How to Read Lug Nut Patterns

The lug nut pattern on your vehicle refers to the number of lug holes that there are in the wheel and how far away the lug holes are from each other. The lug pattern is needed to determine whether or not a particular wheel will fit on a particular vehicle. If the wheel and the hub mounting surface do not have the same lug nut pattern, the wheel can't be used on the vehicle. Determining a vehicle’s lug pattern is relatively easy.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler

Instructions

1. Count the number of lug holes in the wheel. This is the number of lug holes for the wheel studs to go through. There will be four or five for most cars, while most trucks use five, six or even more lug nuts to hold the wheels on.

2. Determine the distance between the holes on a wheel with an even number of lugs by measuring from the center of one hole to the center of the hole directly across from it. If there are four bolts that are 5 inches apart, the lug nut pattern would be referred to as "4 on 5."

3. Determine the distance between the holes on a wheel with an odd number of lug holes by measuring the distance from the center of one of the lug holes to the area halfway between the two lug holes directly across from it.

References

• BAGE Company: How to Determine Bolt Pattern