Aftermarket wheels may not have the exact hub diameter for a specific car model. They have a slightly larger hub diameter so that the wheel can fit multiple car brands and models. This is where wobble bolts come in handy.
But are wobble bolts safe? Yes, wobble bolts are safe as long as you install them properly and keep the limitations in mind. The safety of wobble bolts also depends on other factors like wheel specifications, bolt quality, maintenance, etc.
I will explain what wobble bolts are and if they are safe to use. You will also learn about the advantages and disadvantages of wobble bolts. Let’s get into more detail.

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What Are Wobble Bolts?
Wobble Bolt isn’t the formal name. These are actually PCD conversion bolts, PCD variation bolts, or PCD adapters. PCD stands for Pitch Circle Diameter.
The name wobble bolt comes from the design of these bolts that allow the wobbling of the washer. These bolts are used to install wheels where the wheel isn’t fully compatible with the vehicle’s specifications.
Are Wobble Bolts Safe?
You need to consider various factors to determine if these bolts are safe. Let me clarify the logic.
1. Wheel and Hub Specifications
Not all wobble bolts are safe for all wheels. You need to understand that wobble bolts can cover a gap of a maximum of 2.5mm. So, if you are using wobble bolts with 100 PCD wheels and 98 PCD hubs, it should be safe.
114.3 PCD wheels to 112 PCD hubs should also be safe because the gap is low. But if you use 114.3 PCD wheels to 98 PCD hubs, wobble bolts won’t be safe. There will be a knocking sound from the wheels. So, if you get a knocking noise when coasting, check the wobble bolts.
2. Nut Configurations
Focusing on nut configurations is also important because it ensures the proper load rating of the vehicle. For example, if a vehicle has a 5 x 100 PCD hub, you can’t use 4 x 114.3 wheels in it. The required number of bolt holes on the hub is five, and the wheel has only four-bolt wheels.
So the wheel won’t be tightly clamped to the hub. In this case, wobble bolts won’t be safe. They should only be used when the nut configurations on the wheel and the hub match.
3. Load Rating
If you have a passenger car, it may have a lower load rating. Using wobble bolts in these cars can be safe because the bolts don’t need to withstand extreme force.
But if you use wobble bolts in a commercial cargo vehicle, that can be unsafe. This is because cargo vehicles need to have a higher load rating. Wobble bolts may cover the gap between the wheel and the hub, but that will not be enough to meet the load rating.
4. Bolt Quality
The bolt you are using should be of high quality to maintain a safe driving condition. I suggest using the OTIS LA PCD variation bolts for better safety.
The above discussion clearly shows that there is no concrete answer to the question, are wobble bolts safe? The safety of wobble bolts depends on multiple factors. When used in the right configuration and installed properly, wobble bolts are safe.
What Are Wobble Bolts Used For?
To understand the working principle of wobble bolts or PCD variation bolts, you need to know how wheels are attached to the car. The wheels are clamped to the hub using lug nuts or lug bolts. These bolts are tightened using a torque wrench to meet the OEM specifications.
Using bolts with the right thread is important here. You might have heard of torque converter bolts. Many people ask, are torque converter bolts reverse thread? No, they’re not. They have clockwise threads.
The positioning of the wheel is divided into two categories. They are hub-centric and lug-centric.
Hub-Centric
As the OEM wheels are designed to meet the axle specifications, they have a center bore that exactly matches the axle diameter. As the centering of the wheel is determined by the hub, this type of positioning is called hub-centric.
Lug-Centric
As the name suggests, lug nuts or bolts determine the wheel centering here. This happens with aftermarket wheels. As their center bore isn’t exactly the same as the axle diameter, they have some wobbling space. Lug nuts ensure the correct positioning of the wheels, so this is called lug-centric.
How Do Wobble Bolts Work?
Typical lug nuts have two tapering types, such as the cone seat and ball seat. These are just tapered areas below the flange. The conical or spherical shape of the seats fits into the conical or spherical hole of the hub.
As a result, the wheels are clamped firmly to the hub. But what if the PCD of the hub and the wheel don’t match? For example, I have a 98 PCD hub and want to install a 100 PCD alloy wheel. In this case, there will be a gap between the lug bolt and the hub.
This is why PCD variation bolts or wobble bolts are used. The tapered area of these bolts has a detachable washer. With this moving washer, the bolts can easily fit into a larger PCD hub. M12 or M14 lug bolts are used in most vehicles.
What Are the Advantages of Wobble Bolts?
Wobble bolts provide multiple advantages, and I am listing some of them below.
- You can use aftermarket wheels to enhance the look and performance of your car using wobble bolts. Using different bolt patterns is also possible.
- Doing an OEM wheel replacement can be pretty expensive. In that case, you can purchase aftermarket wheels and make them fit your car with inexpensive wobble bolts.
- As long as you know the basic wheel installation process with the wobble bolt mechanism, you can easily replace the wheels yourself.
- You can remove the wobble bolts anytime to go back to the OEM wheels.
- Wheel and hub compatibility increases due to wobble bolts.
What Are the Disadvantages of Wobble Bolts?
Besides offering versatility, wobble bolts or PCD variation bolts have some disadvantages. Here is a quick list.
- The structural integrity of the wheel-hub joint can be hampered by wobble bolts if they aren’t installed correctly.
- Wobble bolts decrease the load capacity, which can be risky for vehicles with a higher load rating.
- There is no universal wobble bolt size for all wheel-hub configurations. So, you need to find the right bolt.
- If wobble bolts aren’t installed correctly, the wheels may vibrate and create unwanted noise.
Conclusion
The term wobble bolts sounds scary. I bet you thought it to be some kind of bolt that wobbles. But they are just lug bolts with a movable washer. The movable washer ensures the bolt keeps the wheel tightly clamped to the hub. Still, many car owners are concerned about its safety and ask, are wobble bolts safe?
I have discussed the working mechanism of wobble bolts in detail. This should help you understand how safe wobble bolts are. You have also learned the reasons why wobble bolts can be safe or unsafe. So, I leave it to your discretion to use wobble bolts safely.
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