When it comes to finding the proper fitment for putting aftermarket or other new wheels on your car, the bolt pattern is possibly the most important consideration, even more so than offset. There is a perfectly obvious reason for this, since “bolt pattern” refers to the number of lug holes in the wheel and the distance between them. The bolt pattern on the wheel must match the bolt pattern on the car, or the wheel will not fit! Bolt patterns come in an extremely wide variety of sizes and can be expressed in either inch measurements or millimeters.
Most retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, will know the proper bolt pattern for your car and present you with only wheels that can fit on the car. Online shops like Tire Rack, Discount Tire Direct, and 1010 Tires will do this automatically once you give them the year, make and model of your car, so most shoppers do not always need to have this information. However, there are still many situations where one might need to know what a bolt pattern is and how to find out what yours is.
Bolt Circle Diameter
The first concept one must be familiar with to understand bolt patterns is called BCD, for Bolt Circle Diameter. If you lay one of your wheels on the ground and draw a circle that passes through the center of each of the lug holes, that is the Bolt Circle, and it only remains to measure the diameter of said circle. This is perhaps easier said than done. Because BCD values can be within as little as half a millimeter of each other, (See below) measurements must be conducted with some care.
It’s easiest to measure BCD with a bolt pattern gauge, something that is sold at many auto parts stores, however, few car owners find that they need a gauge unless they are measuring multiple different wheels. You can also measure BCD by taking the wheel off and using a tape to measure the lug studs on the car’s rotor. If you don’t know whether the BCD is in inches or millimeters, it’s best to have a tape measure that has both scales on it. Run the tape from the center of one stud to the center of the stud that lies across the wheel from the first—with a 4 or 5-bolt wheel this means the second stud over, with a 6-bolt wheel it’s the third stud over.
Once you know the BCD, the second step is simple—add the number of bolts. So if your BCD is 4.5 inches and you have 5 lug studs, the bolt pattern is 5 x 4.5”. If you have 4 bolts on a 100mm BCD, it’s 4 x 100mm.
A cautionary note: The bolt patterns 5 x 4.5” and 5 x 115mm are actually within about half a millimeter of each other. (4.5” is 114.3mm) As such, it is possible to fit a 5 x 4.5” wheel on a 5 x 115mm car, but the fit will not be as correct as it might seem. Even that half a millimeter of difference means that the lug studs will not be centered in the wheel’s lug holes, and when the lug nuts are torqued on, that lack of centering will bend the lug studs and cause the wheels to vibrate. If you have one of these two bolt patterns, take extra care—such as calling up a tire or wheel retailer or looking online—to ensure that you have the proper bolt pattern on both the wheels and the car!
Some Common Bolt Patterns for Various Autos
Acura 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Audi: 5 x 112mm
BMW: 5 x 120mm 4 x 100mm
Buick: 5 x 115mm
Cadillac: 5 x 115mm
Chevrolet: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.75" 5 x 5" 6 x 5.5" 8 x 6.5"
Chrysler: 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 4 x 100mm
Dodge: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Ford: 4 x 4.25" 5 x 4.5" 6 x 135mm 8 x 170mm
Honda: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Infiniti:
4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Jaguar: 5 x 4.25" 5 x 4.75"
Jeep: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Lexus: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Mazda: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Mercedes: 5 x 112 mm
Mitsubishi: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Saab 5 x 110mm
Toyota: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Volkswagen: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 112mm
Volvo: 4 x 108mm 5 x 108mm
Wheel Anatomy 101: Structure
Wheel Buyer’s Guide
Tire Size Calculators
Hub-Centric vs. Lug-Centric Wheels
Inline Skate Wheels 101
What Order Do I Tighten My Lug Nuts?
How to Replace a Stripped Wheel Stud
How to Change Tire Sizes Like a Pro
How To Refresh Your C3 Corvette Gas Tank
Wheel Alignment: How to Adjust Camber
How To Replace Your Idler Arm
Setting Motorcycle Valve Timing
What to Consider When Buying Bike Tires
2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow Review
Aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
How to Plug a Tire and Quickly Fix Your Flat
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
When it comes to finding the proper fitment for putting aftermarket or other new wheels on your car, the bolt pattern is possibly the most important consideration, even more so than offset. There is a perfectly obvious reason for this, since “bolt pattern” refers to the number of lug holes in the wheel and the distance between them. The bolt pattern on the wheel must match the bolt pattern on the car, or the wheel will not fit! Bolt patterns come in an extremely wide variety of sizes and can be expressed in either inch measurements or millimeters.
