Advantage of 5 stud hubs

[Cnut 0]

Im just wondering what the advantage is of having 5 stud hubs rather than the 4s?

 

I cant understand why vw would have spent more money developing the 5 stud hubs for the VR6 if there is no obviously advantage?!

[gibber 0]

Well if you got a VR and you loose 4 bolts, ya wheel wont fall off, where as it would with a G60 or valver.

[dinkus 10]

Well the mk3 Golfs use the same 5 stud hubs, so I'd imagine it was something to do with the VRs being later spec, so they put 5 studs on.

 

No idea why they didn't do it for the rest of the revised Cs tho...

[chrishill 0]

wonder if its to do with the extra engine weight? more downward pressure being put on the bolts so they thought they'd stick another one in to be sure?

[dr_mat 0]

The VR got the "plus" suspension off the mk3 GTis due to the extra torque, iirc, and the slightly wider track gives them more room for the engine and exhaust.

Maybe the five stud hubs were developed to accomodate larger drive shafts?

[Geo 0]

Its definitely not to accomodate larger driveshafts as the pcd is the same with 4 or 5 stud - ie 100mm

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The VR6 driveshafts are the same size as the G60s and both have the same hub centre bore of 76.1mm. If it were shaft diameter related then the PCD would have to be enlarged, say, to 112, but both VR and G60 have a 100mm PCD.

 

It's more than likely weight related as Chris said, although there are a few exceptions because the RS Focus weighs about 1350Kg and has 4 stud 18" rims, but HGVs have about 20 nuts per wheel.

 

It also wouldn't surprise me if it's just a way of preventing wheels fitting other marques.... badge snobbery and all that.

 

For example, we have BMW with 5x120, Audi with 4x108 and 5x112, Merc with 5x112, Porsche with 5x130 and VW with 4x100 and 5x100, and now 5x112 in the MK5 and B5 Passat..... and making unique stud patterns keeps the wheel prices artificially high. It's ALWAYS about money....

[dr_mat 0]

Perhaps they just thought it looked classier?

[Henny 0]

wonder if its to do with the extra engine weight?

 

Nope, the wheel bolts don't take the weight of the car, the central shaft does which is why spiggot rings are essential on aftermarket wheels...

[chrishill 0]

might just be talking out of my backside here, but if the central drive-shaft takes the weight, then connects to the wheels via the hubs, surely eventually some of that weight is going to be transfered to the things holding the wheels onto the hubs? even if its not direct downwards gravitational pull they're going to be under more strain somewhere along the lines arent they? or have I had too much coffee again :?

[Henny 0]

next time you take a wheel off your car, have a close look as you take the bolts out... ;) Betcha you can take ALL of the bolts out of the front wheels without the wheel falling straight off... ;)The central shaft I mean is part of the hub, NOT the drive shaft and it fits inside the wheel...

 

The only strain on the bolts is the torque from the engine turning the wheel against the resistance from the tyre/road... It was probably this extra torque from the VR6 that made VAG want to upgrade to 5stud rather than 4... 8)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Central shaft? You mean the little 5 or so mm lip the wheel locates onto? I wouldn't class that as a load bearing structure! And spiggot rings just help the wheel to locate onto hub centrally and are made of plastic.

 

I think you'll find it IS the wheel bolts that are the load bearing part and if it it's not weight related, why are the VR6 bolts 14mm and 16V/G60 bolts 12mm?

 

Look at wheel spacers, they push the wheel out beyond the hub and it's just the longer bolts holding the wheels onto the hubs and therefore supporting the weight of the car.....

[chrishill 0]

I'll take your word for it henny, I'm not taking the risk of testing that one out! s'probably just my simple grasp of physics failing me again! ;)

[Henny 0]

kevhaywire, it's a 9mm lip... which is why you can't get hub-centric spacers under 15mm... ;)

 

That lip takes more of the weight than the wheel bolts. I agree though that if you do put in none-hubcentric spacers that the bolts DO take all of the weight of the car which isn't a good idea.

[VEEDUBBED 0]

Then why did shi@troens

only have 3 bolts holding on

their wheels?....

[dr_mat 0]

Because losing a wheel didn't make them any worse than they already were?

[chrishill 0]

they're french

[Andi 2,147,483,647]

and cheap

and shiiite. :)

 

And very lazy at changing wheels?

 

Je veux changer ma roue très rapidement ainsi je peux manger mes grenouilles

french accent>

 

I want to change my wheel very quickly so I can eat my frogs

[2cc 0]

Classique mon ami

[Furkz 0]

smart cars are also 3 stud coz their "smart" sorry

 

wheres me coat :oops:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Henny, it's never 9mm? Sheesh, I didn't think it was that much of a lip....but lets just agree on a combination of that locating lip and the bolts being the load bearing structures :wink:

 

Shitroens and 1.1 Pug 106s/Smarts etc use 3 bolt wheels because :-

 

A) They're crud cars

B) They're poo cars

C) They're rubbish cars

D) My 3 week old boxers weigh more

[Andi 2,147,483,647]

D) My 3 week old boxers weigh more

 

Is that dogs, or underwear?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

That'll be the pants my friend....with 3 weeks of fudge ingress.

[dinkus 10]

And Kev is renowned for his fudge ingress :lol:

[Henny 0]

kevhaywire, 8) (although the pants comments deserve a :pukeleft: :| )