//APEX\\ 18x8.5" and 18x9.5" direct fitment, light weight track wheels

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

I tested out the 275/35/18 Nitto NT-01 on a modified 135i today with great success!

BR Racing, a supporting vendor of 1Addicts, was kind enough to let me use their 135i for fitment testing. They will be a distributor for the wheels once they become available. They're having an open house on the 18th of October. I'll be attending their event, and I'll have the prototype wheels available for local people to check out.

Their 135i is running an AST 5300 (triple adjustable) coilover setup. It's at almost the lowest settings. They also have Vorshlag camber plates and M lower arms. The car normally runs 19x8.5" Front wheels with 225's and 19x9.5" Rear wheels with 255's. You can see there is a lot of stretch and their setup protrudes from the fenders.

The rear fenders have the insides rolled. You can see what they did in the photos below. The rear has extra camber dialed in. They said it's close to negative 3 degrees in the rear, which is causing poor tire wear. They needed to do this to clear the 45mm offset 9.5" wheels they are running. A car on coilovers at the same ride height with normal camber would have be closer to negative 2 degrees. Which would most likely result in 5-8mm less clearance from the outer fender.

There was plenty of clearance on the inside, including being about 5mm away from the sound deadening mat, and really far away from any suspension parts. With your fingers it feels like it's close to rubbing, but on the rack you can clearly see there is a lot of room inside.

We couldn't drive around on the setup, as the car had no seats in it at the time. BR Racing is currently installing a custom bolt in roll bar. I will be meeting with another local stock 135i owner to test out the front wheel, and retest the rear wheel with the 275, and we'll do a mini driving test to look for rubbing.

[arrutled]

I like their hood. ill ask the same question as i did in the other thread....does the nt-01 run wider than most street tires?

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by arrutled

I like their hood. ill ask the same question as i did in the other thread....does the nt-01 run wider than most street tires?

Yes the 275 NT-01 runs wider than the 285 NT-05

[wu2x]

I'm going to try to show up to this open event, I'm interested in these wheels. What time does it start?

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by saikelol

I'm going to try to show up to this open event, I'm interested in these wheels. What time does it start?

Here's a link to their thread http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308858


UPDATES

18x8.5" fronts and 18x9.5" rears



I tested the 275/35/18 NT-01 on a stock car today. The wheel seems to fit with no rubbing issues and no fender rolling. When you first put the wheel on, due to the full droop of the suspension, the tire rubs the rear subframe. Once the car is on the ground this is not an issue. I'm not sure how that would effect tire lift during hard cornering, as I believe the suspension would still be under compression, even though the tire starts to lift off the ground. This was a non issue on the BR Racing car as the coilovers limited suspension travel. So this is either not an issue at all, or only an issue for 100% stock cars running this much meat, which could be solved with a thin spacer and a fender roll.



We also tested the 18x8.5" et38 wheel with a 235/40/18 NT-05. This is a much taller then stock tire. And was noticeable taller then the stock rear 245/35/18. It looks very aggressive without camber plates. We drove around, did donuts, and slaloms on the street to try and get the suspension to rub, and it did not. We couldn't go out on the freeway, but it's possible this particular tire/wheel setup could rub on a stock car when going straight and hitting a significant bump in the road.

This setup is really meant to be run with some negative camber to allow for a wide tire, and to compliment the rear.



We also tested that same tire/wheel setup on the rear of the car. It doesn't rub back there with the 235/40/18. It fits just fine, we did slalom runs and donuts again with this tire, and compressed the suspension and it seems fine. a 245/35 being shorter would probably squeak by and fit back there, but tire brand dependent, it might require a little roll. This is good info for people who want to run a square tire setup front and rear



Here's a photo of the rear suspension under compression by driving the one wheel up a curb

[larryn]

By any chance, did you get any measurements on the inside to the strut measurement, up front?

Stock w/235 on it. It looks pretty close to the fender. Add (negative) camber and it's better though.

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by larryn

By any chance, did you get any measurements on the inside to the strut measurement, up front?

Stock w/235 on it. It looks pretty close to the fender. Add (negative) camber and it's better though.

there is a lot of room in the inside up front. 255 would be no issue at all. And yes negative camber would be mandatory for anything wider then posted above.

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Major GroupBuy Update!!!!

All GroupBuy Members will receive up to an ADDITIONAL $100 OFF the set if the minimum number of buyers is met! This is retroactive for all members already signed up. The GroupBuy close date is October 31st. The minimum is 10 sets (40 wheels) for each wheel fitment by the closing date to receive this discount.

Staggered sets count as two wheels towards each fitment. Example 18x8.5F/18x9.5R counts as two wheels towards the total of the 40 needed for the 8.5" wheels and two wheels towards the total of the 9.5" wheels. If only one of the fitments reaches the minimum, then members signed up for that wheel size will receive a $50 credit instead.

