Wheel shopping rant / Irritating OEMs

I'm really frustrated by the limited aftermarket wheels options available for my Jag.  My car is a front engined, rwd car of moderate weight, torque and power -- there are dozens of BMW, Cadillac, Chevy, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes and even Porsche passenger cars that fit that mold.  All of these cars are fitted with five lug wheels/hubs.  So why are there so few interchange options between them?

I understand that different types of cars require different suspension geometry, and that vehicles of higher load demands need stronger wheels and wheel mounts. But there is no logical reason whatsoever that the industry cannot settle on a standard set of center bores and bolt patterns for their wheels.  Why are there 50-odd bolt patterns for cars and trucks?  Why do OEMs insist on unique center bore specs?  Why do some brands have different bolt patterns or center bores between their own models?  Why do they make big changes to bolt pattern and or center bore over time?

Money.

If they all used the same bolt pattern then the need for replacement wheels would drop. Have you priced new O.M.E wheels?

I hear you, but the main market for OE wheels are consumers who curb one one or bend one on a pothole, or insurance companies replacing equipment per a damage claim. In both cases, the solution is a wheel that matches what's on the car and the buyer will pay what the dealer charges.  You don't need to shod your cars with some arcane spec wheels to lock in that market.

actually, if all cars either came in 4x100 or 5x120, the car makers could SAVE money by letting the aftermarket build all the rims.

You have not mentioned what model/year of Jag but try this resource to see what might else fit.  

https://www.roadkillcustoms.com/wheel-bolt-pattern-cross-reference/5x4.75-wheel-bolt-pattern-5x120.7mm-5x4.75-inches/

Edit: website seems to be broken.  This site used to be a great reference for wheel swap

In reply to John Welsh :

Works for me.  that is the same reference I use.  Just in case try this link

Wheel cross reference

My wheel rant is tire rack not letting you shop wheels by size, bolt pattern, offset, etc. I mean I get why they don't but let smart people have the ability to do it. Like solve a math problem or something before you can shop by specs.

In reply to mad_machine :

The aftermarket DOES build all the wheels.

But let's say you want 4x100 on everything...  this limits the size of wheel bearings you can use.  So you go to 5x120, but on smaller cars this limits how small you can make the brakes, and on larger cars this STILL limits how large the bearings can be.

I'd love to convert a Volvo 740 to 4x100. But they use a 35mm spindle. Miatas for instance are 28mm spindles.

freetors said:

My wheel rant is tire rack not letting you shop wheels by size, bolt pattern, offset, etc. I mean I get why they don't but let smart people have the ability to do it. Like solve a math problem or something before you can shop by specs.

Because everyone thinks they're smart people, and at least half of them are wrong.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

It is amazing how many aftermarket wheels don't fit cars because of the way the bell is shaped, isn't it?

Keith Tanner said:

freetors said:

My wheel rant is tire rack not letting you shop wheels by size, bolt pattern, offset, etc. I mean I get why they don't but let smart people have the ability to do it. Like solve a math problem or something before you can shop by specs.

Because everyone thinks they're smart people, and at least half of them are wrong.

think you are being kind....... 

Even Jag goes back and forth between 5x108 and 5x120.65.

Although it does seem like most 5 lug cars are 5x114.3 now except for the Germans. 

BMW is 5x120, Porsche 5x130, and Audi and Mercedez using 5x112.

You're seeing few options since most people don't buy a jag with the idea of modifying them.

In reply to z31maniac :

BTW, Ford uses 5x108 on a lot of their cars (like my Focus), I suspect Jag used the same pattern when they were under Ford's umbrella.

Stefan said:

In reply to z31maniac :

BTW, Ford uses 5x108 on a lot of their cars (like my Focus), I suspect Jag used the same pattern when they were under Ford's umbrella.

Yeah, and I think Chevy still does 5x120.65, and Subaru has/had some 5x100 cars like my old BRZ.

Stefan said:

In reply to z31maniac :

BTW, Ford uses 5x108 on a lot of their cars (like my Focus), I suspect Jag used the same pattern when they were under Ford's umbrella.

Volvo as well, although that bolt pattern goes back to 1970 with the 140 model and the switch to 4-wheel disc brakes. Which created a mid-model run change for the 1800 when that car got 4 wheel disc brakes as well.  1969 and earlier cars have a 5 x4.5" pattern, which is why you'll see some 1800's with classic muscle car wheels and some with more modern wheels.

Same reason every single other part of the car isn't standardized beyond light bulbs and tires. Somebody had the ability and necessity to name a number and they did.

Because an engineer said "you know, we could make it better if we changed this one parameter".

In reply to John Welsh :

Holy cow, what a great website!  Thanks!

In reply to nderwater : I don’t know what year you are looking for.

I’ve raced Jags for years but my experience stops with 1996 XJS. Newer  Jags may be different  but on the older ones I’d  find a Corvette rim That I liked with the right back spacing and use that.

 Now the register a Jag sits on is slightly smaller  than a Corvette but I used to make a little adapter that slid over and centered the wheel properly. It took me less than an hour of lathe time to make 4   I slid it on with a little JB weld and it stayed with the car. 

z31maniac said:

Stefan said:

In reply to z31maniac :

BTW, Ford uses 5x108 on a lot of their cars (like my Focus), I suspect Jag used the same pattern when they were under Ford's umbrella.

Yeah, and I think Chevy still does 5x120.65, and Subaru has/had some 5x100 cars like my old BRZ.

Chevy has two patterns now, 5 x 120.65 for the Corvette and 5 x 120 mm for the Camaro (5th gen & up), G8, SS and GTO.

Most engineers are not as smart as most non-engineers have been led to believe.

I think Jag started using 108 from 2003 on. You can use 5x120 wheels that are normal for BMW's on the Jag. Just get hub-centric rings because the center bore is different. 

Driven5 said:

Most engineers are not as smart as most non-engineers have been led to believe.

I was educated as an engineer, but now I'm a plumber.   I'm certainly a lot smarter now than when I got out of college.  Probably make more money than I ever could as an engineer as well.

Keith Tanner said:

freetors said:

My wheel rant is tire rack not letting you shop wheels by size, bolt pattern, offset, etc. I mean I get why they don't but let smart people have the ability to do it. Like solve a math problem or something before you can shop by specs.

Because everyone thinks they're smart people, and at least half of them are wrong.

Lol - almost spilled my beer at that one.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

"Whatever you're thinking of ordering, go down an inch in diameter and width." - what TR's CYA statement should be. 

When I'm looking for wheels I mostly just look at summit racing because I can actually filter things down like that and really see what's available.

eBay is pretty decent for stuff like rotas. It could be a lot better though if sellers could write accurate and detailed descriptions!