Newbie Question-What is the deal with 5 lug versus 6 lug

[ubtripn]

Sorry for such a basic question but after reading a ton of posts it has become apparent that many members seem to prefer 6 lug wheels over 5 lug or maybe it is the reverse. Why is this? Does one offer substantial benefits over the other?

[Shyguy]

A lot of people like the 5 bolt pattern better than the 6 bolt pattern because for a couple of reasons: There are more wheels available for the 5 bolt pattern. It is cheaper to convert to disc brakes on '70 and earlier trucks by going to the 5 bolt pattern than the 6 bolt pattern.

Danny

[GASoline71]

The 71 and 72's have the 5 lug pattern and already have the disc brakes.

Gary

[Shyguy]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

The 71 and 72's have the 5 lug pattern and already have the disc brakes.

Gary

Good point.

Danny

[tcb-1]

and there are WAY more choices in 5 lug than 6.


but 6 nuts makes you cooler, though

[Mike J]

I agree. I went to disc up front, but kept my 6-lugs.

[ubtripn]

Cool, thanks for the info!

[panhandler62]

I'm partial to 8 myself.

[Bears63]

I'm with panhandler.... 8 is the way to go

[mclairmo]

Most like the looks of the 5 lug better, too. Not sure why, maybe it's the way the human brain works. For example, a 5 lug Torque Thrust wheel (with 5 spokes, too) looks way better than a 6 lug (with 6 spokes). However, bear in mind that 6 lugs (or more) make the entire wheel/hub assembly stronger and better for carrying heavier loads.

[crakarjax]

Has anyone seen properly torqued 5-lugs break due to load stress?

[GASoline71]

Nope...

Gary

[Legolas894]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

Has anyone seen properly torqued 5-lugs break due to load stress?

I've seen four of five break on my Astro Van about 1 month ago. The fifth broke in the driveway.

My wife noticed the van was riding "funny" a block from the house and turned around and got it home with only 1 lug left. Very scary. Still don't know what caused it since all the other wheels were tight. Re-did the wheel studs on both front wheels just in case (really easy on the Chev Astro).

[Longhorn Man]

anotherr real good reasson IMO to go with 5 lug when converting is ease of obtaining the rotors.
It is nieve to think you will never need new rotors, and since there is (most likely) only one company making these old school hub intrageted 6 lug rotors, what happens when you are on a road trip and need a replacement... you'll never find them at a parts store or at the napa warehouse... but they'll have the 5 lug ones, and for 1/2 the price. I also always fear companies like that going out of buisness... then you'd have to do swap over to 5 lug later on, new wheels and all.

[panhandler62]

I *would* go one way or the other ... go to 5 lugs if you have 6 or keep 8s if you have them.

Things do get funny though ... my front running gear is off an 84 Chevy C-20 and my rear running gear is for the front of a 75 K-20. The parking brake is the rear brake off a 95 Honda cruiser. lol

[ubtripn]

Thanks guys, all really good points.

[TonyJohnson]

If you go 5 lug, you'll have nut envy...

lol

[CB24]

I want to go with a car 5 lug vs the truck 5 x 5. Is that possible?

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

Has anyone seen properly torqued 5-lugs break due to load stress?

No, partially due to the fact that they are 1/2 inch rather than 7/16 on the six lug trucks.
The only ones I ever saw broken were from someone going too hard on the air wrench, cross threading the nut and putting way too much force on the lug wrench trying to tighten it or in one cast the owner didn't know his own strength and broke the bolt off when he tightened it with a long handled breaker bar. I got to replace the bolts each time in the shop I worked in at the time. The same guy who just did his own brake job couldn't figure out how to change the broken stud himself. Also the same one who used the breaker bar.

On a rig with properly torqued wheels (that have never been over torqued before) with five lug wheels the tires will probably give out before the lug bolts break. But all bets are off if O'L Bubba down at the truck stop got ahold of it with his heavy duty impact wrench.

[Sublvr72]

Originally Posted by Shyguy

A lot of people like the 5 bolt pattern better than the 6 bolt pattern because for a couple of reasons: There are more wheels available for the 5 bolt pattern.
Danny

I'm going to have to disagree on this statement. Since GM went back to 6 lug as of 1999 there are TONS of wheels available in this bolt pattern. If anything there are more 6 lug wheel patterns available now than there are 5x5. Keep in mind 5x5 has been obsolete since 1999. Caprices are dead as of 1996, astros were converted to 6x5.5, and the silverados were converted over as well.

[ubtripn]

I guess the real question then becomes, "Why did they go back to 6?" I'm assuming because of strength, if so then that is good enough for me. =)

[Sublvr72]

Originally Posted by ubtripn

I guess the real question then becomes, "Why did they go back to 6?" I'm assuming because of strength, if so then that is good enough for me. =)

My guess is because of the larger spindle design they came up with. The are now using a two piece spindle where the hub comes off the steering knuckle. In addition to that they increased the size of the rotors and went with the 6 lug. Having the extra lug provides a little more strength when bolting the wheel to the hub assembly, but for your application that doesn't make too big of a difference. In the end it will come down to personal preference. As others have stated, the 6 lug rotors have to be made and they are not an over the counter parts item from you local parts store. But keep in mind that rotors are not a frequently changed item so that might not be a deal breaker.

[Longhorn Man]

most of the 6 lug wheels in the aftermarket have a hub hole that is too small, and then the back spacing isn't right for the way old trucks are set up too.

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

most of the 6 lug wheels in the aftermarket have a hub hole that is too small, and then the back spacing isn't right for the way old trucks are set up too.

I agree, newer 6 lug rims will usually NOT fit due to center bore being too small. Ask me how I know. The only late model rims that fit are the ones that many late model Toyota 4x4 guys run from the aftermarket, maybe also late model Toyota FJ rims. My pops has a 93 Toyota 4x4 6 lug truck and any aftermarket rims for that truck will also fit my 6 lug 68C-10.

[ubtripn]

Well - then I am going to do something I should have done more of when I was younger - learn from the experience and wisdom of others. That is the point of joining this group anyway, to minimize the number of things I end up learning the hard way. 5 lug here I come! thx