Most retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, will know the proper bolt pattern for your car and present you with only wheels that can fit on the car. Online shops like Tire Rack, Discount Tire Direct, and 1010 Tires will do this automatically once you give them the year, make and model of your car, so most shoppers do not always need to have this information. However, there are still many situations where one might need to know what a bolt pattern is and how to find out what yours is.
Bolt Circle Diameter
The first concept one must be familiar with to understand bolt patterns is called BCD, for Bolt Circle Diameter. If you lay one of your wheels on the ground and draw a circle that passes through the center of each of the lug holes, that is the Bolt Circle, and it only remains to measure the diameter of said circle. This is perhaps easier said than done. Because BCD values can be within as little as half a millimeter of each other, (See below) measurements must be conducted with some care.
It’s easiest to measure BCD with a bolt pattern gauge, something that is sold at many auto parts stores, however, few car owners find that they need a gauge unless they are measuring multiple different wheels. You can also measure BCD by taking the wheel off and using a tape to measure the lug studs on the car’s rotor. If you don’t know whether the BCD is in inches or millimeters, it’s best to have a tape measure that has both scales on it. Run the tape from the center of one stud to the center of the stud that lies across the wheel from the first—with a 4 or 5-bolt wheel this means the second stud over, with a 6-bolt wheel it’s the third stud over.
Once you know the BCD, the second step is simple—add the number of bolts. So if your BCD is 4.5 inches and you have 5 lug studs, the bolt pattern is 5 x 4.5”. If you have 4 bolts on a 100mm BCD, it’s 4 x 100mm.
A cautionary note: The bolt patterns 5 x 4.5” and 5 x 115mm are actually within about half a millimeter of each other. (4.5” is 114.3mm) As such, it is possible to fit a 5 x 4.5” wheel on a 5 x 115mm car, but the fit will not be as correct as it might seem. Even that half a millimeter of difference means that the lug studs will not be centered in the wheel’s lug holes, and when the lug nuts are torqued on, that lack of centering will bend the lug studs and cause the wheels to vibrate. If you have one of these two bolt patterns, take extra care—such as calling up a tire or wheel retailer or looking online—to ensure that you have the proper bolt pattern on both the wheels and the car!
Some Common Bolt Patterns for Various Autos
Acura 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Audi: 5 x 112mm
BMW: 5 x 120mm 4 x 100mm
Buick: 5 x 115mm
Cadillac: 5 x 115mm
Chevrolet: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.75" 5 x 5" 6 x 5.5" 8 x 6.5"
Chrysler: 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 4 x 100mm
Dodge: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Ford: 4 x 4.25" 5 x 4.5" 6 x 135mm 8 x 170mm
Honda: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Infiniti:
4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Jaguar: 5 x 4.25" 5 x 4.75"
Jeep: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Lexus: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Mazda: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Mercedes: 5 x 112 mm
Mitsubishi: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Saab 5 x 110mm
Toyota: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Volkswagen: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 112mm
Volvo: 4 x 108mm 5 x 108mm
Wheel Anatomy 101: Structure
Wheel Buyer’s Guide
Tire Size Calculators
Hub-Centric vs. Lug-Centric Wheels
Inline Skate Wheels 101
What Order Do I Tighten My Lug Nuts?
How to Replace a Stripped Wheel Stud
How to Change Tire Sizes Like a Pro
How To Refresh Your C3 Corvette Gas Tank
Wheel Alignment: How to Adjust Camber
How To Replace Your Idler Arm
Setting Motorcycle Valve Timing
What to Consider When Buying Bike Tires
2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow Review
Aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
How to Plug a Tire and Quickly Fix Your Flat
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
When it comes to finding the proper fitment for putting aftermarket or other new wheels on your car, the bolt pattern is possibly the most important consideration, even more so than offset. There is a perfectly obvious reason for this, since “bolt pattern” refers to the number of lug holes in the wheel and the distance between them. The bolt pattern on the wheel must match the bolt pattern on the car, or the wheel will not fit! Bolt patterns come in an extremely wide variety of sizes and can be expressed in either inch measurements or millimeters.
