the bar works good i have a set of aluminum 15's with a bar welded on both sides and its very rare to blow a bead. You dont have to cut the tire off the rim but it does take alot of force. We usually break the beads using a tractor and pressing the bucket down on the tire lol. If you do the DIY lock you will still need to do somthing about the inner bead, If i remember right there is a fairly decent thread on pirate about this.