‘What’s the easiest way to make a million dollars racing? …Start with a billion.’
It’s no secret that off-road racing is a pretty expensive venture. Trick/Trophy Trucks have long been the ‘Top Dogs’ in the off road arena with dominant vehicles commanding prices upwards of $500,000 if not more. When you’re spending that kind of loot just to build a truck alone (don’t forget spares of damn near everything) you want to be confident in the parts you’re competing with. Testing is a vital part of the pre-race routine. Teams might want to get in some last minute shock adjustments or make sure a new part they’ve introduced is up to the rigors of race pace. For Vildosola Racing, last weekend’s Henderson 250 was not one of those times.
Tavo and crew had just come off of a grueling Baja 1000 where they managed an impressive 6th place finish. Just over a week later, the team was back at it heading north to Henderson, NV. With little-to-no prep time for the truck, the team was already behind. To make things even more interesting, the team agreed to run our brand new MR102 Beadlock having never even seen it before, let alone log any test miles. Throwing caution to the wind, Tavo gave it hell and demolished the field taking 1st place overall without a single wheel malfunction.
Through improved engineering and a refined manufacturing process, we’ve produced a wheel that we’re very proud of. The 102 Beadlock has managed to shed 8% of its predecessor’s overall weight without sacrificing any strength. In fact, it got stronger.
Radial load, the force exerted on the wheel vertically, i.e. the weight of the vehicle, has increased 16%. The axial load, a fancy way of saying side impact strength, has increased 37%. Finally, cornering load capacity has increased 38%. Cornering load is generated on the wheel from the tires while turning. With each wheel & tire combo coming in at roughly 125 lbs, it is critical that your wheels are up to the task.
The 102 Beadlock also is sporting a newly redesigned beadlock ring. This forged 6061-T6 piece is not only lighter than its previous version, but also stiffer. The new design allows for less deflection and tighter clamping force directly on the tire bead.
Considering the risks involved with introducing a new product with no test time, we couldn’t be happier with the results. We issued Vildosola Racing six wheels total for the entire race and they would’ve been just fine with four. No malfunctions, cracks, breaks, etc anywhere. Here’s to the 2016 race season. See you out there!
