We are often asked the question, “Will this fit my car?”. There are many factors that affect tire and wheel fitment. Wheel size, offset, backspacing and bolt pattern are all factors. You may be wondering what a wheel bolt pattern is. It’s simple. This is a reference to the arrangement of the wheels studs that attach the wheel to the vehicle. Let’s take a look at it in detail.
CENTER BORES AND PLATES, LUG HOLES
Let’s start with the central parts of the wheel. If you need a quick refresher on the parts of a wheel, refer to our complete guide to wheel anatomy. The center bore is the area in the wheel’s back where the wheel meets the hub. Did you get it? Now, let’s move on to the plate. This is the metal piece that wraps around the bore. These are the openings in the plate that we call lug holes. These are the holes that accommodate wheel studs. This is where the lug nuts are located.
In a perfect world, every truck and car manufactured in any country would have the same number and arrangement of wheel studs. It’s not perfect, but we live in a very good world. BMW, for example, doesn’t use the same bolt pattern every year. We need to be able to communicate the arrangement of the lugs holes. You need to make sure that the studs and holes match exactly if the wheel is to fit onto the truck/car. The bolt pattern is what you need to know.
What is a Wheel Bolt Pattern?
The wheel bolt pattern simply describes how the wheel studs (on a car/truck) and the lug holes (on a wheel) are laid out. This allows you to compare the two and determine if they are compatible.
Two numbers are used to express bolt patterns: the number and type of bolts(N)The bolt center diameter and its size(BCD). It looks like this.NxBCD. The bolt center diameter can be measured in millimeters, or inches. If you have a 2016 GMC Acadia you will need a KMC Nerve wheel. You will find the studs and lug holes that match.
Figuring the bolt center diameter is the most difficult part of designing your wheel bolt pattern. This imaginary line runs through the circle of bolts. The number of bolts will determine the method you use to measure the bolt center diameter. Measure from the center point of the top bolt to that of the bottom bolt to determine bolt patterns with even numbers of bolts. This method can be used for 4 to 6 bolts or 8 bolts. You measure from the center to the edge of the bolt hole nearest you if there are an odd number of bolts.
MATCHING WHEEL BOLT PATTERNS TO YOUR CAR/TRUCK
Contact us at Tennessee Tire today to find out if the wheel fits your vehicle. Click here to get started. Are you unsure which size wheel is right for you? You got you covered.
