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Bolt Pattern Is Not a Cap Size — PCD, Hub Bore and Cap Diameter, Untangled
Wheel fitment throws three measurements at you that all sound alike. Bolt pattern (PCD) — written like 5×114.3 — is the count and spacing of the lug holes. Hub center bore is the hole in the wheel that centers it on the hub. Cap diameter is the size of the disc that snaps into the wheel's face. Only the third one orders a center cap.
The reference numbers, in their places
| Vehicle | Hub bore | Bolt pattern | Cap story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 2004+ | 87.1 mm | 6×135 | 3″ snap-in or 180 mm lug-cover, by generation/wheel |
| Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 1999+ | 78.1 mm | 6×139.7 | 83 mm cap family |
| Jeep Wrangler / Grand Cherokee (5x127) | 71.5–71.6 mm | 5×127 | 63–64 mm cap family |
| Honda Civic Sedan 2006+ | 64.1 mm | 5×114.3 | 69 mm 44732-family cap |
| BMW 3 Series | 72.6 mm | 5×120 | 57 or 68 mm cap, by wheel |
| Mercedes-Benz C/E-Class | 66.6 mm | 5×112 | 74 mm OE cap |
Read the table's lesson: no row's bore equals its cap size, and no bolt pattern predicts one either. The bore belongs to the wheel-to-hub interface; the cap belongs to the wheel's face recess. Sellers who quote a bore as a cap size — it happens constantly — are selling you a return.
When the bore does matter
If your cap is lost, the wheel opening you measure is related to the bore region, and hub-centric rings (a different part entirely — see our rings vs caps explainer) are sized by bore. But for ordering the cap itself: part number first, caliper second, and PCD never.
Next steps
Run your numbers through the Cap Finder, or re-check them with the How to Measure walkthrough before you order.
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Related guides
- Center Bore vs Center Cap Diameter — the #1 Fitment Mistake
- Hub-Centric Rings vs Center Caps
- The full Fitment Guide
Sources: hub bore and bolt pattern reference data per our research notes (nupi.nl wheel guide; hubcentric-rings.com; Enkei wheel catalog; opplehouse fitment guide). Cap families per brand research. Verify by measuring.