Most retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, will know the proper bolt pattern for your car and present you with only wheels that can fit on the car. Online shops like Tire Rack, Discount Tire Direct, and 1010 Tires will do this automatically once you give them the year, make and model of your car, so most shoppers do not always need to have this information. However, there are still many situations where one might need to know what a bolt pattern is and how to find out what yours is.
Bolt Circle Diameter
The first concept one must be familiar with to understand bolt patterns is called BCD, for Bolt Circle Diameter. If you lay one of your wheels on the ground and draw a circle that passes through the center of each of the lug holes, that is the Bolt Circle, and it only remains to measure the diameter of said circle. This is perhaps easier said than done. Because BCD values can be within as little as half a millimeter of each other, (See below) measurements must be conducted with some care.
It’s easiest to measure BCD with a bolt pattern gauge, something that is sold at many auto parts stores, however, few car owners find that they need a gauge unless they are measuring multiple different wheels. You can also measure BCD by taking the wheel off and using a tape to measure the lug studs on the car’s rotor. If you don’t know whether the BCD is in inches or millimeters, it’s best to have a tape measure that has both scales on it. Run the tape from the center of one stud to the center of the stud that lies across the wheel from the first—with a 4 or 5-bolt wheel this means the second stud over, with a 6-bolt wheel it’s the third stud over.
Once you know the BCD, the second step is simple—add the number of bolts. So if your BCD is 4.5 inches and you have 5 lug studs, the bolt pattern is 5 x 4.5”. If you have 4 bolts on a 100mm BCD, it’s 4 x 100mm.
A cautionary note: The bolt patterns 5 x 4.5” and 5 x 115mm are actually within about half a millimeter of each other. (4.5” is 114.3mm) As such, it is possible to fit a 5 x 4.5” wheel on a 5 x 115mm car, but the fit will not be as correct as it might seem. Even that half a millimeter of difference means that the lug studs will not be centered in the wheel’s lug holes, and when the lug nuts are torqued on, that lack of centering will bend the lug studs and cause the wheels to vibrate. If you have one of these two bolt patterns, take extra care—such as calling up a tire or wheel retailer or looking online—to ensure that you have the proper bolt pattern on both the wheels and the car!
Some Common Bolt Patterns for Various Autos
Acura 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Audi: 5 x 112mm
BMW: 5 x 120mm 4 x 100mm
Buick: 5 x 115mm
Cadillac: 5 x 115mm
Chevrolet: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.75" 5 x 5" 6 x 5.5" 8 x 6.5"
Chrysler: 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 4 x 100mm
Dodge: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Ford: 4 x 4.25" 5 x 4.5" 6 x 135mm 8 x 170mm
Honda: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Infiniti:
4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Jaguar: 5 x 4.25" 5 x 4.75"
Jeep: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Lexus: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Mazda: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Mercedes: 5 x 112 mm
Mitsubishi: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Saab 5 x 110mm
Toyota: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Volkswagen: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 112mm
Volvo: 4 x 108mm 5 x 108mm
When it comes to finding the proper fitment for putting aftermarket or other new wheels on your car, the bolt pattern is possibly the most important consideration, even more so than offset. There is a perfectly obvious reason for this, since “bolt pattern” refers to the number of lug holes in the wheel and the distance between them. The bolt pattern on the wheel must match the bolt pattern on the car, or the wheel will not fit! Bolt patterns come in an extremely wide variety of sizes and can be expressed in either inch measurements or millimeters.
Most retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, will know the proper bolt pattern for your car and present you with only wheels that can fit on the car. Online shops like Tire Rack, Discount Tire Direct, and 1010 Tires will do this automatically once you give them the year, make and model of your car, so most shoppers do not always need to have this information. However, there are still many situations where one might need to know what a bolt pattern is and how to find out what yours is.
Bolt Circle Diameter
The first concept one must be familiar with to understand bolt patterns is called BCD, for Bolt Circle Diameter. If you lay one of your wheels on the ground and draw a circle that passes through the center of each of the lug holes, that is the Bolt Circle, and it only remains to measure the diameter of said circle. This is perhaps easier said than done. Because BCD values can be within as little as half a millimeter of each other, (See below) measurements must be conducted with some care.
