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Volkswagen Wheel Bolt Patterns

Bolt Patterns

There are a great many bolt patterns used on the autos around the world.  There are also special backspacing requirements unique to each auto design, special widths to allow for different sized and type of tires, and special design requirement that allow the wheels to clear items such as steering mounts and brake calipers.  The aircooled VWs used their own unique bolt patterns, which has limited the aftermarket options available since the more popular autos of today share a group of bolt patterns that are not compatible with most older VW autos.

The bolt pattern is also known as the Pitch Circle Diameter or PCD

To measure the bolt pattern of a given wheel, you need to measure from the center of one bolt to where the center of a bolt directly across from it would be.  For wheels with an even number of bolt holes, this is easy, just measure from the center one to the center of one across from it.  For wheels with 5 holes, you need to improvise a bit and measure from the center on one hole to the outer edge of a hole furthest away from it.

A bolt patters of newer vehicles can be found at Adaptit USA.

A wheel and tire calculator with images can be found at Here.

Spacers and Wheel Adapters

These are generally not necessary, unless you would like to run a special tire that the available VW wheels won't allow for, or if you just have to run a special aftermarket wheel.

4x130 to 5x130 Adapter

Some of these are just junk and really don't belong a auto that you plan to take on the road or drive hard.  Also note that there ATVs with the same bolt pattern as many of the 4 lug VWs and spacers for these are plentiful.  These were not made for full time highway use on a "heavy" offroad vehicle like a VW.

Ref:

California Import Parts VW Spacers

Chircoe 3/8 inch 4 lug aluminum spacers

Dealparts adapters and 3/16th spacers

Top Line 3/16th spacer

Pelican Parts 4 130 to 5 130 adapter

Pelican Parts Porsche spacers

Motorsport Technology Custom Alcoa 6061t6 billet aluminum spacers and adapters

Wheeladapter.com Custom spacers

Airbagit not useful for most VW applications, but some interesting adapters

Adaptit USA Many combinations, but a poor selection for VWs

Backspacing and Offset

For a wheel to steer properly and to maintain wheel bearing longevity, you will want proper backspacing to center the tire over the spindle.  Backspacing is the measurement of the distance from the wheel mounting surface to the inner edge of the wheel.  This factor in wheel design is vital if you wish to fit tires within your fenders for aesthetics or if your are like most people and have no desire to take a hammer or saw to their auto's body to clear a tire that doesn't fit.

Some folks prefer the term offset.  A zero offset wheel has a back spacing of half the width of the rim.  Positve offset has more backspacing than half the width of the wheel and pulls the wheel in deeper into the car.  Negative offset has less backspacing than half the width of the wheel and pushes the tire outwards.  Negative offset wheels are often used in the rear of VW where drivers want to run wider tires without them contacting the inner fenders well.

The Germans call the amount of positive offset "ET" (Einpress Tiefe).

VW wheels are designed with have a fair amount of positive offset to center the wheel over the spindles and fit tires within the fenders.  This is one of the reasons that so many VWer change their bolt patter to accommodate early Porsche wheels.  The early Porsche wheels have the correct amount of positive offset for early many VW autos, offer some different width options and well...look rather nice.

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