# Auto Wheel Engineering Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006 "2015-05-28T02:32:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006/21 "2015-05-28T17:45:20Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > I was raised to hold a 4-lug wheel very strongly against a car - you don’t see 4 lugs on many cars - the Falcon being an infamous example - when, in the 64 1/2 model year, it got new sheet metal and name - Mustang - it still had the 4 lug wheels (or so I was told). My understanding is that 6-cylinder Mustangs used four lugs, 8-cylinder ones used five. Some older Renaults used three lugs. Seems to have been the norm in France back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006/22 "2015-05-28T18:00:57Z")
My '70 Ford Maverick had four lugs. It was the direct descendant of the venerable Falcon. A buddy of mine had a car with wheels with just one lug nut apiece: a '67 Midget. Of course, the hub and wheels were splined. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006/23 "2015-05-28T18:22:43Z")
I’ve never had a vehicle with lug bolts, but if I did, I’d make a guide pin (or two) by grinding down or cutting off the head on a spare bolt. Thread the guide pin in loosely by hand and hang the wheel on that, then starting the other bolts will be so much easier. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006/24 "2015-05-28T18:23:29Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > Mind if I add on a related question? Over the past 10 or so years there seems to have been a move from lugs on the hub and lug nuts to using bolts that screw into the hub. Any engineering reason for this? Strictly a matter of cost. Lug stud / nut: build hub with hole buy 5 studs Press studs into hub buy 5 lug nuts Assemble or Lug bolts: Build hub with hold Tread hole assemble with 5 lug bolts. Like I always say, the easiest way to make a million dollars in the car business is save a buck a car and build a million of them. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006/25 "2015-05-28T19:00:16Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > …but let me tell you, it’s that much more of a pain in the ass to get the wheel lined up correctly and try to thread in one of those bolts at the same time. My BMW that had lug bolts had a tool in the trunk-mounted tool kit that was a rod with the same threads as the lug bolts on one end. You threaded it into the hub on one of the “top” holes, allowing you to place the wheel over it to hang it in place. Then you didn’t have to support the weight of the wheel, just adjust it slightly to get the rest of the holes perfectly aligned while you got the rest of the lug bolts started, then you could remove the tool and thread in the final one. [Here’s what one looks like.](http://www.bavauto.com/fland.asp?part=12MM&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=12MM-330XI-2006-263581&gclid=CI3zqrKP5cUCFQ8waQodgLQAAg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-wheel-engineering-question/721006.md?page=1)