TR5/TR250 Triumph TR250/6 Bolt Pattern

Are there any more or less modern cars that have a bolt pattern and offset tha matches the TR pattern. Like from the 80s or 90s or so, I heard maybe SAAB or Jaguar.

I am exploring my wheel options for my TR250, and if I could go to an interactive website and punch in a car that would help.

I know I can get Panasport style form the usual suspects, exploring my options.

Thanks, Greg

280Z Nissan comes to mind right away.

From someone who has been down this path. There are other cars with the same bolt pattern (90's Honda Accords for one) but NONE that have the proper offset. The offset is the hardest thing to find, or not find in any current wheels produced other than the panasports, mini-lites, etc.

I have a good source for some custom wheels that can be made however you want (size, bolt pattern, etc.) but they start around $450 each and will be shipped from England.

If the exchange rate weren't so bad they wouldn't be too bad (240L).

I thought that the 280Z or maybe the Turbo wheel had the same offset?

Brosky said:

I thought that the 280Z or maybe the Turbo wheel had the same offset?

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I think this is true. When I was looking for wheels I was looking for wheels that would be an upgrade. You might be able to run some of the various Z wheels, but those will either be stockers or the same selection of wheels that are already available to the TR's. Any car that has the same bolt pattern and more importantly offset as the TR's, suffer from the scarcity of different wheels, aside from the usual suspects.

Z cars are 14" standard though. I think backspace is a little deeper too, maybe ~4-1/4".

Mustang II's also. Dunno about the offset right now. I remember trial fitting some a couple of decades ago and they were darn similar to the 6's only thing is they weren't 15's, at least the ones I got my hands on.

Might want to check with tire rack or VTR or some body who has extensive experience with tires.

There are lots of options for the 90s accord, I may have to figure out offsets and whether a spacer would be an option.

Question for PeterK re wheels. I have a set of 5.5x15 Shelby slot mags I want to fit to my 3.Backspace is 3-5/8" The offset is 48mm. I am going to get an aluminum adapter plate made as the mag bolt holes are 5" apart measured across the center. I can get the adapter plate 1" to 1.3" wide. Would these adapters work on the 3 without rubbing on the fender or suspension? I will be using 205/55X15 or 205/60X15 tires. Any input appreciated. Cheers Karl

Hi Karl,

On my 3A, I run KN Minator 15x5.5" and 205/60x15 tires. Backspace is 4" measured from the backside mounting surface to the outside edge of the inner lip of the wheel.

At the rear I have to run a 1/8" spacer or the inner tires sidewall-buldge barely rub on the springs when I drive hard around a corner. The front don't use any spacer but I had to tweak the outside corner of the upper wishbones with a file, but just knock off the corner to prevent the wheel from rubbing at full lock. Both front and rear sidewall-buldges are about 1" from the fender lip. The tires never touch them.
* * * * * * *
3-5/8" is an ideal backspace for direct bolt-on wheels i.e. no spacers needed, no wishbone tweak and still off the fenders. This is for DIRECT w/o adapters.
* * * * * * *
The 3/8" backspace difference between your wheels and mine will move your tires 3/8" out closer to the fenders so that would leave 5/8" (my 1" fender clearance-3/8") before possibly fouling the fender during suspension travel.

My opinion is that, even with narrower tires and 1" adapters, you will have clearance issues. during suspension travel and steering lock. It's hard to be sure without things mounted up but looks like a problem.

Hi Peter Thanks for the info. So if I had the TR bolt pattern drilled into the mags (old bolt holes filled in or covered)then I could bolt these mags directly onto my 3 without spacers or adapters? Are you using the stock 3 lug bolts? Ever had any concerns with the wider wheels putting more stress on the hub? Did you notice an improvement in driveabilty and handling from stock? Karl

karls59tr said:

Hi Peter Thanks for the info. So if I had the TR bolt pattern drilled into the mags (old bolt holes filled in or covered)then I could bolt these mags directly onto my 3 without spacers or adapters? Are you using the stock 3 lug bolts? Ever had any concerns with the wider wheels putting more stress on the hub? Did you notice an improvement in driveabilty and handling from stock? Karl

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The adapters can be made to adapt ANY bolt pattern of the wheel to ANY bolt pattern of the car. So if you are going that route no need to fill and re-drill the wheels. Wider wheels and/or stickier tires will cause more stress on the stock hubs and have been known to cause failure of the hub when using stock size tires in a stickier/modern compound. This usually occurs during racing or auto cross.


This is on a 6 but I think it applies to a lesser extent on the other TR's. If you are going to an aggressive compound I would look at upgrading your hubs if you push the car at all.

