The bolt pattern or bolt circle is the diameter of an imaginary circle formed by the centers of the wheel lugs. Bolt patterns can be 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 lug holes, however tuner applications are typically 4 or 5 lug. Bolt circles are measured in both inches and millimeters, therefore you may hear a bolt pattern referred to as both (i.e. 5x114.3 mm is also referred to as 5x4.5). A bolt circle of 5x114.3 mm would indicate a 5 lug pattern on a circle with a diameter of 114.3mm (or 4.5").
The diagram is an example of the proper method for measuring bolt patterns.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This is the page where you can find some definitions for the words that you might have stumbled over while browsing through our website. We specialize in all types of finishes of aluminum alloy wheels, including custom wheels, original wheels, replica wheels and chrome wheels.
What is wheel offset?
 The offset is the distance from where the wheel bolts to the hub out to the true centerline of the wheel. A negative offset means the true centerline of the wheel is in front of the mounting surface of the wheel. . This would make the wheel/tire assembly stick out away from the vehicle. A positive offset means that the true centerline of the wheel is behind the mounting surface, thus putting the wheel/tire assembly deeper into the fender well. This offset can be increased by means of shaving (milling) the back pad thus creating more clearance between the fender’s lip and the tire. This process while safe does have limitations.
What is difference between steel and alloy wheels?
The main difference between alloy wheels and steel original wheels, besides appearance, is that steel wheels tend to be heavier which reduces steering and handling. Aluminum alloy wheels are composed of aluminum and other metal alloys. Custom wheels provide improved durability and strength as well as more pleasing appearance.
What is the bolt pattern?
Each vehicle manufactureruses different bolt spacing or patterning. Some custom wheels have to different bolt spacings enabling some wheels to be mounted on a wider range of vehicles. A five-bolt pattern means that there are five holes in the wheel requiring five bolts to mount the wheel onto the vehicle. To ensure the proper fit of your custom wheels, please specify the year and make of your vehicle to our trained professionals.
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What is center bore?
Since most wheels are mass produced they have a large centerbore to accommodate an array of different vehicles. The center hole (centerbore) centers the wheel on the hub of the vehicle. In many cases, a hub centric ring is recommended. A hub ring is a hard teflon plastic ring that fits onto the wheel hub and in the center of the wheels existing bore. This helps center the wheel onto the hub. In cases where the center bore is too small to fit you vehicle our trained techs can mill the center bore to the correct size for your vehicle.
What are the proper lug nuts or lug bolts
While many aftermarket alloy wheels are designed to use your car's original lug nuts or bolts, others require new hardware. It may be something as critical as differences in the wheel's lug seat design as shown below, or something as simple as shorter lug heads to allow the wheel's center caps to fit. If your new wheels require new hardware, your invoice will list the appropriate quantity identified by our part description, beginning with an "N" for lug nuts or a "B" for lug bolts followed by the size, pitch, seat design, length and the appropriate lug wrench socket size.
NOTE: Keep a set of your vehicle’s Original Equipment lug nuts or bolts in the trunk just in case you ever need to use your factory spare tire, which must always be installed with the Original Equipment lug hardware.
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