Can Original Factory Bolts Be Used with Modified Wheels?
3 Answers
Original factory bolts cannot be used with modified wheels. Reasons why original factory bolts cannot be used with modified wheels: After installing modified wheels, it is best not to use the original vehicle bolts because 90% of modified wheels come with tapered bolt holes, whereas the original vehicle bolts are spherical. Precautions for modified wheels: If you install modified wheels, it is essential to replace the bolts, as mismatched bolts and wheels can easily lead to steering wheel vibration, damage to the lower control arms and ball joints. When choosing bolts for modified wheels, opt for reliable branded products. The quality of the bolts directly affects personal safety. Poor-quality bolts for modified wheels can pose significant risks to yourself, your vehicle, and others.
I've seen several cases in car enthusiast groups where wheel bolts caused issues. It's best not to use factory bolts directly when installing aftermarket wheels. Factory bolts are designed specifically for OEM wheels in terms of length and taper angle, while aftermarket wheels may have completely different base thickness or bore diameter. If the bolts are too long, they can contact the brake rotor causing abnormal wear; if too short, they won't secure the wheel properly. More importantly, there's the thread compatibility issue - even if ill-fitting bolts are forced on, the impact forces during high-speed driving will gradually deform the threads, potentially leading to wheel detachment. When I changed my wheels, I carefully measured both factory and aftermarket bolt dimensions - a difference of just 2-3mm can be extremely dangerous. I strongly recommend purchasing the wheel manufacturer's recommended specific bolts - they guarantee safety performance and only cost around 100-200 RMB.
As someone who has modified three cars, I strongly recommend replacing the bolts when upgrading wheels. The original bolts' thread specifications and taper angles may not match the new wheels, especially when mixing Japanese and European wheel brands. Last week, while helping a friend repair his car, we discovered he used factory bolts with aftermarket wheels, resulting in the bolt heads grinding concave marks into the wheel contact surface, with metal debris falling into the bearing. The modification shop technician warned this could lead to accidents with no insurance coverage. Another critical aspect is bolt head shape - most modern aftermarket wheels use tapered head bolts, while some older models come with flat head bolts. Rather than taking risks, it's best to purchase a complete set of matching bolts and nuts from the wheel vendor, who can precisely select sizes based on ET values.
