How are UTV Wheels Measured?

UTV wheels are measured by diameter and width, with the diameter being the overall distance across the wheel and the width measured between the inner bead seats. Additionally, wheel offset is a crucial measurement, indicating the hub mounting surface's position relative to the wheel's centerline.

ATV Tires vs UTV Tires Reading How are UTV Wheels Measured? 2 minutes Next Principles of Tread Lightly!

0 comments

UTV wheels are measured by their diameter and width. The diameter is the distance across the wheel, while the width is measured between the inner bead seats. Another important measurement is the wheel offset, which shows where the hub mounting surface sits compared to the wheel's centerline.

Diameter: The wheel diameter is measured from one outer edge of the bead area to the other, usually in inches. This size is determined with the tire on, and since the tire bead covers part of the wheel, the measurement is often rounded down to the nearest inch, according to Tracks USA.

Width: The wheel width is the distance between the inner edges of the bead seats, where the tire bead sits. This measurement is also typically in inches.

Offset: Wheel offset is the distance between the hub mounting surface, where the wheel attaches to the vehicle, and the wheel's centerline. It is usually shown as two numbers, like 4+3. The first number is the distance from the hub to the inner edge, and the second is from the hub to the outer edge. A positive offset means the hub is closer to the front of the wheel, moving the wheel further inside the wheel well. A negative offset means the hub is closer to the back, moving the wheel further out. Zero offset means the hub is exactly in the center.

Bolt Pattern: The bolt pattern shows how the lug holes are arranged on the wheel's hub mounting surface. It uses two numbers, like 4x156. The first number is the number of lug holes, and the second is the diameter of the circle they form, measured in millimeters. For example, a 4x156 bolt pattern means there are four lug holes in a circle with a diameter of 156mm.

Offroad 101

What wheels do you need?

Now that you have a baseline on how to measure your offroad UTV wheels or ATV wheels, let's look at how to determine what exactly you need.

ATV Wheels: Doing a quick search of Google, you'll find a littering of wheel descriptions. Here are just a few: ATV rim (or ATV rims), wheels for ATV, beadlock utv wheels, 4+3 atv wheels, 5+2 offset wheels, or even part of a kit like ATV wheel and tire kits (or ATV wheel and tire packages). So what do YOU need? Let's look at what your needs and wants are.

Needs:
If you plan to hit some burly trails and you're concerned you might pop a bead, grabbing a set of beadlock wheels for UTVs or beadlock atv wheels should be your top priority. In contrast, if you stick to groomed trails and have a pretty stock setup, we have the best atv wheels and best utv wheels in a non-beadlock wheel design. Find yourself somewhere between these two types of offroad trail riders? We'd advise you to upgrade to beadlock wheel tire kit when you need it rather than wish you had it.

Wants:
Most folks looking to upgrade their wheels have a list of at least ten things they want, but determining wants and needs can be complex, especially if you're looking for light weight atv wheels. Always weigh (pun intended) the pros and cons of each want, like fake beadlock rings, fake bolts, and extra width, which can quickly add unnecessary weight, wear, and make for a costly decision.