► APEX | ARC-8 Light Weight Track Wheels

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

APEX ARC-8 Wheels

APEX ARC-8 wheels were designed to meet the specification needs of HPDE, race, and autocross drivers, while exceeding the requirements for every day street use. This makes them the perfect cost effective, dual duty wheel.


APEX ARC-8 in Hyper Silver

Meeting the Performance Enthusiast’s requirements:

Light-weight: Flow-forming allows for a significant reduction in rotational mass by reducing barrel weight. This manufacturing technique allows the ARC-8 wheel to be almost as light as a traditional forged wheel, but without the significant increase in price.

Strength: Track duty requires a wheel that can handle the punishment of high lateral G’s, hitting berms, and every once in a while a small off track excursion. Spoke and barrel design are a major factor in wheel strength. The flow-forming technique uses high pressure disks/rollers to roll the wheel’s barrel into its final shape. This gives the barrel the same strength properties as a forged wheel, since monoblock wheels go through a similar step to form their barrels. The ARC-8's mesh design helps evenly distribute loads from the barrel to the center of the wheel. The lack of a front lip, and spokes directly connecting to the edge of the wheel, also add increased strength to the outer lip of the wheel. Although a front lip can reduce weight, it can also make the wheel much more prone to bending, and this was an important factor when developing the wheel.

Once a design is selected, it needs to be tested and certified for strength. The ARC-8 wheels were not just FEA tested in a computer simulation, or in house tested to an unregulated standard. They follow Japans JWL standard, and are 3rd party tested there by the VIA in Japan. All 18" ARC-8 wheels have a 690KG load rating.

Proper tire fitment: Stretched rubber, narrow tires, and fender rubbing are not elements to look for in a competitive wheel/tire setup. The ARC-8 wheels were designed with offsets that allow for proper fitment of extreme summer, and r-compound tires without the need for spacers or fender rolling. This means keeping the tire under the fender, and away from suspension components. Track oriented wheel widths are also important as they provide proper sidewall support under hard cornering. Too much rubber for a wheel results in excessive sidewall deflection, which translates into sloppy and delayed turning response.

Multiple fitments: Most BMW’s come with a staggered setup. Some choose to keep their car this way, while others like to switch out for an easy to rotate, square/neutral setup. This is generally based on driver’s preference in addition to costs. The E46 M3 benefits from being able to fit both square and staggered setups with relative ease. 9.5” or 10” square setups are great for budget minded enthusiasts who want to extend their tires life by rotating between events, in addition to preferring the feel of a square setup. Square setups are popular on all 3 series models for track use due to the significant increase in front grip and turn in response. Some E46 M3 owners comment that due to the extra power of their cars, a square setup will lean towards oversteer. For those who prefer more rubber in the rear, a staggered setup is the way to go. 10” and 10.5” wheels are available for rear fitment. These can be combined with 9.5” or 10” fronts for a bolt-on spacer free staggered setup.

BBK clearance: Many owners install Big Brake kits on their cars. Having an 18” wheel that can clear large calipers is a must. Due to the low offset nature of the E46 M3, there are no clearance issues with the concave spokes of the ARC-8 wheel. Barrel clearance was increased during the design phase to accommodate StopTech’s 380mm kit. The only kit that poses an issue at this time is the 380mm Brembo setup.

Meeting the needs of Daily/Street use:

Aesthetic design: Although the ARC-8 put function over form when meeting the above requirements, there is no denying that concave mesh wheels look at home on a BMW.

Paint finishes: All the wheel have a multi-coat painted finish including a full clear coat except for the Satin finish which does not have a clear (that would have made it gloss black). To give owners more options the wheels are offered in 4 different finishes. Hyper Silver, Hyper Black, Anthracite, and Satin Black. Not everyone wants their track day wheels to be grey.

Abuse of street use: The world is full of pot holes and random things to run over. APEX wheels have an excellent history of handling abuse. To date we’ve only had one wheel with a minor bend and another with a hair line crack on the inner barrel lip. Both these wheels came from the same dedicated race car, and the bent wheel is still out there racing today.

