Beadlock questions

Steve_in_29 wrote:

Vinsil wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:

Vinsil wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:

Vinsil wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:
Beadlocks are not street legal and your 19.5" tires won't flex all that much even when aired way down as the sidewalls are very stiff by design.

What you should look into is getting a spare set of wheels/tires to use for the beach.

While I completely agree with having a second set of tire/wheels....


Bead locks are only not DOT approved. You cannot be ticketed running them, no law or violation exists for them.

I ran them for years on my Cruisers and other off-road rigs. They need some extra attention and not for everyone (especially not for 19.5's), but you won't get nailed for street use.

Tell that to all the off-roaders that get ticketed for them in Moab. Just as people are routinely ticketed for running non-DOT approved headlights and taillights.

Show me the law, then I will concede the issue. We don't have one in Oregon and the many times I've been in Moab, LE never mentioned it or gave me a ticket. Are you sure it is not a city ordinance? And are we talking the full buggies they allow to drive on the streets? Moab sucks for a lot reasons....and it wouldn't shock me at all if it is a city ordinance...and mix that with the jacka____ that run open headers and haul through town....


Besides, DOT approved locks are available, so I'd love to get that ticket when most if not all LE doesn't know what real locks are. The headlights cause accidents and blind other drivers....those are fix it tickets to fix malfunctioning equipment.

Sorry, I've never been shown proof of a legit ticket for locks. Short of removing the wheel and looking for a DOT stamp.....the officer couldn't tell. Hummer locks, WE, and others are DOT stamped...but an officer wouldn't know.

But it's been 7 years since I sold my crawler and that long since I've been to Moab (wont go back), so maybe it has changed....still don't buy it!

Heck, Ford offers locks as an option for the Raptor! They gettin tickets too?!

The Ford locks are DOT approved.

Things might have calmed down with the prevalence of DOT approved locks now as my info is from long before you stopped going.

I know and I hear ya. Point is, LE wouldn't know the difference.... They may have but if they did it, I think they overstepped.

:)

Back then there were NO DOT legal beadlocks so they didn't have to know the difference. See locks = write ticket if vehicle was anywhere but on the trails.

Lol

Vinsil wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:

Vinsil wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:

Vinsil wrote:

Steve_in_29 wrote:
Beadlocks are not street legal and your 19.5" tires won't flex all that much even when aired way down as the sidewalls are very stiff by design.

What you should look into is getting a spare set of wheels/tires to use for the beach.

While I completely agree with having a second set of tire/wheels....


Bead locks are only not DOT approved. You cannot be ticketed running them, no law or violation exists for them.

I ran them for years on my Cruisers and other off-road rigs. They need some extra attention and not for everyone (especially not for 19.5's), but you won't get nailed for street use.

Tell that to all the off-roaders that get ticketed for them in Moab. Just as people are routinely ticketed for running non-DOT approved headlights and taillights.

Show me the law, then I will concede the issue. We don't have one in Oregon and the many times I've been in Moab, LE never mentioned it or gave me a ticket. Are you sure it is not a city ordinance? And are we talking the full buggies they allow to drive on the streets? Moab sucks for a lot reasons....and it wouldn't shock me at all if it is a city ordinance...and mix that with the jacka____ that run open headers and haul through town....


Besides, DOT approved locks are available, so I'd love to get that ticket when most if not all LE doesn't know what real locks are. The headlights cause accidents and blind other drivers....those are fix it tickets to fix malfunctioning equipment.

Sorry, I've never been shown proof of a legit ticket for locks. Short of removing the wheel and looking for a DOT stamp.....the officer couldn't tell. Hummer locks, WE, and others are DOT stamped...but an officer wouldn't know.

But it's been 7 years since I sold my crawler and that long since I've been to Moab (wont go back), so maybe it has changed....still don't buy it!

Heck, Ford offers locks as an option for the Raptor! They gettin tickets too?!

The Ford locks are DOT approved.

Things might have calmed down with the prevalence of DOT approved locks now as my info is from long before you stopped going.

I know and I hear ya. Point is, LE wouldn't know the difference.... They may have but if they did it, I think they overstepped.

:)

Back then there were NO DOT legal beadlocks so they didn't have to know the difference. See locks = write ticket if vehicle was anywhere but on the trails.

Actually you can have any wheel converted. It would be a waste fot 19.5's but it can be done.

mkirsch wrote:
Since nobody makes beadlocks for 19.5's, this whole discussion is moot.

That right there is the statement of the day.

Here in AZ, DPS (Dept of Public Safety, similar to CA CHP), as well as ADOT Enforcemnt, both handle DOT enforcement. They are concerned with commercial vehicles though, not passenger cars, or pickups that are not obviously being used commercially.

Here in Nebraska the state patrol has officers that cover the DOT stuff. But I do believe they must get specialized training but I am pretty darn sure they are state patrol officers.

By the way, why would bead lockers be not approved in the first place, I am just curious. Also in Nebraska the DOT pertains to commercial vehicles only.

Reddog1 wrote:
fella in a truck with markings just like this one pulled me over years ago. My truck was a flatbed. He said my truck was improperly registered as a pickup, and gave me a citation (fix it). If he was not a CHP officer, he sure had the uniform and badge. I see quite a few CHP vehicles that are not for chase purposes. That does not mean they are not CHP.

Don't ask me how CHP officers specialize in CA, but your experience confirms that officers driving pickups are after commercial vehicles (flatbeds) and not regular traffic officers.
I never catch if they have different badges than other CHP officers, but stop at scales and see the uniforms.
I was pulled over in Montana by officer in truck marked as Highway Patrol as well, so DOT enforcing by Highway Patrol officers is not only California routine.
When I got fix it ticket for my flatbed registration, I tried to have it sign-off by local PD. They did not feel like qualified for it and send me to main CHP office. Even there I had to call in advance as main CHP office had only couple of officers qualify for the job.
I dealt a lot with LE as seems I was one of the first if not the first CA driver who got CDL while driving pickup.
For months could not find DMV office who would give me commercial behind the wheel exam for driving pickup pulling heavy trailer.

On a side note: Does anyone feel that bead lock rims are less safe than a split rim? If so why?

In my area, the state patrol have a commercial division unit specially trained for their job. They are still LEO's but with specialized training in commercial vehicle compliance and safety.

DOT can be at the state and federal level which makes it mess if you're not sure which you are dealing with. Although the Fed's may set standards, the states have a lot of latitude on what they will accept on their roads. I have always seen LEO's enforcing laws based on DOT and have not seen DOT directly enforcing something they have defined.

Tom_Anderson wrote:
For those who have actually been cited for running beadlocks on the street, I'd be interested to hear which section of which code you were written for.

This seems to be some pretty accurate info here.

Thank you for the reference. I've been through this discussion many times in my rockcrawler years....also had a set of home built locks....with a gasp.....DOT stamp on the back! Minds were blown.....lol