HOW TO MEASURE A BOLT PATTERN?
The bolt pattern, also known as the lug pattern or PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter), is the measurement of an imaginary circle formed by the lug holes at the center of your wheel. The first number indicates how many bolt holes are in the wheel. The second number is the diameter of the imaginary circle around the holes. For example, a wheel with a 4x156 bolt pattern (also shown as 4/156), has 5 lug holes equally spaced around a 156mm diameter circle.
Typically, larger vehicles have more lugs (think HD trucks with an 8-lug bolt patterns), while smaller vehicles have fewer connection points. Knowing your bolt pattern is a good idea, no matter what make/model you decided on.
A dual drilled wheel is a wheel that is drilled with two sets of bolt holes. With this additional set of holes, dual drill wheels can accept two different bolt patterns. In our example below, the dual drilled wheel has both 4x156 and 4x137. On all dual-drill wheels, the larger hub bore of the two bolt patterns is used to ensure proper fitment.
Not sure about your bolt pattern?
There are a few key numbers to burn into your head when it comes to powersports and your bolt pattern (PCD) should be one of them. You never know what situation you or a member of your riding group may get into and having the right spare wheel/tire combo could make the difference between a fun day or a very long day of riding. Tire plugs are a great solution for small cuts and punctures however depending on the terrain, you may think about getting a spare wheel/tire to cover your bases. Ensuring that your spare fit your vehicle or your buddy's machine is crucial. Check out our fitment guide here.
Learn how to properly mount your wheels
Never try to install wheels on your vehicle that don’t match your OE bolt pattern. The wrong bolt pattern can prevent the wheel from mounting safely. You should have no resistance when installing your wheels on the vehicle's studs. If you have ANY resistance, remove wheel and double check that you have the right bolt pattern. All wheel manufacturers engineer wheels to have a small amount of play in the bolt hole to ensure you do not strip the stud during installation. Correct wheel installation is incredibly important to ensuring your wheels are safe, visit this post for correct procedure.
