I'm going to be picking up a '52 cadillac, was told the wheel pattern is 5 on 5. So I go to two different yards looking for rollers so I can move the car. Everything I measure seems to be 5 on 4 3/4. The guy at one yard pulls out his cheat sheet wheel disc thingy sets it on the wheel and it lines up perfectly 5 on 5. But when I measure it, it reads 5 on 4 3/4. About then a buddy calls says he has a set of 5 on 4 3/4. I get there, the wheel is marked 5 on 4 3/4 but when I measure it, it reads 5 on 4 1/2. Am I missing something here? I thought center to center is the measurement. Seems like center to center minus a 1/4 is the actual measurement. Any advice?
Measured edge to edge the pattern will be off by 1/4", edge to center is what you need, and I'm being redundant!!
50's merc, Most Buicks into the 70's..(Full size), Caddy's, 60's-70's Lincoln, Chevy Vans and Trucks 5 lug, and Astro Vans are 5 x5. Some 70's tbirds too.
5x5" wheels that will fit: Buick, Pontiac, Olds, Cadillac all through '60; all full size through '76; all BOP and Chevy wagons through '89; all Chevy and GMC 1/2 ton 2WD pickups and vans (5-lug wheels) '72-up. I've heard that Astro Vans are also 5x5 but never measured. Some '77-up full-size 2drs and sedans have 5x5 wheels and some don't, you need a model chart to know which; and 71-76 Chevy fullsize go to the 5x5 pattern. And cars like Chevelle, LeMans, etc. are not "full size" in the 1960s and 1970s sense of the word. The only thing I don't know is if the Caddy uses bolts or has studs and nuts. Cars that use bolts (Buick through at least '58) have locating pins on the drum with corresponding holes in the rims. The pins can be knocked off in a pinch. I should add: If you measure from center of hole to center of hole across the middle on a 5x5 you get 5x4 3/4. If you measure center of hole straight across to the other side (between holes) you'll get the 5x5 measurement. I had that mixed up for like 20 years.
Wheel bolt patterns - http://mr2.com/TEXT/WheelBoltPatterns.txt Don't forget the left side wheel nuts are LH thread.
Yes, you are missing something here.......when a wheel bolt pattern is given....as in "5 on 5"....it means 5 bolts on a 5" diameter circle. When measuring an odd number, such as 5, from one wheel stud to one "across" from it..........it isn't DIRECTLY across, it's somewhat diagonal, and therefore, less than the actual diameter. A diameter must be measured by passing through the very center. On four or six lug wheels measuring 'across' passes through the center and is the true diameter.
i know this is a old post....but, here is another wheel "how to" measure site. it is pretty helpful https://www.rsracing.com/tech-wheel.html
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