Beadlock wheels on a stocker? Why or why not?

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by Barry Polley

Really? With the 1000+++ hp stockers here and a stuck 10 inch (9) tire, ( zero wheel speed) there is no reason not to run Bead Locks. 140- 150 on a std rim?? It becomes a safety issue. Not many will give up maybe a hundredth for a safe tire and rim combo. My A car moves the tire .250 +/- more per pass with a best of 1.29 60 foot and average bracket mode of 1.31-1.32. I have tried other rims, glue etc... still moves and is best just clean. As we know... No screws in radials... I have see AA cars move them more than we do. How many people actually look?
Thanks Stocker 396, I am looking at Beads..

Yes really.

If it was a safety issue, NHRA would have addressed the issue.

I spent half a day with Rick Bogart of Bogart Wheels discussing racing wheels. The discussion went on his experiences from the manufacturing side and the input he gets from racing engineers and I share my experience as an aerospace engineer in the different types of aluminum material grades and treatments.

The main problem with drag racing wheels is that racers always want to purchase the lightest wheel available without taking in to consideration the weight of the car. The correct rim wall thickness comes in to play and it is very important.

This is the reason why Bogart Wheels has many different rim wall thicknesses for the same wheel designs and its use is based on the application. He learned his lessons from many wheels that in the past have cracked and got damaged from constant wheelstands on heavy cars such as Stock, Super Stock and bracket cars.

Under a hard launch, if the rim wall thickness is not appropriate, the wheel will deflect and the tire bead will have the tendency to separate. It will also fatigue the wheel. As a matter of fact, any aluminum lightweight racing wheel will eventually suffer of fatigue due to use and cycles.

When the wheels for my Comp Eliminator car were built, Rick showed me the difference between a Comp Eliminator dragster wheel when compared to the wall thickness he was going to use on my Super Modified car. Even when he builds wheels for a dragster, there is a difference on the wheel wall thickness between a V-8 and V-6 powered dragster.

Still, if you want to go with Beadlocks, that's your and any other racer's prerogative.