Hutchinson/Rockmonster dual beadlocks - input?

[blistovmhz]

Anyone have experience with the Hutchinson/Rockmonster double beadlocks?
I've been smashing the hell out of my soft8's and keep waffling over whether to rock ring them (inside and out), or just grab a set of beefier wheels. Given my soft8's are smashed pretty good, I feel like it'd be a waste of time/money to ring them, so I'd have to buy a new set anyway ($400-$500, plus another few hundy for the rings). I've got my eye on a set of 15x8 RM's for $1400. Still way more expensive than a new set of steelies plus rings, but probably way less than replacing several sets of steelies over the course of a few years. I'm currently destroying a set in about a year.

With rings installed, a set of steelies would weigh in pretty close to the 43lbs Rockmonsters anyway, and I suspect the RM's would probably deal with hits a little better than a beefed soft8.
I like Steel for the rocks, mainly for their malleability. They hammer right back into place and almost always hold the bead after. Aluminium/alloy's have always scared me mainly because for $350-$350 per wheel, one hit could very well mean a replacement.

While I've never thrown a bead, a beadlock would be a little extra security, plus being able to mount the tire without any special tools would be handy as I could just carry spare rubber.
There's absolutely no way to justify the price tag of the RM's, but if they'll hold up to the abuse I put my rig through, I feel it'd be worth it.
Who's got experience running these? Anyone smashed one? Anyone hit them hard enough that, were they a steel wheel, they would have folded? I know the aluminium wheels SHOULD be less bendy, but I've no idea what their bend/break threshold is compared to steelies.

 

[TRCM]

If yer bending steelies as bad as you say, then aluminum is look nasty in short order...may not break, but it will look like crap

BTW, I have been eyeing those rims too....but still can't swallow the cost. Last time I got new rims, they were custom made Stazworks beadlocks.......and they didn't cost but 1250 for 5

 

[blistovmhz]

Yea, really unconcerned with looks. I'm not even real concerned about having to replace steelies every year, but over the course of 4-5 years, if an aluminium wheel could hold up that long, then the price tag starts to look more realistic. Set up for sale is posted at $1400, which really ain't bad for a Canadian price.


Just trying to get a feel for their limits compared to a cheap set of steelies (ie: soft8, series97).

 

[TRCM]

If yer bending steelies as bad as you say, then aluminum is gonna look nasty in short order...may not break, but it will look like crap

BTW, I have been eyeing those rims too....but still can't swallow the cost. Last time I got new rims, they were custom made Stazworks beadlocks.......and they didn't cost but 1250 for 5

Well, somehow I quoted my own post.....but oh well....not only look nasty, but may give other problems too, like you said, cracking, but you also have to be wary of the 'rash' aluminum gets as it can cut easily

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

Why not other aluminum beadlocks that dont cost an arm and a leg? And if you don't need beadlocks, just get some aluminum wheels and save some coin.

And aluminum rims won't suddenly look worse than steel rims with the same use. A LOT more people severely bend steel rims and you rarely hear about people cracking aluminum rims.

 

[blistovmhz]

I wouldn't even be THINKING about these RM's except that there's a guy selling a set for roughly half price. I figure for what he's asking, I can buy 3 new sets of steelies with rings, but if the RM's could outlast them, they'd make sense.
I think though that I'm sticking with steelies though anyhow. Lots of good input from Naxja and Pirate and the general consensus is that a well ringed steelie is going to be at least as strong as the RM's, slightly lighter, for 1/3-1/4 the price. Plus, the RM's, if they're thick enough to survive what I'd put them through, probably wouldn't fit over my calipers anyway (WJ knuckles/brakes, and very soon probably a D44).