance M-1021K-BL5 Functional Bead Lock Ring Kit (2021+ Bronco / 2022+ Bronco Raptor) (lethalperformance.com)

Thanks. Those are only about $500 too much.

 

[CMillBronco]

Thanks. Those are only about $500 too much.

Totally agree!

 

[BigHoof]

We can get away with just about anything in Idaho. Not that I would run them on the street, but getting a ticket for it was way down the list of concerns.

Thanks again for all of the responses.

Most likely, 99% would not even know what they were looking at.

 

[Snacktime]

Beadlocks are not worth it unless your running a big tire, bias ply or a stickie. Its something you want till you don't. I would love beadlocks but at that point I would questioning if a Bronco is the right choice of vehicle.

Sponsored