When changing widths of wheels or going to a different set, you need to keep offset identical. When going wider it is ideal to keep the same % of the width of the wheel on each respective side of the wheel mounting face. If the stock wheels have 45% of the width on the outside of the face, you need to have the ne wwheels do the same in order to keep the loading the same on the hubs. It doesn't matter if the wheel is 10 inches wide, you would need to keep 45% of it on the outside of the wheel mounting face. You can't run a wheel that wide because it will have too much backspace. As a practical limit a 7 inch wheel is about max and what PeterK said is correct in that 3 5/8 inch back space is about the max maybe an 3 3/4 but you may run into rubbing then.

If better drive ability is all you are after that can be accomplished with a sticky compound in a tire that fits the stock wheels.

Good Luck

karls59tr said:

Hi Peter Thanks for the info. So if I had the TR bolt pattern drilled into the mags (old bolt holes filled in or covered)then I could bolt these mags directly onto my 3 without spacers or adapters? Are you using the stock 3 lug bolts? Ever had any concerns with the wider wheels putting more stress on the hub? Did you notice an improvement in driveabilty and handling from stock? Karl

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A1. I don't have any experience redrilling wheels but I would think more holes around the mounting would weaken the wheel dramatically. (I wouldn't do it.)

A2. On the TR3A, I am using stock lugs. But I use a shank-style lug nut that goes all the way through the wheel thickness to give enough thread purchase to be safe. I've hear AT LEAST 7 full turns of a lug nut is adequate. Mine thread 9-10 full turns.

A3. My wheels do not increase the center over the hub so they do not alter the stresses on the hub. If you space them out too far, I would be concerned. Also a DOT racing tire (shown in crj's photo) is very sticky and could induce more stress. For the street, I don't worry although we do autocross the car and I drive quite aggressively.

Also if you have an early 3 (-TS13045), the axles are crap and might break sitting in your garage. They have a square 4-bolt hub; after that they went to 6-bolt round which is much stronger and recommended regardless of what wheels you choose.

A4. The 205/60's are very stable and responsive at speed. Narrow tires turn easier at low speed. Biggest change in handling was rebuilding the front-end and adding the Addco bar.

https://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u44/Tr6_easyrider/CopyofPicture014.jpg
https://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u44/Tr6_easyrider/CopyofPicture010.jpg
These are from a 1981 1/2 280 ZX Turbo. 15x6 with 205/70/15
Yokohama AVID TRZ. Because they are a 1/2in wider than the stock rim, I had to trim the upper control arm. I still get
a rub of the rim when I'm at full clock in reverse. You would have to change the studs to metric so you could use the Z lug nuts or find a 7/16x 20 lug with a shank dia. of 0.74 in. which is not easy to find. And should anyone choose to use this wheel done forget to get the center cap,which is also not easy to find.The offset is the same as a stock rim.
Joe

Thanks Joe

I too was looking for different wheels for my Tr250. I'm a little tired of the Panasport and mimi lite looks. Looked for months on the Internet and any other source I could find that sold wheels. No luck. Tried to find 5 on 4 1/2 bolt patten adapters with no luck ether. Many nice looking wheels in that pattern.

One thing to keep in mind is that the Triumph Tr wheels have a 0 offset. Offset is measured from the center of the wheel to the rim. So if your wheel is 4" wide and the hub measures 2" from the rim, that's a 0 offset. If it's 1" then it's a 1" positive offset...

I see adapter plates that are being sold on web sites and Ebay to adapt new modern wheels to our cars. I must say they look absolutely terrible. Please don't do that! Although it's you car.

4 on 4 1/2 bolt patterns. Datsun, Nissan, certain Mustangs, certain Honda, Vega, Saab, There is many more but couldn't find my reference sheet.

Good luck!

Thanks, that is very helpful, but one more question, is positive offset have the mounting point closer to the inside or the outside of the wheel?

I am going to a big auto swap meet this weekend, mainly American cars, this weekend, going to make a template to match the bolt pattern and take a tape measurer, needle in a haystack I know, but gives me something to search for while I stroll through the rusted out mustangs and what not.

https://www.rims-n-tires.com/rt_specs.jsp
https://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalcold.html
Greg Here's something to play with.

TR6 wheels are actually a +12mm positive offset. I got this from the Hot TR6 website and it is also the measurments that I got as well.

Positive offset, is the face of the mounting surface is closer to the outside of the car. Most all new cars are around +40mm positive offset.

Thanks both, good stuff, I am surfing rims n tires, Greg