For those rockcrawlers out there that keep bending black steel rims as often as I did, I have a solution for you, can you say Weld Racing. That's right, Weld rims are the strongest you can buy. This is their newest design called the StoneCrusher. This design has the ever so popular bead lock look to it, but its been done with Weld's style. Not only does this new bead look cool, but its super strong to boot. This is a rim that was designed to handle the harsh, bead scraping rocks and debris that comes with our sport, with ease. These rims are able to handle up to 2800 pounds each for my 5 lug application, and they can handle up to 3200 pounds on an 8 lug. That blows away any steel rim by far, and as an added benefit, these rims are even lighter than your old black steels. They are also much lighter than a norrmal cast aluminum rim.

 

Here are the two types of the optional covers that are available.

 

Note the massive outer ring and the stout bolt heads on it. This bead lock look is here to stay!

I always wondered how Weld made their rims to handle these kind of extremes, so I asked, here is what they told me. First they take a blank, and mold it to the shape and design they want by using high pressure. It takes about 8 million lbs. of pressure to get the 6061 aircraft quality aluminum to flow and be shaped. Other companies take an aluminum of lesser quality and add silica to get it flow, but this makes imperfections in the strength of the rim, as well as make the rim less able to accept a polish.

From here, Weld, however heat treats the rim with a T6 process that gives the 6061 blank a solid foundation. Plus, this specific heat treatment allows the rims have "memory." This memory means that the rim can flex slightly to handle more of a weight load, and then return to a perfect shape.

Yes, even your rims can flex. For those of you rockcrawlers, this will prevent the rim from cracking or getting micro fissures that could cause a mere mortal rim to shatter on the trip back home. From here, Weld takes the rims and gives them a high quality polish that is the best in the business. Weld rims again accept a polish better then cast rims because Weld doesn't add silica to get it take shape.

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