How to Measure Alloy Wheels

PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter)

The first thing that you need to check when measuring your alloy wheels is the PCD (pitch circle diameter). This is the diameter of the circle which passes through the centre of the bolt holes.

The PCD of your wheel must match the PCD that your car came with as standard. For example 5 x 100 means that the wheel has 5 bolt holes, and the diameter of the circle through the bolt holes is 100mm.

Rim Width

The rim width is the measurement between the outside lip and inside lip of an alloy wheel rim. The rim width is measured in inches. All vehicles have a compatible rim width range, which will be displayed as, for example, 6J – this means that the rim width is 6 inches wide. The width of the rim influences the width of the tyre.

Wheel Offset

The wheel offset is measured in millimetres and determines how far the arch or towards the outer arch a wheel will sit. You need to be careful because if it is too low for the range required then it will stick out from the side of the car, and if it’s too high then the wheel could catch onto the suspension or bodywork, because it will be too far under the car.

Imagine taking a wheel, cutting it in half and drawing a line down the centre of the width of the alloy wheel, the offset is the distance between the back face (mounting face) of the wheel and the centre line that you’ve drawn.

Most of the time the offset is displayed with the letters ET followed by a number, for example ET52. You can find the offset stamped on the back of the wheel or behind the centre cap.

Wheel Centre Bore

The centre bore of a wheel is the opening at the back of the wheel that centres it accurately on the hub of a vehicle. It’s used to make sure that the alignment of the wheel is correct and in some case will also bare part of the load.

If the centre bore is smaller than on the car hub, then it’s not possible to fit to the wheel, whereas if it’s larger than that of the hub, then the wheel can be fitted with a hub ring.

You can choose from a range of alloy wheels when making your choice, but one of the most popular types of alloys are Lenso wheels.

Lenso Wheels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenso wheels are popular alloys, adding a touch of elegance to your vehicle. The leading manufacturers use the most advanced machinery to make these attractive and durable wheels. Lenso wheels are lightweight and improve handling and performance – we’d strongly recommend these. Braking is also efficient – check these beauties out.