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      04-27-2014, 03:15 PM   #1
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Apex EC-7/Toyo R888 Review

Gents,
I've had a few weeks of driving on my new set of wheels and thought I would share my experiences.

Wheels: Apex EC-7 18x10 Square Set-up in Anthracite
Tires: Toyo R888 275/35/18 All Around
Suspension: KW Clubsport
Spacers: 8mm front, 5mm rear
Brakes: Stoptech ST-60/40
Stud Conversion from Apex
Tire Lettering Kit from Tredwearletters

I dealt with Apex and Toyo directly for both purchases and couldn't have been more pleased with the customer service I received! Apex fielded several questions from me when I was dialing in my suspension and provided valuable insight and information on suspension geometry!

Trying to fit 275's under the front fender takes a little finesse and a specialty 8mm spacer from VAC motorsports to clear the coilover spring on the interior of the well. I also had to add about 1.5 degrees of negative camber to tuck them under the fender. I added 5mm spacers to the rear just to get a nice flush look, not out of necessity like in the front.

Even though I'm reviewing the wheels, the total package is what makes this car so great, all the parts have really come together for an extremely effective and functional performance. I thought I knew what the term 'it handles like it's on rails' meant but I really didn't until now!

The steering wheel is heavy and doesn't try to settle back to a strait line hardly at all now. I can feel the car carve into corners through the wheel and the increased responsiveness from the dramatically improved grip over the stock tires. The street tires felt a little loose with the Clubsports, constantly struggling for traction but they highly compliment the increased grip of the R-compound tires. Body roll is non-existient and the car aggressively holds traction through corners, slamming me around in the seat!

The acceleration has improved as well, the lowered rotational mass has helped with making the car feel quicker when running through the gears…although that could be placebo from the even more noticeable increased grip from the tires. The Shift from first to second feels like a sling shot as the wheels hook perfectly now instead of chirping and momentarily loosing traction.

Over-all I'm highly pleased with these wheels, not only for the functionality but for the very reasonable price. These are great for street and track (be careful with the R888s in the rain though) and they look great too!

Here are a few photos from a recent shoot I did with Sincity_Crook, Enjoy!





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Last edited by Curt2000; 04-29-2014 at 02:27 PM..
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      04-27-2014, 03:29 PM   #2
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looks amazing sir!!!!!!!!!!love my apex/NTO1 !!!!!!!!!!
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      04-27-2014, 06:15 PM   #3
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Incredible.. Love your car!
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      04-27-2014, 07:50 PM   #4
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Nice. Is your wheel making any contact with the hub when using an 8mm spacer? You must now be lug centric vs hubcentric. I wouldn't like that compromise. See my thread about swapping to shorter springs in order to fit a wheel with the same specs. You would need to raise your front ride height slightly but that would be a great option to allow you to eliminate the spacers and have a proper hub-centric install.
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      04-28-2014, 02:59 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sebringjetta View Post
looks amazing sir!!!!!!!!!!love my apex/NTO1 !!!!!!!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by JTO24 View Post
Incredible.. Love your car!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by slicer View Post
Nice. Is your wheel making any contact with the hub when using an 8mm spacer? You must now be lug centric vs hubcentric. I wouldn't like that compromise. See my thread about swapping to shorter springs in order to fit a wheel with the same specs. You would need to raise your front ride height slightly but that would be a great option to allow you to eliminate the spacers and have a proper hub-centric install.
No hub contact, just the studs in the front. I'll check out your thread before my next track day!
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      04-28-2014, 04:30 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Curt2000 View Post

No hub contact, just the studs in the front. I'll check out your thread before my next track day!
In your OP you stated you used VAC's 8 mm spacer with hub extender ("specialty spacer"):

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/whee...r-kits-c9.aspx

If the hub extender was installed then your wheels are still mounted hub-centric - did you install the Alum hub spacer?

On my e46 M3 track car I used Turner's 8-10 mm spacers with their hub spacers (I don't think they make them for the e9x M3) - never had an issue and, although it required mechanical persuasion (slight interference fit), they could be removed to replace F wheel bearings.
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      04-28-2014, 11:23 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3SQRD View Post
In your OP you stated you used VAC's 8 mm spacer with hub extender ("specialty spacer"):

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/whee...r-kits-c9.aspx

If the hub extender was installed then your wheels are still mounted hub-centric - did you install the Alum hub spacer?

On my e46 M3 track car I used Turner's 8-10 mm spacers with their hub spacers (I don't think they make them for the e9x M3) - never had an issue and, although it required mechanical persuasion (slight interference fit), they could be removed to replace F wheel bearings.
I don't think hub extenders work with the e9x hub. I don't think he used one (nowhere in his post did he say that he did) and he stated that the wheels were hub-centric in the post above.
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      04-28-2014, 07:35 PM   #8
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How are the r888s in the rain....are they fine if you take it easy?
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      04-28-2014, 08:26 PM   #9
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God Dam your car Dope!
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      04-28-2014, 09:13 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slicer View Post
Nice. Is your wheel making any contact with the hub when using an 8mm spacer? You must now be lug centric vs hubcentric. I wouldn't like that compromise. See my thread about swapping to shorter springs in order to fit a wheel with the same specs. You would need to raise your front ride height slightly but that would be a great option to allow you to eliminate the spacers and have a proper hub-centric install.
He's actually nothing now right?? IMO not very safe as these lugs/stud setups are not all designed to be lug centric
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      04-28-2014, 10:36 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leigh View Post
How are the r888s in the rain....are they fine if you take it easy?
R888's are used as rain tires for many. They are great in the rain except when there's standing water. I've run R888's and I've personally found them not much grippier than AD08's to be honest. For the amount of life they have, I'd rather stick with AD08's and run Hankook TD's if I want a sticky street-able R Comp (Though I only drive them to and from the track on the street).

