In the never ending battle of loosing tools & parts in the abyss I call my garage I have misplaced a bright red wheel pattern guide similar to the one shown below. And I'm trying to determine the bolt pattern of the wheels that are on the red deuce sedan. Years ago I knew how to measure with a tape to determine the pattern,but the wheels were off the car...how in the world do you measure the pattern without removing the wheels from the car? HRP
Danny I think you have a Jag rear on the sedan, if you do the wheel bolt pattern is the same as a Chevy PCD. It's the same that I have on my Center Door "T".
Have an old fashioned set of calipers? That would be the easy way but Jag is normally 5 on 4-3/4 as Alan suggested.
Danny..draw an imaginary line(circular) thru center of all lug bolts..Then measure the circle..it wont be from one lug to next,from one lug straight across to meet imaginary line
Measure from outside diameter of any lug, across bolt circle to center of opposing lug. EZ way to tell what bolt pattern you have as long as you have a measuring device...Has always worked for me.
Use a 'tall' caliper ("wing dividers") In a 5 bolt circle, measure from the center of #1 stud to the far side of #3 bolt. (just skip the one next to) Measure with a ruler or tape. This is accurate, and you don't have to remove center cap, nut, wheel, or anything. I like the method mgtStumpy provided: When I was 13, I 'allowed' this was the most accurate, due to its 'logic'...
If you have 5 studs, you can't measure straight across. The difference between 4 1/2 and 4 3/4 when measuring by eye and not being able to get your tape on the studs isn't enough to be sure. If it were me, I would pull the wheel, then measure on the mounting surface of the wheel. 1/2 the center hole diameter plus the distance from the edge of the center hole to the center of the stud hole. (You should be able to eyeball the center of the stud hole) There is a way by measuring the distance between any 2 studs and looking at a table, but I don't have the table to share.
I've been using this method for 50 plus years,..... This is EXACTLY how it's done. taught to us from all the wheel manufactures when I worked for Gratiot Auto Supply (Many decades ago)
If you measure from the edge of the wheel hole over to the center of the wheel hole, you will get the correct bolt pattern such as 4. 3/4" for chevy, 4 1/2" ford dodge etc ... Of course you can measure the studs also, just more difficult with the hub in the way. Excuse my crude drawing but you get the idea. Somebody beat me while playing with the drawing
Danny....los Control and Harms Way is correct. just take a stiff wire, and bend into U shape then measure like Los Control shows. Keep bending as needed until its outside edge one stud, skip one stud and center of next stud, then lay wire down on tape measure for reading....done this many times at wrecking yards...works perfectly with just a tape and bent wire.
I love those plastic red and blue wheel pattern guides. I have 2 sets of each that I got at the swap meets. one set in my shop that I keep losing too all the time until I clean up and then the set I keep in my truck door panel that I mainly use for auctions, especially when I go to farm auctions. they always seem to have loose rims around. should see the look of other people when I first drag that out instead of a tape measure like others. then before I know it they have me measuring all the rims for them or they are passing my guides around the rim group.
They are inexpensive and handy to have,my only problem is I have several and can't find any of them. HRP
I've got one saved here on the computer in a PDF file, but can't figure out a way to upload it. Seems I have Adobe PDF reader, but it won't let me do anything but print it out on paper.
Measure from the ' center of your center dust cover to the center of any lug nut ' Then double the size and that is your bolt circle, very simple and correct DND
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