Multiple fitments: Due to the more conservative nature of street use, the ARC-8 wheel is also available in sizes that can fit more street oriented rubber, at offsets that are an easier fit. Wider more aggressive wheels can be used by those who like a more flush/filled out look. The choice is yours.

Certification: The race track has no wheel strength requirements, but the street does. Sadly the USA has very lenient/minimal regulations of wheel strength, unlike like Japan and Germany. APEX wheels are independently tested by the Vehicle Inspection Association of Japan (VIA) to the JWL standard. Wheels tested to the JWL standard require all wheels on the road to meet specific load rating requirements based on the bolt pattern, and dimensions of the wheel, the application/vehicle model has nothing to do with it. In comparison, wheels tested to the SAE standard in the USA can pick their own load rating, which can be as low as they want. This defeats the purpose of the test, as a wheel manufacturer can choose to underrate their wheels in order to reduce wheel weight. Wheels claiming JWL testing, but no 3rd party verification are prone to certifying untested/unproven wheels. VIA certification can not be done in house. It requires sending wheels/tires to japan for crush testing. Sadly a large number of vendors claim their wheels are VIA, JWL and even TUV certified, when in fact they were never tested by those organizations at all, and in some cases don't even meet the standard requirements of those tests. For this reason the certificate numbers for the ARC-8 wheels have been listed below. Self regulate the market, and ask all vendors to back up their claims. If they were tested, then they'll have the registration numbers.

Available Sizes, Weights, and Pricing:
17x8.5" ET20 - 16.50lbs - $259
17x8.5" ET40 - 17.20lbs - $249 - E36 M3 Fitment
17x9.0" ET30 - 16.50lbs - $264 - E36 M3 Fitment
17x9.0" ET42 - 17.20lbs - $259 - E36 M3 Fitment
17x9.5" ET35 - 16.95lbs - $269 - E36 M3 Fitment
17x10" ET25 - 18.45lbs - $284
17x10.5" ET27 - 18.95lbs - $299
18x8.5" ET38 - 18.45lbs - $289 - E36 M3 Fitment
18x8.5" ET45 - 18.20lbs - $289
18x9.0" ET42 - 18.65lbs - $299 - E36 M3 Fitment
18x9.5" ET62 - 18.20lbs - $314
18x9.5" ET35 - 18.85lbs - $314
18x9.5" ET22 - 19.20lbs - $314
18x10" ET25 - 19.95lbs - $324
18x10.5" ET27 - 20.45lbs - $344

Available Finishes

• Hyper Silver
• Hyper Black
• Anthracite
• Satin Black

Warranty Summary:
2 year Structural, 1 year limited finish warranty guarantees wheels will be free from defects in materials, workmanship and paint finish under normal and reasonable use.



Please click the images for a higher resolution version.

Ordering and Contact

• Phone: Call (888) 499-9135 EXT. #1 for phone orders.
• Payment: Credit and Debit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover, PayPal. Bank Wire Transfers are also available. Contact us to use a wire transfer for payment on your order.
• Tax: California customers will be charged 9.00% CA sales tax.
• Shipping: APEX ships all orders with UPS.
• APEX Hours:
  Monday thru Friday: 9AM to 6PM PST
  Saturday and Sunday: Closed
• Warehouse and local pickup: The APEX warehouse is at 7888 Marathon Drive, Unit A, Livermore, CA, 94550 (Map It), (888) 499-9135 EXT. #2. This is where you pick up local orders.

[Z3racer701]

I would love to use these rims but can't

[RobertFontaine]

I didn't like these the first time I saw them but they are growing on me. Weight/Price are compelling.

[DYL]

Those are some nice wheels, and I'm not really big on aftermarket wheels! Located near my hometown too. I feel like these would be the wheels I would get for my post-graduation, and imaginary as of now, 2nd BMW. Alas, I have just started a PhD program...

Most important question: I read about all those design considerations, but are the rims recessed from the tires to prevent road rash?

[gtsdwys]

[Z3racer701]

Give us a call if you have any questions about fitment!

