Wheel Specifications Guide
Wheel specifications identify the technical details involved with fitment and safety. This article will explain how to locate the specifications chart and what type of useful information can be found.
The specification chart displays a wheel's technical details:
Where to Find Wheel Specifications
The Specifications Chart is located at the bottom of each wheel's product page. The specifications may differ by part number.
Specifications include:
Size
Bolt Pattern
Backspace
Offset
Center Bore
Wheel Weight
Load Rating
Lip Size
If the chart seems incomplete or is missing information, there's a great chance the wheel is custom-built and made-to-order. Customers will provide the desired specs at the time of the order.
One or more of these indicators identify the potential for a custom wheel:
Bolt pattern displayed as "Blank",
Backspace is missing information
Offset is displayed as "XXmm".
Bolt Pattern
The bolt pattern is described as the number of lug nuts per wheel and the diameter of the imaginary circle they form:
Bolt patterns are written as:
Example: 5x114.3 (number of lugs x the diameter of the circle)
The wheel’s bolt pattern must match the vehicle application. If you need assistance identifying your bolt pattern please read this additional article - What is a bolt pattern and how is it measured?
Backspacing
Backspace is the distance in inches from the edge of the rear flange to the mounting surface.
Using the correct backspace is critical to ensure no clearance issues with:
Brakes
Suspension
Steering components
Fender
For more on backspace check out this article: What backspace or offset do I need?
Offset
Offset is the distance in millimeters from the wheel’s imaginary centerline to the mounting pad and cannot be physically measured.
Offset types:
Positive offset: wheel sits further inward
Zero offset: mounting surface is centered in the wheel
Negative offset: wheel sits further outward
Offset will impact:
Fender clearance
Suspension clearance
Overall stance
Small changes in offset can significantly impact fitment.
For more details about offset check out this article: What backspace or offset do I need?
Center Bore
The wheel center bore is the diameter of the hole in the center of a wheel that fits directly onto the vehicle’s hub.
The wheel center bore must be the same size or larger than the vehicle hub for installation.
There are two types of wheel center bores as they relate to the vehicle:
Hub centric
Lug centric
To learn more about hub centric and lug centric wheels check out this article: What is the difference between hub centric and lug centric wheels?
The specifications chart includes the exact bore measurement.
Wheel Weight
Wheel weight refers to the weight of the wheel without a tire installed.
Wheel weight may impact:
Handling and steering response
Acceleration and braking
Ride quality
Weight varies by:
Wheel design
Wheel size
Wheel construction type
Wheel material
Wheel weight is listed per wheel in the wheel specifications chart.
Wheel Load Rating
Wheel load rating is the maximum weight a single wheel is engineered to safely support under normal operating conditions without structural failure.
Key points about load ratings:
The wheel load rating must meet or exceed the vehicle’s load requirements
Towing, hauling or off-road use may require higher load ratings
Load rating requirements are based on Gross Axle Weight and NOT Gross Vehicle Weight.
The load rating can be found in the wheel specifications chart.
Lip Size
Wheel lip size (depth) refers to the distance between the outer edge of a wheel's rim and the point where the face (wheel center) attaches. A greater lip depth typically indicates a more aggressive style, often achieved through lower offset or a wider wheel.
The lip size may vary based on:
Wheel width
Offset/Backspace
Wheel design
Lip size is primarily a visual characteristic and does not determine fitment by itself.
The Lip Size can be found in the wheel specifications chart.
Still Need Help?
Please submit a request or call a wheel specialist at 800.260.2522 Mon thru Fri 9:00am to 8:00pm EST
Having the following information ready helps speed up assistance:
Vehicle year, make, model, and trim
Wheel Style
Wheel Size