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Bolt Pattern
The bolt pattern or bolt circle is an imaginary circular diameter
formed by the centers of the wheel lugs. Nissan and Infiniti vehicles
come with bolt patterns utilizing 4, 5, or 6 lug holes and they are
relatively standardized. When looking to change the factory rims on
your vehicle you will be asked what bolt pattern is utilized as not
all automakers use the same patterns as your vehicle. As an example,
the factory 4-lug 240sx bolt pattern is 4 x 114.3 whereas some Honda's
use a 4 x 100. In this scenario, the rims are not interchangable
between vehicles. It should be noted that some aftermarket rim
manufacturers do provide universal-fit rims which have elongated
lug holes (or 8-10 holes which cover multiple bolt patterns)
which will fit a wider-range of vehicles.
Center Bore
The center bore relates to the size of the hole in the center of the
rim. When purchasing aftermarket rims, it is wise to ensure the center
bore is the same diameter as that of the hub, this is termed as being
hub-centric and ensures the rim is perfectly centered. If the center
bore is larger, you should purchase a hub-ring in order to ensure the
rim is properly centered and hub-centric. Not utilizing a hub-ring
means you are lug-centric and solely utilizing the lugs to center the
wheels instead of the lugs and the hub.
NOTE: The Center Bore for most Nissan Vehicles is 66.1
Backspace
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Backspacing is the distance from the inside bolting surface (Hub mounting pad) of the rim to the outer edge of the inboard side of the rim.
To determine backspacing simply lay the wheel face down and lay a straight edge (or board, or anything else that is flat) across the wheel. Use a tape
measurer or ruler and measure the distance from the bottom of the straight edge to the hub mounting pad. This is your backspace and when choosing rims
can help you determine rim depth in the wheel well.
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Offset
Offset is the distance from a wheels hub mounting surface to
the centerline of the wheel. There are three types of offset:
Zero: The hub mounting surface is even with the centerline of the rim.
Positive: The hub mounting surface is more towards the front and generally
the style wheel used with FWD vehicles.
Negative: The hub mounting surface is toward the back side of the wheel's
centerline.
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When considering new wheels, offset can make or break a decision. Using a rim
with less offset can cause the tire/rim to rub the outer fender and using a rim with
more offset can cause the tire/rim to rub the inner fender or even suspension
components. As an example, consider the image to the left.
In the example, the factory rim utilizes a +45mm offset (the hub is +45mm
from the center of the wheel) and the rim is centered within the wheel well.
Should new rims with a +30mm offset be utilized (the hub is +30mm from the center of the
wheel), the edge of the rim is shifted further
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outbound by 15mm
and closer to the fender lip. In some situations, this could cause the tire
to rub the fender lip and in extreme cases can cause damage to the tire or
fender itself. When utilizing a lowered suspension, there may be a greater chance of
this issue.
Spacers
Some vehicle designs give the factory wheels a "sunk-in" look.
An example of this is the Nissan Maxima, where the rear tires seem further in than
the front tires. In order
to get the rear tires to be more "flush" with the fender, some enthusiasts utilize
wheel spacers. As shown to the left, utilizing wheel spacers can have a similar effect
as wheels with a lower offset. It should be noted that utilizing spacers will change
the configuration from hub-centric to lug-centric and dependant on how wide the spacer
is you may need to get longer (and higher strength) wheel studs.
Staggered
A staggered wheel setup is one in which the front wheels are a different diameter or utilize
an offset that is dissimilar than the rear. Factory staggered wheel configurationss can be
found on RWD vehicles but not FWD. A staggered wheel setup on a RWD vehicle is usually
utilized to allow the rear to have wider tires for more traction although some enthusiasts
use a lower offset in the rear to achieve a more "deep dish" look to the rear wheels.
Since FWD vehicles utilize front drive wheels, utilizing a staggered setup would be
for looks only.
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+1 Sizing
+1 sizing is when a larger wheel or tire is installed on the vehicle. If the factory
rims are 15" then +1 sizing would be 16" rims (+2 = 17", +3 = 18", etc). Realize that
utilizing +1 sizing you should consult the tire shop in order to use the proper sized
tire to keep the speedometer as close to factory calibration as possible.
Article By: Matthew Moody, NICOclub.com Administrator
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