It's not fitment, they'd definetly fit. It's more like class rules limit me to 8" wide rims. Now if you have a set of the e30 17x8 rims drilled for 5x120 bolt pattern and center bore for e36 then I could run them. I know, it's a limited market and not worth the hassel to you, but I'm not the only STU Road Racing BMW out there that's limited to 8" rims either.

[stefan15]

Whenever these ones are back in, I need two in anthracite
17x8.5" ET20 - 16.50lbs - $259

Love my ARC-8s. I rolled the rear fenders and it's time now for a concave fitment.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Aggressive! Thanks for sharing.

It's not fitment, they'd definetly fit. It's more like class rules limit me to 8" wide rims. Now if you have a set of the e30 17x8 rims drilled for 5x120 bolt pattern and center bore for e36 then I could run them. I know, it's a limited market and not worth the hassel to you, but I'm not the only STU Road Racing BMW out there that's limited to 8" rims either.

Unfortunately at this time we do not offer any 17x8's in 5x120, nor do we have any plans to produce such a wheel due to high production costs. The demand would be quite limited I'm afraid. If there is some solid interest amongst fellow enthusiast in your class, let us know.

Those are some nice wheels, and I'm not really big on aftermarket wheels! Located near my hometown too. I feel like these would be the wheels I would get for my post-graduation, and imaginary as of now, 2nd BMW. Alas, I have just started a PhD program...

Most important question: I read about all those design considerations, but are the rims recessed from the tires to prevent road rash?

Come by when you are ready, we would be happy to take care of you. I apologize as I may not understand your question exactly, but the concave spoke design is not to prevent curb/road rash. Also, good luck with the PhD program, that hard work will certainly pay off in the future.

Whenever these ones are back in, I need two in anthracite
17x8.5" ET20 - 16.50lbs - $259

Love my ARC-8s. I rolled the rear fenders and it's time now for a concave fitment.

Our team is always happy to hear this! Unfortunately at this time we do not have the 17x8.5 et20's in stock, its a rare fitment so stock can be quite limited.

A beautiful red e46M3 with Hyper Silver ARC-8's:



We have plenty of sizes in stock, contact us today for your new set up!

[DYL]

Haha thanks, you get brownie points for that, and keep making those wheels, because it will be a while

About my curb rash question:
Some wheels stick out past the tire on the side, meaning that they can get curb rash. I like wheels that are recessed a bit (tire sticks out past the wheel) so that doesn't happen easily (cheap insurance). So its about anything sticking out past the tire, not about the flat or concave design (I think I'm partial to the flat).

I would look for wheels that not only look good, but are recessed (like I discussed earlier), easy to clean, and don't use ridiculous tires. Funny thing is, while your design goals may be different, it looks like they might fit the bill.

[LivesNearCostco]

How would one design the bead seating area to stick out more or less for a given tire? Obviously you could make the rim lip thicker or thinner, but assuming they can't go thinner for structural reasons, I'm not quite sure how one designs a wheel that is more or less exposed to curb rash. I have seen tires (and tire fitments) that give more or less protection to the rim. Some tires have extra thickness in the outer sidewall right outside the bead to help protect the rim. Putting wider tires on would also protect the rim more though might not handle as well. And using 17" instead of 18" wheels would reduce risk of curb rash.

DYL: Can you post pictures of rims that are recessed or not recessed?

About my curb rash question:
Some wheels stick out past the tire on the side, meaning that they can get curb rash. I like wheels that are recessed a bit (tire sticks out past the wheel) so that doesn't happen easily (cheap insurance). So its about anything sticking out past the tire, not about the flat or concave design (I think I'm partial to the flat).

[DYL]

^ should probably start a new thread to discuss that

EDIT: we're thinking of the same thing. Maybe using the term "recessed" wasn't the most clear. I definitely mean some sidewall of the tire protruding to protect the rims.

[Spec3HOR]

^^ function of the tire. Tires used to have "rim protectors", I dont see much of that anymore.

[DYL]

^ Ah, so you are saying that a better question to ask is whether or not the wheels can fit tires that protect wheels, right? I don't know what the guideline is for determining that.

