Customizing your car often begins with the wheels, offering a subtle yet impactful modification that can transform its appearance. Exploring custom wheel options opens a realm of possibilities—increasing wheel size, selecting unique colors, eye-catching designs, or opting for high-performance wheels that enhance your vehicle's handling and aesthetics.
With numerous brands and thousands of custom wheels available, choosing the right ones involves more than just matching your budget and style. This guide breaks down the basics of choosing custom wheels and their functionality to help you make informed decisions. Continue reading to discover the fundamentals of custom wheel selection and begin your journey into personalizing your car.
Wheel Diameter
The wheel diameter serves as a primary descriptor for custom wheels. This measurement describes the size of the rim, indicating how much of the wheel’s face is visible. It's a fundamental aspect to consider when selecting a wheel, as choosing the wrong size might result in improper fitment over the brakes or within the wheel well.
Common rim sizes range from 16” to 22”, but variations exist from 12” to 24” and sometimes beyond. Plus-sizing—choosing larger-than-factory wheels—maintains the same overall wheel height while accommodating larger rims for a more assertive look.
Wheel Width
Wheel width determines the tire width suitable for your vehicle. A wider wheel allows for wider tires, enhancing traction and often offering a more appealing aesthetic. However, it’s vital to ensure sufficient clearance within the wheel well before opting for wider rims, especially in racing applications requiring extensive modifications.
Wheel Offset
Wheel offset refers to the distance from the hub mounting surface or flange to the wheel’s center line, measured in millimeters and expressed as zero, positive, or negative. Positive offset positions the wheel further into the wheel well, ideal for wider rims without protruding past the wheel lip. Conversely, negative offset pushes the wheels outward from the wheel lip, beneficial when fitting wide rear tires with additional clearance.
Custom wheel offset requires careful consideration. As a beginner, seeking guidance from knowledgeable experts like JEGS associates can be immensely beneficial.
Backspacing and Center Bore
Backspacing measures the distance from the back of the mounting surface to the inner wheel lip. This measurement is critical for ensuring clearance inside the wheel well and for suspension travel. Center bore, the hole in the middle of the rim, must fit snugly against the hub face for proper wheel installation.
Wheel Offset / Backspacing Calculator
Enter the following values (leave the field blank for the measurement you want to find):
Wheel Width (in inches):
Backspacing (in inches):
Offset (in mm):
Hub Centric vs Lug Centric Wheels
Two styles—hub centric and lug centric—define how the wheel centers on the hub. Hub-centric wheels rely on the perfectly machined center bore, while lug-centric wheels use wheel studs and nuts for centering.
Bolt Pattern
Bolt pattern compatibility with your car’s existing wheel studs is crucial. The bolt pattern consists of the number of lug holes in the rim and the distance between them. Variations like 4-lug, 5-lug, 6-lug, and 8-lug patterns exist, each with different hole distances.
Wheel Spacers and Adapters
Wheel spacers and adapters help with clearance issues. Spacers increase negative offset without replacing the wheels, while adapters enable changes in bolt patterns and the number of wheel studs, opening up options for various wheel sizes.
Find Custom Wheels at JEGS
Whether you're shopping for muscle car rims or require assistance with wheel fitment for plus-sized wheels on your street car, JEGS offers competitively priced products and expert advice. Make your car stand out with a custom set of wheels and begin your project today!
