Benefits of 4 lug to 5 lug conversion

[subsonic]

Can anyone tell me if there is any benefit to converting a older 4 lug set up to a 5 lug setup?  Besides different rims, what if any are the pluses?

[TedV]

1)if you loose a lug nut you still have 4 holding the wheel on.
2) you get to run all those VR6 and Porsche rims you've been drooling over.  oops you already mentioned that.
3) You get to impress people that know you spent the time and money to convert to 5 lugs.
4) You get to put on the 13" brake rotor kit that only comes in 5 lugs.
5) You have 4 extra nuts total to turn when doing anything that requires removal of the wheel.  Everybody loves to turn wrenches.


uumm, yeah I don't get it either.  There is plenty of other stuff that will make the car faster or look better to spend the $$ on

[stewardc]

You can run 5-lug rims instead of 4-lug rims. :roll:

[Op-Ivy]

Yea that's pretty much the only reason. There is more wheel selection with 5 lug because there are more cars with 5's than 4's.

Unless you got a smoking deal on some 5 lug wheels or there is a specific set you really want to get, I wouldn't bother.

[Ziptar]

4x100 4 Evah!!

[subsonic]

Thats wicked cool hun! :lol:

[DCC]

I see no real benefit (but the possibility to use a wider variety of rims), but, if you're willing to do that 5 lug change, maybe you could fit all the mk3 drivetrain stuff.

A friend of mine is about to swap a 1.8T into a mk2, and installed the drivetrain from a GTI mk3. Vw calls that drivetrain 'plus'. Mk2 and mk3 (non gti, vr6) have the 'bass' drivetrain. The interesting part here, though, is that the plus drivetrain has a wider wheel track (2 inches), and different caster. He's been driving it for a while (still with the 8v engine in it) and says it drives great.