[bimerok]

If the tire is designed with extra rubber to protect the rim it will fit regardless of rim design. It's just a matter of finding the tire that has extra "meat" for protection.

[stefan15]

If the tire is designed with extra rubber to protect the rim it will fit regardless of rim design. It's just a matter of finding the tire that has extra "meat" for protection.

Star specs chosen with a taller aspect come to mind as far as performance-ish tires go.

Our team is always happy to hear this! Unfortunately at this time we do not have the 17x8.5 et20's in stock, its a rare fitment so stock can be quite limited.

I need to be on the notification list for these as soon as they come up again! It's definitely a weird fitment as width-wise, it's only for the E46. But those guys prefer 18s. I, for one, think 17s are great on the E36. Of course, not having them won't make me any less excited to throw my Arc-8s back on this summer. The difference in handling from OEM->APEX is unbelievable.

[BenFenner]

^^ function of the tire. Tires used to have "rim protectors", I dont see much of that anymore.

This has not been my experience. Most (all?) of the performance tire options have this. They don't seem to advertise it as much as they used to? Maybe because pretty much all of them have it now?

Got to love that rim protector.

[spidertri]

Has anyone run a 17x9 et30 on the rear of a 318ti?

I'd love to get the et30s so I don't have to run a spacer up front but I'd like a square setup to rotate at the same time. I'd use either a 255/40 or 245/40 all the way around. Suspension is TCK SA with vorshlag camber plate up front, stock trailing arms (no adjustment) in the rear.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Has anyone run a 17x9 et30 on the rear of a 318ti?

I'd love to get the et30s so I don't have to run a spacer up front but I'd like a square setup to rotate at the same time. I'd use either a 255/40 or 245/40 all the way around. Suspension is TCK SA with vorshlag camber plate up front, stock trailing arms (no adjustment) in the rear.

We haven't heard of anyone running this exact setup, but as long as the rear fenders have the same clearance as the e36 coupes, you should be able to use the 255/40/17 tire size with heavily rolled, possibly pulled fenders, and 245/40/17 tire size with rolled fenders. The 17x9.0” ET30 with a 255/40/17 will require a very heavy fender roll, and possibly a pull in some instances with extreme performance tires or R-compound tires. If you undersize with the 245/40/17 tire size, you may be able to get away with just a fender roll, but fender modification will still be required. Many people would go with a staggered setup of 17x9.0" ET30 front and 17x9.5" ET35 rear so that the fronts would not require a spacer to clear the strut, and the rear is an easier fitment due to the extra half inch of width on the 17x9.5" ET35 stretches the tire enough to provide a few millimeters of extra clearance on the e36 chassis, and this should still work on the 318ti unless the fender clearance is different.

[elbrusz]

a group buy any time soon?

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Hyper Black ARC-8's on this Imola Red E46 M3



Feel free to contact us by phone to speak with us regarding your car's fitment!

a group buy any time soon?

We actually just finished hosting a Group Buy that ended in February. The next one won't be until the new year.

[louiee]

I have 17x8.5 arc 8 with 245/40 z1 star specs and there is no "rim protection"
i would know

Also this brings up another point

do you guys have any repair kits for hyper silver?? or know of one for this color? Its not bad but i know its there

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

I have 17x8.5 arc 8 with 245/40 z1 star specs and there is no "rim protection"
i would know

Also this brings up another point

do you guys have any repair kits for hyper silver?? or know of one for this color? Its not bad but i know its there

We do not offer any repair kits or know of any products that are available that matches the Hyper Silver. However, we do know that some wheel repair shops are able to match the color spot on, and that has been an option for many of our customers when facing a wheel being cosmetically damaged.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

A very aggressive setup on this e36 M3, call us if you're interested in doing the same setup:


18x9.5" ET35 Hyper Silver ARC-8's square with 245/35/18 tires.

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

Satin Black ARC-8s in 18x9.5" ET35 on this VR Performance's e46 M3:



Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions!

[Eddy@ApexRaceParts]

ARC-8's are in stock for your E9X M3! These wheels look great on the street and hold up amazingly well on the track. We have multiple fitments and finishes in stock now.



Please call, email, or pm us with any questions you may have.