At FlexBilt Customs LLC, we strive to have the best knowledge and understanding of all current and future customers wants and needs. Especially when it comes to their cars, trucks, jeeps, SUVs, and Off-Road vehicles. As with any work that you may need done, it is always best to find the right custom shop.
At FlexBilt, you will not find a more friendly and knowledgeable staff. As a woman who grew up around cars, I understand a lot of the basics in this industry. However, some of the new and exciting technologies sound like a foreign language to me! I want to invite you on this fun journey with me as we explore the exciting world of the custom body shop industry. I want you to be able to learn right along with me as I dive deep into my new career with FlexBilt, and the great men that I get the pleasure to work with and learn from every day.
Today, I have been diving in to Bolt Patterns. You might be wondering: What is a bolt pattern? Well, I’ve got the scoop! A bolt pattern refers to the measurement of an imaginary circle formed by the lug holes at the center of a vehicle’s wheel. Knowing your bolt pattern is Critical. It’s how your wheels are safely secured to your vehicle. And what is more important than safety? NOTHING! Below you will find a diagram of the most common lug patterns. I will also be breaking it down by the most common brands of vehicles. The brands we will look at today are Dodge, Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Nissan, and Jeep.
Dodge - Dodge usually only consists of 5, 6, and 8 lug patterns.
http://www.boltpatternfitment.com/dodge-bolt-patterns/ using this link you can search by year and model. Some of the most popular models are the RAM series. RAM 1500 has 5 lugs with a 5x5.5 pattern also referred to as a 5x139. The more heavy-duty RAM trucks (2500, 3500) have 8 lugs with an 8x6.5 pattern also referred to as 8x165. A Dodge Dakota has a lug pattern of 5x114.3. A Dodge Journey has a lug pattern of 5x5 or (5x127mm).
Ford - when it comes to Ford wheels, there are two common 5-lug bolt patterns: 5x4-½ and 5x5-1/2. Ford did produce a few passenger cars with 5x5 inch bolt patterns. Let's look at some of the most popular trucks Ford is known for... F150 has a bolt pattern of 6x135. F250 from 2008 onwards has 8x6.69 inches or 170mm. F350 has a bolt pattern of 8x6.69 or 165.1mm. The raptor lug pattern is 6x135. https://www.discountedwheelwarehouse.com/ford-vehicle-bolt-pattern-reference using this link you search by year and model.
Chevrolet - Chevy uses a six-lug bolt pattern for several of their SUVs and pickup trucks, and depending on which truck you have, the pattern is most likely a six-lug, 5.5-inch standard, or medium offset. The most popular, the Chevy Silverado 1500, has a bolt pattern of 6x139. The Chevy Colorado from 2015-onward has a bolt pattern of 6x4.72 or 6x120mm. https://getjerry.com/car-repair/chevy-lug-pattern using this link you can search by Chevrolet year and model.
Toyota - Toyota’s lug patterns vary from model to model, but the most common Toyota bolt pattern is 5x4.5. The most popular Toyota is Tacoma. A Tacoma 2000-2020 model vehicle with 2wd is 5 lug 4.5 inches or 114.3mm high positive offset. If it is a 4wd vehicle, it is 6 lug, 5.5 inches or139.7mm medium offset. https://getjerry.com/car-repair/toyota-lug-pattern using this link you can search all of the most popular Toyota's by year and model.
Jeep - while most Jeeps have five lugs, different models have different spacing between the lugs. Now let's talk about some of the most popular Jeep brands. Let’s talk about the Wrangler. The Wrangler has a bolt pattern of 5x127mm. The Gladiator has a bolt pattern of 5x5 or 5x127mm. Jeep Compass has a lug pattern of 5x110mm. https://www.quadratec.com/c/reference/wheel-bolt-patterns-typical-lug-nut-
torque-specifications using this link you can search by all Jeep models and year.
Nissan - Nissan has a wide variety of lug patterns ranging from 4x3, 6x5.50. If you're going to switch out your rims, you must know the lug pattern for your specific model of Nissan. The most popular Nissan is the Titan. The Titan has a lug pattern of 6x5.5 (6x139.7mm), a center bore of 3.06 (77.8mm), and 6 lugs. https://getjerry.com/car-repair/nissan-lug-pattern using this link you can search by your favorite Nissan year and model.
