Dodge Charger Wheel Lugs
If you have decided to change the wheels on your Dodge Charger, you may want to get new lug nuts, too. There are a wide variety of styles available, from factory replacements to eye-catching colors. Whether your car is vintage or late-model, you can find lug nuts to fit its personality.
What are wheel lugs on a Dodge Charger?Wheel lugs are the lug nuts that attach the wheels to the car. They have two purposes. The first is simply to hold the wheel on. The second is to hold the wheel in the proper position for normal functioning. The lug nuts fasten over the lug bolts, or wheel studs, on the car.
What is the bolt pattern of a Dodge Charger?The bolt pattern is a set of numbers that includes the number of lug nuts on each wheel and the size of the circle they form when installed. The bolt pattern of your Charger will depend on the year of its manufacture. Models since 2006 have a 5x115 pattern. Earlier models may be expressed in standard terms, as 5x4.5, or metric terms, as 5x114.3.
The first number is the number of lug nuts, so Dodge Chargers have five nuts on each wheel. Depending on the model year, these lug nuts will form a circle that is 114.3 or 115 millimeters in diameter. In standard measurement, 114.3 millimeters is 4.5 inches.
How do you choose lug nuts for a Dodge Charger?There are five dimensions that will determine which lug nuts you choose. If you install lug nuts that are different from the Dodge factory specs, be sure to keep one set of the old parts for the spare tire.
Thread size: This is the diameter of the wheel studs from the outside edges of the threads. The wheel lug nuts must have the same thread size as the studs. Dodge Chargers typically have a thread size of 14 millimeters.
Thread pitch: This can be expressed in standard form as threads per inch or in metric form as the distance between the threads in millimeters. The thread pitch for Chargers is typically 1.5 millimeters.
Seat type: The seat type is the shape of the end of the lug nut that tightens against the wheel. Dodge Chargers typically use nuts with a cone seat on a shank. The conical end has a 60-degree taper.
Length: The length of the lug nut is one of the dimensions that can vary. If your wheels have covers or hubcaps that cover the lug nuts, you will need “short” or “under-hub” lug nuts. Otherwise, you can choose longer lug nuts or specialty models, like spiked lugs. One absolute is that the nuts must be long enough that you can screw them onto the wheel studs a distance at least equal to the diameter of the studs.
Finish and color: You can choose any finish and color that you like, to match your wheels or the color of your car. Polished steel, chrome, and black lug nuts are classic. For something more flashy, you can choose gold, red, purple, or blue.