What is a wobble bolt and how does it work?

A wobble bolt (or variable PCD bolt) has a loose, self-aligning conical collar (sliding cone). This allows the bolt to bridge a small difference in bolt pattern (PCD) between the vehicle hub and the wheel, up to a maximum of 2mm.

Are centering rings mandatory when using wobble bolts?

Yes, absolutely! When using wobble bolts, centering rings are STRICTLY mandatory. The centering ring carries the weight and radial forces of the vehicle on the hub, while the wobble bolts only provide axial clamping.

How should wobble bolts be installed?

Wobble bolts must always be tightened by hand and in a criss-cross pattern (step by step). The use of an electric or pneumatic impact wrench is strictly prohibited to prevent damage to the thread and wheel.

Wobble Bolts

Wobble Bolts & Sliding Nuts (PCD Offset Correction)

Have you found a beautiful set of wheels with a bolt pattern that differs by just 2mm from your car (for example 5x114.3 on a 5x112 car)? Wobble bolts and sliding nuts allow you to fit these wheels safely, without vibrations and in a TÜV-compliant way.

How Do Wobble Bolts & Sliding Nuts Work?
A wobble bolt has a loose, self-aligning conical collar (sliding cone / variable collar). When you tighten the bolt, the collar automatically finds the exact centre of the bolt hole in the wheel, while the thread is turned straight into the hub. This allows you to bridge a bolt pattern difference of up to 2mm without stressing the thread. At Wheels 'N Customs you will find all common thread pitches (M12x1.25, M12x1.5, M14x1.25 and M14x1.5) available from stock.

Wobble bolt with loose self-aligning conical collar Wheels N Customs

Anatomy of a Wobble Bolt

In the image above you can see the loose, self-aligning conical collar of our high-quality wobble bolt. Thanks to the play on the collar, the bolt centres itself effortlessly in the wheel’s bolt hole, while the tensile strength of the bolt (class 10.9) remains 100% intact.

1. Compare: Standard Wheel Bolts vs. Wobble Bolts

View the technical differences and applications:

Feature	Standard Wheel Bolt	Wobble Bolt
Collar Type	Fixed conical (60°) or ball seat collar	Loose self-aligning conical collar
Max. PCD Offset	0 mm (Exact matching PCD required)	Up to a maximum of 2 mm offset
Centering Rings Required?	Recommended with non-matching hub	STRICTLY MANDATORY (100% Necessary)
Tightening Torque (Nm)	Standard manufacturer spec (110-140 Nm)	Standard manufacturer spec (110-140 Nm)
APK & Safety	Approved	Approved provided centering rings are used

2. Common PCD Conversion Combinations

5x112 Car to 5x114.3 Wheel

Fit Japanese or American wheels (5x114.3) on your Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, BMW (G-series) or Mercedes (5x112) with M14x1.5 wobble bolts.

5x110 Car to 5x112 Wheel

Install popular VAG/Mercedes wheels (5x112) on your Opel, Saab or Alfa Romeo (5x110) with M12x1.5 or M14x1.5 wobble bolts.

5x98 Car to 5x100 Wheel

Fit 5x100 wheels (e.g. VW Golf 4, Polo, Subaru) on your Alfa Romeo or Fiat with a 5x98 bolt pattern using M12x1.25 wobble bolts.

4x98 Car to 4x100 Wheel

Fit popular 4x100 wheels on a Fiat, Alfa Romeo or Lancia (4x98 bolt pattern) with M12x1.25 wobble bolts.

? STRICTLY MANDATORY: Centering Rings with Wobble Bolts!

When using wobble bolts, the centre bore in the middle of the wheel carries the full weight and radial forces of the car. The use of perfectly fitting centering rings is absolutely mandatory with wobble bolts! Without centering rings, the wheel balances on the wobble bolts, which leads to dangerous situations and severe vibrations at speeds above 80 km/h.

? Binding Installation Instructions & Liability Disclaimer

To allow the self-aligning conical collar of the wobble bolt to centre correctly and to prevent damage to the hub thread, the installation instructions below must be followed strictly:

Hand Installation Only: Tighten all wobble bolts fully by hand and tighten in stages. The use of a pneumatic or electric impact wrench is strictly prohibited throughout the entire installation process.
Criss-cross & Gradual Tightening: Tighten the bolts in a criss-cross (diagonal) pattern and in several equal steps. This gives the sliding cone the space needed to position itself exactly at the centre of the wheel opening without binding.
Final Torque: Tighten to the specified tightening torque (Nm) only in the final stage with a calibrated hand torque wrench.
Exclusion of Warranty & Liability: Damage to threads, wheel or hub, as well as vibrations or consequential damage resulting from ignoring this manual criss-cross procedure or using an impact wrench, is expressly excluded from warranty and lies entirely outside the liability of Wheels 'N Customs.

3. Which Size Wobble Bolt / Sliding Nut Do You Need?

Check the thread and pitch of your vehicle hub in the table below:

Thread & Pitch	Applicable Car Brands (Indicative)	Available Lengths
M12 x 1.25	Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Citroën, Peugeot	Standard (28mm) / Extended
M12 x 1.50	BMW (E-series), Opel, Renault, Seat, VW (older models)	Standard (28mm) / Extended
M14 x 1.25	BMW (F-series, G-series), MINI (F-series)	Standard (28mm - 33mm)
M14 x 1.50	Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo (newer)	Standard (28mm - 33mm)
M12 / M14 Sliding Nuts	Ford, Volvo, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan (with wheel studs)	Open & Closed nuts

4. Frequently Asked Questions about Wobble Bolts

Can I bridge a larger PCD difference than 2mm with wobble bolts?

No. Wobble bolts are designed solely for a maximum PCD offset of 2mm (e.g. from 112 to 114.3mm or from 110 to 112mm). Do you want to bridge a larger difference (for example from 5x100 to 5x112)? Then you need physical spacers with a PCD adapter system.

Are wobble bolts allowed for the APK inspection?

Yes, the use of wobble bolts is allowed in the Netherlands and Belgium for the APK and vehicle inspection, provided the wheels are properly secured with the correct thread engagement and suitable centering rings are used.

What tightening torque (Nm) should I use for wobble bolts?

Tighten wobble bolts to exactly the same torque as standard wheel bolts. This is usually between 110 Nm and 120 Nm for M12 bolts, and between 130 Nm and 140 Nm for M14 bolts. Always use a calibrated hand torque wrench!

Max 2mm Correction Safely fit wheels with differing PCD

Direct From Stock All M12 & M14 sizes available

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Order Wobble Bolts or Sliding Nuts?

Unsure which thread size or length of wobble bolts you need for your car and wheel combination? Feel free to contact the experts at Wheels 'N Customs!

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