Car looks really good, OP.
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      04-28-2014, 10:45 PM   #12
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Nice setup! I'd personally lose the lettering. I agree about the grip, these tires deliver in terms of grip.

I got away with using a 5 mm spacer in front. Although i get slight vibrations on certain roads, most of the time there is no vibration on the steering wheel, but sometimes there is. It is totally road dependant and I believe due to not being hub centric.

Will these work for us?? http://store.vacmotorsports.com/vac-...ers-p2191.aspx


I got 295 in the rear and they fit perfectly on 11 inch rim.

Fronts rub at full lock, but nothing too bad. Do yours?

Here is my setup http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=972012
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      04-29-2014, 01:40 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3SQRD View Post
In your OP you stated you used VAC's 8 mm spacer with hub extender ("specialty spacer"):

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/whee...r-kits-c9.aspx

If the hub extender was installed then your wheels are still mounted hub-centric - did you install the Alum hub spacer?

On my e46 M3 track car I used Turner's 8-10 mm spacers with their hub spacers (I don't think they make them for the e9x M3) - never had an issue and, although it required mechanical persuasion (slight interference fit), they could be removed to replace F wheel bearings.
I read up on the turner spacers and the E9X was not listed as a compatible model in their spacer 7.5mm description. I needed 7-8mm specifically to clear the spring by .5mm and also clear the fender on a reasonable amount of negative camber ~1.5 degrees.
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      04-29-2014, 01:48 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leigh View Post
How are the r888s in the rain....are they fine if you take it easy?
Toyo says they are fine just be careful with standing water…I haven't personally driven with them in the rain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ibmike View Post
God Dam your car Dope!

Quote:
Originally Posted by s85e90 View Post
He's actually nothing now right?? IMO not very safe as these lugs/stud setups are not all designed to be lug centric
Just have to be extra careful with the torque specs…no different than running spacers with lugs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
R888's are used as rain tires for many. They are great in the rain except when there's standing water. I've run R888's and I've personally found them not much grippier than AD08's to be honest. For the amount of life they have, I'd rather stick with AD08's and run Hankook TD's if I want a sticky street-able R Comp (Though I only drive them to and from the track on the street).

Car looks really good, OP.
What he said^ Thanks!
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      04-29-2014, 01:54 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thorny View Post
Nice setup! I'd personally lose the lettering. I agree about the grip, these tires deliver in terms of grip.

I got away with using a 5 mm spacer in front. Although i get slight vibrations on certain roads, most of the time there is no vibration on the steering wheel, but sometimes there is. It is totally road dependant and I believe due to not being hub centric.

Will these work for us?? http://store.vacmotorsports.com/vac-...ers-p2191.aspx


I got 295 in the rear and they fit perfectly on 11 inch rim.

Fronts rub at full lock, but nothing too bad. Do yours?

Here is my setup http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=972012
Says the hub extenders will work with 8mm on E9x on the front hub only.

I haven't found any rubber on the fender yet and have been taking some good high speed corners around town, I suspect it will rub if I hit a bump while cornering at lower speeds but that is more of a function of me having the height set a little lower than recommended for a nice stance for all the photoshoots and shows. Even at the current ride height I can prevent rubbing by maxing out the camber but haven't because I don't want to deal with uneven wear for daily driving.

I really enjoy your threads! Glad we are like minded with our wheel set-up!
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      04-29-2014, 02:39 AM   #16
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      04-29-2014, 03:06 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Curt2000 View Post


Thanks!


No hub contact, just the studs in the front. I'll check out your thread before my next track day!
Yikes, that's not good, if that's the case....
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      04-29-2014, 03:11 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Curt2000 View Post
Says the hub extenders will work with 8mm on E9x on the front hub only.
It says e9x series, NON M ONLY...
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      04-29-2014, 03:31 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Curt2000 View Post

Just have to be extra careful with the torque specs…no different than running spacers with lugs.
Not sure why you say this. It seems very different to have the wheel supported by wheel studs vs a beefy hub. I don't see how lugs compare?
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      04-29-2014, 03:40 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slicer
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curt2000 View Post

Just have to be extra careful with the torque specsno different than running spacers with lugs.
Not sure why you say this. It seems very different to have the wheel supported by wheel studs vs a beefy hub. I don't see how lugs compare?
I meant w/spacers, you loose the hub weather you are on studs or lugs and I know plenty of people running spacers at the track.
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      04-29-2014, 04:58 AM   #21
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Quote:
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What rings have you used in your lights?
They are custom headlights from OnEighty NYC
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      04-29-2014, 05:01 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chris s
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curt2000 View Post
Says the hub extenders will work with 8mm on E9x on the front hub only.
It says e9x series, NON M ONLY...
Oops sure enough...I didn't catch the non M caption...
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