A bolt pattern is the number of lug holes on a wheel and the diameter of the circle they sit on. It is written as count x diameter, so 5x114.3 means five lugs on a 114.3mm circle. Get this wrong and nothing else matters, because the wheel will not mount.
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Measuring a 4, 6 or 8 lug pattern
Even lug counts are straightforward because the holes sit directly across from one another. Measure from the center of one lug hole straight across to the center of the hole opposite it. That distance is your pitch circle diameter.
Use the center of the hole, not the edge, and measure on the wheel rather than on the hub if you can, since hub studs can be slightly bent. A caliper is more reliable than a tape measure at these tolerances, because the difference between 139.7mm and 135mm is small enough to misjudge by eye.
Measuring a 5 lug pattern
Five lug patterns have no hole directly opposite any other hole, which is why people get this wrong. The correct method: measure from the outer edge of one lug hole to the center of the hole two positions away, skipping the adjacent hole. That measurement is your PCD.
If that sounds fiddly, it is, and it is worth double checking against the known pattern for your vehicle rather than trusting a single measurement. A 3mm error puts you between 5x112 and 5x114.3, which are entirely different patterns used by entirely different manufacturers.
Metric and inch equivalents
Bolt patterns get quoted both ways, and the same pattern can look like two different specifications. These are the pairs you will see most:
| Metric | Inch | Commonly used by |
|---|---|---|
| 5x114.3 | 5x4.5 | Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Ford Mustang, Jeep Cherokee |
| 5x127 | 5x5 | Jeep Wrangler JK JL, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee WK2 |
| 5x139.7 | 5x5.5 | RAM 1500 DS and DT, older Dodge, Ford Ranger |
| 6x139.7 | 6x5.5 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Titan |
| 6x135 | 6x5.3 | Ford F-150 2004 and newer, Expedition |
| 8x165.1 | 8x6.5 | Older Chevrolet and GMC 2500 3500, older RAM 2500 3500 |
| 8x170 | 8x6.7 | Ford F-250 F-350 1999 and newer |
| 8x180 | 8x7.09 | Chevrolet and GMC 2500HD 3500HD 2011 and newer |
Bolt pattern chart by make
| Vehicle | Bolt pattern | Hub bore |
|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 (2004+) | 6x135 | 87.1mm |
| Ford F-250 / F-350 (1999+) | 8x170 | 125mm |
| Ford Mustang (2015+) | 5x114.3 | 70.5mm |
| Ford Bronco (2021+) | 6x139.7 | 93.1mm |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (2019+) | 6x139.7 | 78.1mm |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500 / 3500 (2011+) | 8x180 | 124.2mm |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 6x139.7 | 78.1mm |
| RAM 1500 (2012+ DS / DT) | 5x139.7 | 77.8mm |
| RAM 2500 / 3500 (2014+) | 8x165.1 | 121.3mm |
| Jeep Wrangler JK / JL, Gladiator JT | 5x127 (5x5) | 71.5mm |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 | 5x127 (5x5) | 71.5mm |
| Toyota Tacoma (2005+) | 6x139.7 | 106.1mm |
| Toyota Tundra (2007+) | 5x150 | 110mm |
| Toyota 4Runner (2003+) | 6x139.7 | 106.1mm |
| Nissan Titan (2004+) | 6x139.7 | 77.8mm |
| Honda Civic / Accord (2006+) | 5x114.3 | 64.1mm |
| Subaru WRX / Outback | 5x114.3 | 56.1mm |
| Dodge Charger / Challenger (2006+) | 5x115 | 71.5mm |
| Chevrolet Tahoe / Suburban (2021+) | 6x139.7 | 78.1mm |
| Cadillac Escalade (2021+) | 6x139.7 | 78.1mm |
Patterns that look interchangeable but are not
Several patterns sit close enough together that a wheel will start onto two or three studs and feel like it might work. It will not. Forcing a wheel onto a near-miss pattern stresses the studs at an angle, prevents the wheel from seating flat, and the joint loosens under load.
- 5x114.3 vs 5x115: less than a millimeter apart. Different vehicles, not interchangeable.
- 5x112 vs 5x114.3: about 2.3mm apart. VW and Audi vs Japanese and American. Not interchangeable.
- 6x135 vs 6x139.7: Ford F-150 vs GM and Toyota. Nearly 5mm apart and frequently confused.
- 8x165.1 vs 8x170: RAM and older GM vs Ford Super Duty. Not interchangeable.
If a wheel needs persuasion to go on, the pattern is wrong. A correct bolt pattern slides on by hand.
When a bolt pattern adapter makes sense
An adapter bolts to your hub using your factory pattern and presents a different pattern on its outer face with its own pressed studs. This is a legitimate solution when you want a wheel that is only made in a pattern your vehicle does not have, which comes up often with classic vehicles and with wheel designs made for a single popular platform.
The tradeoff is that adapters add width, typically 1.25 inches or more, because they must be thick enough to house two sets of hardware. That pushes your wheels outboard by the same amount, which changes offset, scrub radius and fender clearance. Buy hub centric billet adapters, torque both sets of hardware to spec, and re-torque after 50 to 100 miles.
Shop adapters and spacers
Hub centric billet aluminum adapters and spacers, with pressed studs on anything thick enough to need them.