It’s easiest to measure BCD with a bolt pattern gauge, something that is sold at many auto parts stores, however, few car owners find that they need a gauge unless they are measuring multiple different wheels. You can also measure BCD by taking the wheel off and using a tape to measure the lug studs on the car’s rotor. If you don’t know whether the BCD is in inches or millimeters, it’s best to have a tape measure that has both scales on it. Run the tape from the center of one stud to the center of the stud that lies across the wheel from the first—with a 4 or 5-bolt wheel this means the second stud over, with a 6-bolt wheel it’s the third stud over.
Once you know the BCD, the second step is simple—add the number of bolts. So if your BCD is 4.5 inches and you have 5 lug studs, the bolt pattern is 5 x 4.5”. If you have 4 bolts on a 100mm BCD, it’s 4 x 100mm.
A cautionary note: The bolt patterns 5 x 4.5” and 5 x 115mm are actually within about half a millimeter of each other. (4.5” is 114.3mm) As such, it is possible to fit a 5 x 4.5” wheel on a 5 x 115mm car, but the fit will not be as correct as it might seem. Even that half a millimeter of difference means that the lug studs will not be centered in the wheel’s lug holes, and when the lug nuts are torqued on, that lack of centering will bend the lug studs and cause the wheels to vibrate. If you have one of these two bolt patterns, take extra care—such as calling up a tire or wheel retailer or looking online—to ensure that you have the proper bolt pattern on both the wheels and the car!
Some Common Bolt Patterns for Various Autos
Acura 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Audi: 5 x 112mm
BMW: 5 x 120mm 4 x 100mm
Buick: 5 x 115mm
Cadillac: 5 x 115mm
Chevrolet: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.75" 5 x 5" 6 x 5.5" 8 x 6.5"
Chrysler: 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 4 x 100mm
Dodge: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Ford: 4 x 4.25" 5 x 4.5" 6 x 135mm 8 x 170mm
Honda: 4 x 100mm 4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Infiniti:
4 x 4.5" 5 x 4.5"
Jaguar: 5 x 4.25" 5 x 4.75"
Jeep: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Lexus: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Mazda: 4 x 100mm 5 x 4.5"
Mercedes: 5 x 112 mm
Mitsubishi: 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Saab 5 x 110mm
Toyota: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 4.5" 6 x 5.5"
Volkswagen: 4 x 100mm 5 x 100mm 5 x 112mm
Volvo: 4 x 108mm 5 x 108mm
Wheel Anatomy 101: Structure
Wheel Buyer’s Guide
Tire Size Calculators
Hub-Centric vs. Lug-Centric Wheels
Inline Skate Wheels 101
What Order Do I Tighten My Lug Nuts?
How to Replace a Stripped Wheel Stud
How to Change Tire Sizes Like a Pro
How To Refresh Your C3 Corvette Gas Tank
Wheel Alignment: How to Adjust Camber
How To Replace Your Idler Arm
Setting Motorcycle Valve Timing
What to Consider When Buying Bike Tires
2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow Review
Aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
How to Plug a Tire and Quickly Fix Your Flat
Wheel Anatomy 101: Structure
Wheel Anatomy 101: Structure
Wheel Buyer’s Guide
Wheel Buyer’s Guide
Tire Size Calculators
Tire Size Calculators
Hub-Centric vs. Lug-Centric Wheels
Hub-Centric vs. Lug-Centric Wheels
Inline Skate Wheels 101
Inline Skate Wheels 101
What Order Do I Tighten My Lug Nuts?
What Order Do I Tighten My Lug Nuts?
How to Replace a Stripped Wheel Stud
How to Replace a Stripped Wheel Stud
How to Change Tire Sizes Like a Pro
How to Change Tire Sizes Like a Pro
How To Refresh Your C3 Corvette Gas Tank
How To Refresh Your C3 Corvette Gas Tank
Wheel Alignment: How to Adjust Camber
Wheel Alignment: How to Adjust Camber
How To Replace Your Idler Arm
How To Replace Your Idler Arm
Setting Motorcycle Valve Timing
Setting Motorcycle Valve Timing
What to Consider When Buying Bike Tires
What to Consider When Buying Bike Tires
2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow Review
2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow Review
Aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
How to Plug a Tire and Quickly Fix Your Flat
How to Plug a Tire and Quickly Fix Your Flat
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
Home
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
About Us
Advertise
Careers
Privacy Policy
Editorial Guidelines
Contact
Terms of Use
EU Privacy
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