This is a one time only, pre-production offer. It will not be offered in the future! Now is the time to sign up. The 8.5" and 9" wheels fit multiple applications, so tell your friends and save. Everybody wins!

Thats like paying $264 for the 8.5" wheels and $289 for the 9.5" wheels. PLUS FREE SHIPPING!

[MINI135i]

Very nice update!

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by MINI135i

Very nice update!

Good time to sign up!

Originally Posted by arrutled

Thats a great deal you got going on over in the commercial section. We only need 3 more members to join to get the discount!

Staggered sets count as half a set for each size. (2 wheels towards the total of 40 needed).

It's still a great deal, as there are people signing up for the 8.5" and 9" wheel that aren't 135i owners. So it's very possible to get a $50 discount even if not enough people pick up the 1 series wheel.

This will never happen again, as this is purely a pre-production offer. Once these are in stock there will be no shipping discounts, and no other discounts of any kind.

[larryn]

Hi Eddy, What's the current ETA looking like these days?

I noticed that one of my rear runflats was corded, and do not want to replace these stock tires, as I'm getting streets on the ones you are sending.

Btw, this is a great deal, and I hope people take advantage of the savings on a wheel with the correct fitment for wide rubber.

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by larryn

Hi Eddy, What's the current ETA looking like these days?

I noticed that one of my rear runflats was corded, and do not want to replace these stock tires, as I'm getting streets on the ones you are sending.

Btw, this is a great deal, and I hope people take advantage of the savings on a wheel with the correct fitment for wide rubber.

Larry,

The factory told me to wait until the 15th before they could provide me a more accurate delivery date. It's possible the late November date will turn in to December depending on how things go with the tests. They are on round two of testing. If for any reason they had to do it a third time then it would be December for sure.

You may want to pick up the two front tires you'd be using on your ARC-8 setup, and throw them onto the rear of your stockers for now.

I can't tell you how many times I've just talked to guys at wheel and tire shops, and got them to mount up sets of tires for me in trade for one bottle of Gatorade

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

We need more people to get the $100 discount. Sign up now and more will follow. After October 31st this offer is over. If you're interested in a set, now is the only time to qualify for this discount.

[Mega Man]

They look good. Do they fit with the stock tires?

I guess a better way of asking: "Are they essentially the same size as the stock wheels?"

[arrutled]

these wheels are
18 by 8.5 et 38 front
18 by 9.5 et 62 rear

stock are:
18 by 7.5 et 49 front
18 by 8.5 et 52 rear

So the wheels are an inch larger and have different offsets.

as far as tires....stock would have a stretched look, but fit. 225/255 would be better, however 235/265 will be even better!

[arrutled]

Brracing join the group buy?

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by Mega Man

They look good. Do they fit with the stock tires?

I guess a better way of asking: "Are they essentially the same size as the stock wheels?"

I wouldn't move over the stock runflats since they would be stretched. This would look terrible, ride harsh, and probably bend a rim.

If you mount 225f 255f rear it would fit with ease and be a better wheel/tire setup.

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by arrutled

Brracing join the group buy?

None of the shops have preordered. BR will be a dealer, and will have access to them once the 18's arrive.

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

updated list:

18x8.5" wheel
1. Larryn (2)
2. arrutled (2)
3. RickPDX (2)
4. Maxime V. (2)
5. David J. (4)
6. Dale M. (2)
Total: 14/40

18x9.5" wheel
1. Larryn (2)
2. arrutled (2)
3. WAY (2)
3. RickPDX (2)
4. Maxime V. (2)
5. GotCone (2)
6. Dale M. (2)
Total: 14/40

[larryn]

Come on guys! I know it's a tough time of year to be thinking about racing wheels and wide rubber (mind out of gutter) with winter approaching in the US, but some of you luckier bastages actually maintain warmth over the next few months! Get yourself a nice Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Ramadan/Rohatsu/Festivus present! So save a boatload of cash and begin your 2010 car prep early.

These will be here very soon!


Or just air your grievances and show feats of strength in front of your matte silver aluminum Festivus pole.

[Eddy@ApexWheels]

End of the month is coming up. If you have questions ask them now, and save!

[AW135i]

Originally Posted by paintpro21

there is a lot of room in the inside up front. 255 would be no issue at all. And yes negative camber would be mandatory for anything wider then posted above.

The fitment of the 9.5 et62 rear wheel looks great. The front 8.5 et38 with 235 tires. Since you have the wheel, can you test to see how much camber is needed to tuck the top of the tire in? For stock and say 1.5 to 2.0" lowered? How is clearance with the full range of suspension travel?