Weld Wheel Tech: The Differences Between Rim Screws, Knurling And Beadlocks

If you have a car that you race on the drag strip, whether it’s a street car with a few bolt-on mods or an 11,000 horsepower top fuel dragster or funny car, this video is something you need to see! Weld Racing is the worldwide leader in wheels for drag racing applications, and they lead the way in technology and innovation in that arena.

A huge problem any car can encounter as power levels increase and more traction is needed is slippage, not between the tire and the track, but between the wheel itself and the tire. When the track is nice and sticky and the car is making a lot of power, the wheel can actually spin inside the tire. Not only is this bad for performance, it can be dangerous, as it’s not uncommon for the tire to suddenly deflate if the bead slips off the seat, sending the car out of control.

To combat this issue, Weld has a trio of solutions, progressively more effective in combating tire/wheel slippage. The most economical solution is adding rim screws, which are exactly what they sound like: screws that go through the rim and into the bead of the tire. This is an effective solution for many who aren’t pushing the limits of horsepower and traction, but for many, the idea of drilling holes in the rims of their gorgeous new Weld rims is understandably less-than appealing.

For those racers who are still not trying to rotate the earth with a ton of power, but have enough to worry about slippage and don’t want to drill holes in their wheels, there’s knurling. By machining grooves into the bead of the wheel, friction is increased between the wheel and tire, combating slippage without having to drill holes in the outside of the rim.

For those who are focused on building as much power as possible and hooking it as hard as they can, beadlocks are the ideal solution. By actually clamping the tire between the outer beadlock ring and the wheel, there’s almost no chance of the tire slipping on the rim. There’s also the added benefit of providing a measure of reinforcement to the sidewall of the tire, and let’s be honest here, beadlocks look awesome! Nothing screams “I’ve got plenty of power and I know how to hook it up!” like Weld’s gorgeous beadock rings bolted to the outside of their badass wheel designs!

Whatever your application is, Weld has a solution for your car, so head over to their website to start the process of making sure you never have to worry about your wheels spinning inside your tires!