Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Tires and Raceline Monster Beadlocks

Goodyear Wrangler MR/R with Kevlar®

In speaking with Goodyear, we landed on a set of five of their new 35” Wrangler MT/R tires with Kevlar. The new Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar is the company’s first off-road tire built with the rugged toughness of DuPont Kevlar®, which further improves the puncture resistance on the tire’s sidewall – perfect for rock crawling and trail driving. Kevlar is, pound-for-pound, five times stronger than steel, which also reinforces the sidewall and helps with on-road handling too. Overall, the new MT/R tires with Kevlar increase sidewall puncture resistance by 35 percent, compared to the original Wrangler MT/R, a tire already well-known for its toughness.

The tire also includes a “wraparound” tread design for enhanced sidewall traction in deep mud, sand and rocks, and an asymmetric tread design that offers aggressive off-road traction while maintaining handling on the road.
Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar Features:

• Tread Guards & Durawall Rubber to help resist cuts from stones.
• Advanced Mud-Flow Geometry, to help provide self-cleaning and traction in mud.
• Traction Blocks, to help provide additional biting edges on rocks, mud, dirt and sand.
• 3-Ply Sidewall, with opposing cord angles for enhanced side wall cut- and puncture-resistance.
• Ramped Tread Blocks, for toughness in off-road driving.
• Staggered Sidewall Shoulder Blocks, to help provide enhanced traction on rocks and in deep mud.
• Rim Protector, to help protect wheels from accidental rock damage.
• Rim Lock, to help prevent wheel slip for minimal balancing throughout the life of the tire.
• Offered in 30 popular sizes.

Raceline Monster Beadlock Wheels

When it came time for the wheels, the choice was easy. We spied a set of beadlock wheels at the last SEMA show that just beckoned to be installed on Project Buckshot. The Raceline Monster beadlock wheels feature all of the strength and benefits that can be found on Raceline off-road wheels and good looks too. We chose a matte black finish in a 15 X 8” size for our wheels.

But what sets the Raceline beadlock wheels apart from others, you might ask? Well, it all starts with a short history lesson. You see, Raceline – a division of Allied Wheel Components – went back into time and examined 20 broken beadlock rims from their competitors to find all of the weak links before they started making their wheels. The result, several fold;

• Wheels are made with a state-of-the-art casting process called ‘vacuum casting’, where the molten aluminum is drawn UP through the cast, instead of being forced down into it. This allows the grain of the aluminum to be much tighter, which makes it more consistent and considerably stronger.
• A center section of the wheel that is several inches thick, which adds considerable strength. This also allows for several options of offset, ranging from 3.5” to 5”.
• The beadlock ring uses a 32-bolt set for greater sealing and locking capability, and the beadlock ring is bent and roll-formed in such a way that gives the outer edge greater strength. Oh yeah, it also protects the bolts, too.
• The inner bead lip is also beefed up. It’s wider and the tolerances are more exacting. This equates to better sealing and a better lock on the tire when sidewalling your tire on the non-beadlock side.

Our choices were easy. We chose one of the finest, toughest sets of off-road tires and wheels available, and they’ll look good doing it.

Installation

Start by removing the beadlocks from the wheels and then apply a liberal coating of soapy water to the inside edge of the tire, and the inner bead of the wheel

Place the tire onto the wheel at an angle as seen in the picture. Using your weight (this is where that extra few pounds you’ve gained from Thanksgiving and Christmas will come in handy), drop onto the tire using your shins and knees. After a few pops, the tire will seat onto the wheel.

Place the wheel and tire onto a 5-gallon bucket that is turned upside down. This will help align the tire’s bead lip to the inner bead of the wheel.

Once the tire is aligned to the rim, set the beadlock ring onto the tire. You will have to get 4 longer bolts to get the beadlock ring started (they are not supplied). Once you get the beadlock ring cinched onto the tire, you can start to install the Raceline grade-8 bolts all of the way around.

Using a crisscross method, start tightening the bolts around the circumference of the wheel. Following the same method, torque the bolts using a torque wrench to the specified torque setting.