Written by City Wheels · G-10/1, Islamabad
- rims
- fitment
- guide
- buying
An alloy rim fits your car when four things match: the bolt pattern (for example 5x114.3), a suitable offset (ET), a centre bore that fits your hub, and a diameter and width the tyre and suspension can take. Bolt pattern gets the rim onto the car; offset and centre bore decide whether it sits and runs correctly.
What does a rim size like 17x7.5 mean?
The first number is the diameter in inches (17) and the second is the width in inches (7.5), measured between the tyre bead seats. The diameter must match the tyre; the width determines which tyre widths can be fitted safely.
What is a bolt pattern (PCD)?
The bolt pattern, or pitch circle diameter, gives the number of wheel studs and the diameter of the circle they sit on. 5x114.3 means five studs on a 114.3 mm circle; 4x100 means four studs on a 100 mm circle. It must match your car exactly.
| Bolt pattern | Common on |
|---|---|
| 4x100 | Honda City, Suzuki Cultus, Alto, WagonR, Swift |
| 5x114.3 | Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Yaris, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson |
| 6x139.7 | Toyota Fortuner and Hilux |
Browse 4x100 rims or 5x114.3 rims.
What is offset (ET)?
Offset is the distance in millimetres between the rim's mounting face and its centreline. A higher positive offset places the mounting face further toward the outside of the wheel, tucking the wheel in under the car. A lower offset pushes the wheel outward.
- Too low: the wheel sits proud of the arch, can rub at full lock, and puts extra leverage on the wheel bearings.
- Too high: the inner edge of the wheel can hit the suspension strut.
Many sedans on 5x114.3 run offsets roughly between ET38 and ET50, but the correct figure is specific to each car — check yours before buying.
What is the centre bore?
The centre bore is the hole in the middle of the rim that locates on your car's hub. If the rim's bore is larger than the hub, fit a hub-centric ring so the wheel is centred by the hub rather than hanging on the studs. Without one you can get a vibration that balancing will not cure.
Going up a rim size: plus-sizing
When you fit larger rims, choose a lower-profile tyre so the overall wheel diameter stays within about 3% of the original. For example, 195/65 R15 is about 635 mm tall and 205/55 R16 about 632 mm — close enough to keep the speedometer and ABS accurate.
| Rim | Tyre | Approx. overall diameter |
|---|---|---|
| 15" | 195/65 R15 | 635 mm |
| 16" | 205/55 R16 | 632 mm |
| 17" | 215/45 R17 | 625 mm |
Bigger rims look and steer better, but the shorter sidewall protects the rim less from potholes. For a daily car on rough roads, a modest upgrade is usually the better choice. See our 16-inch and 17-inch rims, or bring your car in and we will check offset and centre bore on the ramp before you buy.
Questions answered
Can I use wheel spacers to fix the wrong offset?
Spacers change the effective offset, but they add leverage on the wheel bearings and another joint that must stay correctly torqued. It is better to choose rims with the right offset for your car in the first place.
Do rims have a load rating?
Yes. Alloy rims have a maximum load per wheel. On heavier vehicles such as SUVs and pickups, make sure the rim's rating is suitable for the vehicle, not just that it bolts on.
