Wheels - 4 Lug vs 5 Lug

[75-914]

So - why do I see so many 914's have changed from a 4 to 5 lug wheel, rather than staying as designed... like I have.
(Ok... I can be a cheap bastard, too).


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[Optimusglen]

usually it's because of either performance (911 brakes) wheel choice (iconic Fuchs) or because it's a 6 and came 5-lug from the start.

Personally, I think there are very few good looking 4-lug options for our cars. I'm a fan of ATS classics, and steelies, but everything else is on a varying scle of no-goodness. Personal opinion of course.

I swapped to 5-lug purely to run Fuchs.

[Tobra]

Primarily for broader choices of wheels, I think. I like the 4 lug stock alloy wheels myself. Fuchs, Pedrini or Mahle all look good to me. It sort of limits you on tire sizes with that 5.5" wide wheel.

[75-914]

I have 4 lug fuchs... just haven't got 'em on yet.. need to recondition


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[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Personal choice, mostly.

Some people like the larger brakes that come "for free" with the conversion of the front to five-lug.

Some people just like the looks of some five-lug wheels.

Some people want more choices than the same old set of four-lug wheels.

Some people need wider wheels than the 5.5" of most of the available four-lug wheels.

Some people want to more firmly identify their car as PORSCHE, so they choose an iconic (five-lug) wheel.

--DD

[nine11speedster]

+1 for options on tires and wheel sizes.
5 lugs just offers you more choices, hence many 5 lugs also have the wider fender conversion done.

[larrym]

all above are relevant

- imho sometime back in the late-'70s - early '80s when the Feds essentially outlawed performance in the name of emissions control, the car-guy market needed something to distinguish one car from another and attract girls at local cruises & the cafe-racer events

since Lakes Pipes & blowers stuck thru the hood were "out", suddenly it was all about WHEELS (and underbody lighting) - and maybe lowriders; that has now transitioned to more graphics (i.e. wraps) - there is something of a "barrio effect" here

if you hunt for wheel interchange charts online, you'll see a B'zillion different lug patterns - it's got little to do with "racing durability or prowess"

- it's kind'a like tractor implements - once you own a certain mfgr brand, you HAVE TO buy only their stuff that fits

nothing at all wrong with 4-lugs on a 914, you can race the hell out of 'em with nary a worry;

i agree that the Fuchs 914 is a really great LOOK - had, b'ot & sold many sets before i got out of the 914-4 biz - personally i would not own a 914-4 w/o 'em

Originally Posted by 75-914

So - why do I see so many 914's have changed from a 4 to 5 lug wheel, rather than staying as designed...

[Ed_Turbo]

Originally Posted by 75-914

So - why do I see so many 914's have changed from a 4 to 5 lug wheel, rather than staying as designed... like I have.
(Ok... I can be a cheap bastard, too).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

For the most part more options on wheels. 4-lugs are very basic when it comes to wheels and basically some of the Porsche purists that I talk to (I am a PCA member) the VW 4-cylinder are not "true" Porsche's.


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[Tobra]

Those are people that never drove one, for the most part.

Porsche roots are lightweight, 4 cylinder cars based on VW motors

[racer]

Simply trying to eliminate the stigma of "low cost"

[donporfi]

How do you do a 4 to 5 lug conversion ?

What parts are needed ?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Pelican Technical Article: 914 Five Bolt Pattern Conversion Guide

[donporfi]

Dave,
Thanks .

[mepstein]

Wheel and brake choices. Also bigger cv's and brake rotors.