How to measure your Bolt Pattern:
4 Lug - bolt patterns are measured in a straight line from center to center of two bolt holes directly across from each other.
5 Lug - bolt patterns can be more difficult to measure. You can estimate by using a straight line from the backside of one hole to the center of the 3rd bolt hole.
6 Lug - bolt patterns are measured in a straight line, center-to-center, directly across from each other.
8 Lug - bolt patterns are measured in a straight line directly across from each other.
Rims with a 5-lug pattern are the most common bolt pattern on vehicles. An accurate measurement can only be executed with a special tool called a bolt pattern gauge or by using a geometric equation. Below you will find a chart that has a bolt pattern conversion chart to help you better understand the measurements.
What is a dual-drill bolt pattern? On your wheel-hunting journey, you may also come across the phrase ‘dual-drilled wheels’ or ‘dual-drilled bolt pattern’. In short, a dual-drill wheel is a wheel or rim that is drilled with two sets of bolt holes. With this additional set of holes, dual-drill wheels can accept two different bolt patterns. This simple change means a single wheel can fit a much wider range of vehicles.
While we have talked about lug patterns, let's also talk about lug nuts. Just like knowing your lug pattern is extremely important on what wheels you can buy, knowing the proper lug nuts is important for safety, looks, and proper seating. Picking the right QUALITY lug nut that is going to perform at the highest level is critical to your safety and your wheel lasting a long time on the road. At FlexBilt, we only offer our customers with the best quality lug nuts on the market today - Gorilla. Gorilla Automotive Products carries the most complete selection of high-quality lug nuts available. Gorilla provides a full line of lug nuts covering virtually every wheel OEM and after-market wheel applications. Gorilla also offers hard-to-find lug nuts and washers for the 'hard to find' wheel applications. Whatever you need in lug nuts, Gorilla usually has it!
First and foremost, always refer to the vehicle manufacturer's specifications on what kind of lug nuts are required for OEM wheel applications. Or, if you have purchased after-market wheels, every wheel manufacturer will include with their documentation which lug nuts seat the best for the wheel you purchased. The "Seat" refers to the area on the wheel where the lug nut fastener part will clamp down. Be certain the fasteners are correct for the application at hand. It is critical that the fastener match the thread diameter, pitch and seat; otherwise, the installation will be improper and may result in damage to your wheel and an unsafe condition going down the road! Never use a Cone Seat fastener on a Mag or Shank type seat. Spherical or ball seat fasteners must be used with spherical or ball seats. The simple bottom line, the different types are not compatible and, if installed incorrectly, the fastener may lose its torque, possibly resulting in your wheel coming off!
Match your lug nuts using the three charts below to find the proper seat type for your lug nuts and wheels:
There are five main different types of lug nuts that industry offers:
Acorn Lug Nuts - this is for mainly used with steel wheels with a 60-degree tapered seat. Offered in 13/16" and 3/4" HEX Acorn Bulge (1.4" Tall).
Bulge Acorn Lug Nuts - this is for use with steel and aluminum wheels with a 60-degree tapered seat in Acord Bulge Extra Long (13/16" HEX), Acorn Bulge Extra Long (3/4" HEX), Duplex Acorn Bulge (7/8" HEX), and Duplex Acorn Bulge Extra Long (7/8" HEX).
Standard Mag Lug Nuts - this is for use with custom aluminum wheels that are 9/16” to ⅞” thick at the stud hole, without tapered seats.
Duplex Acorn Lug Nuts - this is for use with 8 lug wheels with tapered seats. Cragar SST - this is for use with Cragar mags, such as Protec or SST, that are 1-⅜” thick at the stud hole.
I think that it is safe to say that you all have learned just as much as I have when it comes to wheel bolt/lug patterns, and a few different types of lug nuts. I hope that you find this article informative and helpful. I broke all the information down the way I would hope someone would explain it to me. I really hope that you find the information easy to read and understand. I cannot wait for my next article to be able to dive more into the custom body shop industry. If there is a specific topic that you would like covered, please feel free to leave feedback and let me know what you would like to learn about next. I look forward to this journey with my career and readers as well.