- Thread starter
- #1
I know this comes with the territory to a degree but I was wondering who else is battling leaks with Sasquatch wheel beadlocks and what steps you took. The air is coming from the metal to metal mating surface.
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Leaky real beadlocks
- Thread starter Tricky Mike
- Start date
- Watchers 4
My KMCs have been easy to mount, maintain and no leaks.
I suggest a full disassembly. As you probably know, it's an easy DIY job. Mark the leak location before disassembly. Clean everything and inspect your wheel and tire mounting surfaces, esp around marked leak. Rub your bare fingers along both mating surfaces to look for debris or damage.
Reassemble, assuming of course any identified issues resolved. Use some nice flick soapy water to gets THC tire mounted. Use some plastic trim tools to get the locked/outer bead properly seated before installing the rings. Use anti-sieze on all of the bolts and torque (constantly criss-crossing) to a lubricated torque spec. Mine are 24 ft lb with anti-sieze (which is a lube).
This is a pretty solid DIY vid, however, I think preliminary tightening and torquing should be more criss-cross.
Good luck.
I suggest a full disassembly. As you probably know, it's an easy DIY job. Mark the leak location before disassembly. Clean everything and inspect your wheel and tire mounting surfaces, esp around marked leak. Rub your bare fingers along both mating surfaces to look for debris or damage.
Reassemble, assuming of course any identified issues resolved. Use some nice flick soapy water to gets THC tire mounted. Use some plastic trim tools to get the locked/outer bead properly seated before installing the rings. Use anti-sieze on all of the bolts and torque (constantly criss-crossing) to a lubricated torque spec. Mine are 24 ft lb with anti-sieze (which is a lube).
This is a pretty solid DIY vid, however, I think preliminary tightening and torquing should be more criss-cross.
Good luck.
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I use a silicone gasket maker on BOTH sides of the bead and BETWEEN the ring and rim...NO LEAKS
I’d also suggest pulling them off and cleaning everything. We’ve had ours on a couple sets of tires now with zero leakage, and no additional sealant of any kind.
With the Ford beadlocks you have steel bolts going into an aluminum wheel, so it might be prudent to use Tefgel instead of conventional antiseize to prevent corrosion.
With the Ford beadlocks you have steel bolts going into an aluminum wheel, so it might be prudent to use Tefgel instead of conventional antiseize to prevent corrosion.
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I've been "around the block" for work and for fun with all things fasteners. Never heard of Tefgel. Sounds like good stuff. I like the copper based stuff.
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- Thread starter
- #7
These things ruined my trip this weekend.
I had originally added a 1/8th spacer because my beads are thicker than Territories and I thought it would be needed. They all torqued to 50lb without incident and held air initially.
Then the next day once they started getting worked on the trail, 2 stopped holding air for more than a few minutes. Ended up breaking down those 2 and taking the spacers out, which led to a lot more squishing to reach 50lb, and they're holding so far.
At this point I'm debating removing the spacers on the other 3 and seeing what happens, or break them all down again and add a little liquid bead sealer at the seam.
@BigMeatsBronco have you taken a ring off after using so much silicone? I'd expect it to be nearly impossible.
I had originally added a 1/8th spacer because my beads are thicker than Territories and I thought it would be needed. They all torqued to 50lb without incident and held air initially.
Then the next day once they started getting worked on the trail, 2 stopped holding air for more than a few minutes. Ended up breaking down those 2 and taking the spacers out, which led to a lot more squishing to reach 50lb, and they're holding so far.
At this point I'm debating removing the spacers on the other 3 and seeing what happens, or break them all down again and add a little liquid bead sealer at the seam.
@BigMeatsBronco have you taken a ring off after using so much silicone? I'd expect it to be nearly impossible.
Pretty sure I heard about it from @Exodus4x4 on a video Bubba made about beadlocks. Looked up the effects of steel bolts in aluminum surfaces and by golly-the man tells no lies. Utah likes to salt their roads so the combo of those metals and salt would accelerate corrosion. Tefgel it is. We’ve pulled the beadlocks twice so far and no issues with seizing. So far so good!
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- Thread starter
- #10
Are you reducing the torque value when using Tefgel?
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We just did it as per Ford instructions and torque specs. It does feel a little more viscous than normal antiseize if that’s what you’re asking.
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- Thread starter
- #12
I was taught always reduce the number by 20-30% when using anti seize, so 35-40 lb/ft sounds appropriate.
If you do a deep dive on torque specs and torque to yield bolts you might be tempted to throw out the recommended torque specs altogether and just wrench them harder the bigger the connection
Naw they came right apart...does take a few minutes to clean it off before installing new set of tires tho. Folks over on irate4x4 been using silicone for 25 yrs +.
Spacers sounds like a very bad call, especially if you can get ring to wheel contact under recommend torque. I've got a strong hunch this was/is the problem.
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