DIY Hutchinson beadlocks?

[64FJ40]

Purely theoretical since my potential project list is already approaching triple digits, but...

Anybody attempted this?


I was just perusing through some catalogs for drainage pipe (yay! Exciting ) and started looking at the IDs of various solid-wall HDPE high-pressure water main pipe. It would be pretty easy to come up with a suitable insert and ~3/4" HDPE seems like the ideal material for this purpose.

If you used a steel wheel with a continuously-welded center section (do those exist?), you could just slice the front half of the shell off at the joint, weld a circular mating flange with a machined groove for the o-ring onto the half you cut off, drill some matching holes in the existing center, and be set right?

Other than the machining of the mating flange, it seems like it would be a relatively cheap way to build double beadlocks. Feel free to point out the flaw here (or if it's already been done).

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Purely theoretical since my potential project list is already approaching triple digits, but...

Anybody attempted this?


I was just perusing through some catalogs for drainage pipe (yay! Exciting ) and started looking at the IDs of various solid-wall HDPE high-pressure water main pipe. It would be pretty easy to come up with a suitable insert and ~3/4" HDPE seems like the ideal material for this purpose.

If you used a steel wheel with a continuously-welded center section (do those exist?), you could just slice the front half of the shell off at the joint, weld a circular mating flange with a machined groove for the o-ring onto the half you cut off, drill some matching holes in the existing center, and be set right?

Other than the machining of the mating flange, it seems like it would be a relatively cheap way to build double beadlocks. Feel free to point out the flaw here (or if it's already been done).

you should mfg them.:awesomework: maybe the army would be interested in them for the h1s:corn:

or you could buy the rims for $40 each and cut your own inserts.:awesomework: if you get it right on yours, I could sell a set to everybody that buys hummer wheels.

 

[jeepmauler]

Purely theoretical since my potential project list is already approaching triple digits, but...

Anybody attempted this?


I was just perusing through some catalogs for drainage pipe (yay! Exciting ) and started looking at the IDs of various solid-wall HDPE high-pressure water main pipe. It would be pretty easy to come up with a suitable insert and ~3/4" HDPE seems like the ideal material for this purpose.

If you used a steel wheel with a continuously-welded center section (do those exist?), you could just slice the front half of the shell off at the joint, weld a circular mating flange with a machined groove for the o-ring onto the half you cut off, drill some matching holes in the existing center, and be set right?

Other than the machining of the mating flange, it seems like it would be a relatively cheap way to build double beadlocks. Feel free to point out the flaw here (or if it's already been done).

Have fun:awesomework: :beer: I have all the parts, laser cut sitting on the shelf left over from some prototypes "we" made for a "neighbouring" Gov't.

 

[64FJ40]

Have fun:awesomework: :beer: I have all the parts, laser cut sitting on the shelf left over from some prototypes "we" made for a "neighbouring" Gov't.

Was there a reason it didn't turn into a production job?

 

[jeepmauler]

We made a pretty big pre-production run/proto test pieces and they liked 'em but(IIRC) the wheels were pretty elaborate and difficult in the field for the troops to manage.Same "general" concept as an H1 just "fancier" .....meh.

 

[Red beard]

i dont think your idea is bad but h1 wheels arent that expensive. ive seen alot of sets sell for under a hundred dollars.

 

[benw1]

Its been done, that is basically what the USA 6x6 and Staz works wheels are. Except they don't use a factory center, they use a custom center and matching flange.