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      03-06-2019, 01:57 PM   #1
Abefroman55
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Advice on tires for 18" wheels (thank you in adv)

I currently have the stock 19" rim and going to 18's.
I am getting 18x9f and 18x10r wheels, arc 8's.

I am just looking for advice as to what size tires to get. Apex has a fitment guide recommending 255/35/18 and 275/35/18.......these sizes are significantly smaller than the stock diameter wheels. I thought that was quite strange going from a 26" wheel to a 25" wheel.

Long story short is........ what size tire would you get with these wheels and will the apex recommended size mess with DSC? I do not plan on tracking but wouldn't mind a little more rubber on the ground. Or stick with stock sizes?

Thank you so much for any help. I don't quite understand the tire size differences when it correlates to the stability control in MDM. I need guidance.
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      03-06-2019, 02:23 PM   #2
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Almost no combination on these cars will freak out DSC too badly, the system is designed around a wide range of sizes to account for the recommended snow tire packages, some of which are shorter than stock like the sizes Apex is giving you, which are safe bets to not rub, but a little too small I agree

I'd use 255/40-18 and 275/40-18 (stock F8x 18" size) with those wheels. Or 265/35-18 and 285/35-18
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      03-06-2019, 03:40 PM   #3
Abefroman55
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Thank you so much for the help. The car currently has pilot sport A3's on it, that's what it came with when I bought her. The plan is ps4s and hopefully with the lighter wheels and stickier rubber I'll notice a difference.

Thank you again.
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      03-06-2019, 10:44 PM   #4
ApexWheels
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We appreciate your interest OP, and you raise a great question in regards to the suggested tire sizes for the staggered wheel configuration at hand.

As a benchmark, here are the standard wheel and tire specifications everyone is likely familiar with depending on how the car was optioned from the factory.

Style 218/219
F: 18x8.5" ET29 - 245/40-18 (25.72" tall)
R: 18x9.5" ET23 - 265/40-18 (26.35" tall)
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.63" / 2.39%

Style 220
F: 19x8.5" ET29 - 245/35-19 (25.75" tall)
R: 19x9.5" ET23 - 265/35-19 (26.3" tall)
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.1%

The term OEM+ may take on a slightly different meaning from enthusiast to enthusiast, but we consider it to be an incremental yet meaningful improvement over stock, without drastically deviating from the original intended design/functionality. The two staggered APEX fitments that we consider to be OEM+ encompass wheels that are 1/2" wider than stock, front and rear. You will notice the width and offset specifications are almost exactly the same as the ZCP/GTS wheels which I think is a testament to the OEM+ label.

There are many benefits going with an 18" setup, so we are glad to hear you are thinking of going this route. With that said, the tire options for our 18" OEM+ configuration are slightly more complicated in comparison to our 19" setup. You are forced to make a compromise on either slightly short tires in the correct widths, or slightly stretched tires in the correct heights. Both tire configurations will work, but neither are ideal if we look at them with a critical eye.

APEX
F: 19x9" ET28/30 - 255/35-19 (26.03" tall)
R: 19x10" ET25 - 275/35-19 (26.58" tall")
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.08%

APEX
F: 18x9" ET30/31
R: 18x10" ET25

Tire Option 1 - The perfect widths, but a little short (more specifically up front). You can still get away with running these no problem, as both the front and rear heights have decreased resulting in a similar front to rear ratio in comparison to stock.

255/35-18 - 25.03" tall
275/35-18 - 25.58" tall
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.16%

Tire Option 2 - Slightly slim, but the perfect height as these are the OEM tire sizes after all. If the tire model you plan to use runs on the wider side, these tire specs actually end up working out quite nicely.

245/40-18 - 25.72" tall
265/40-18 - 26.35" tall
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.63" / 2.39%

When it comes to a staggered 18" setup for the E9X M3, we are most in favor of the "Performance Street & Track" configuration which encompass wheels that are 1" wider than stock, front and rear, and are still considered to be an easy bolt-on fitment with no modifications required. By running these wheel widths, you can properly support 265/35-18 front and 285/35-18 rear tires, which are proven to work very well on this chassis.

APEX
F: 18x9.5" ET22 - 265/35-18 (25.3" tall)
R: 18x10.5" ET22/27 - 285/35-18 (25.85" tall)
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.13%

I hope you find this helpful, and please let me know if you have any follow up questions. Our 18" ARC-8 / EC-7 Group Buy is only live for a few more days


- Ryan
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Last edited by ApexWheels; 03-07-2019 at 03:08 PM..
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      03-07-2019, 11:31 AM   #5
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Running a little extra tire on a narrower wheel means rim protection and "properly supported" when national championships are won on 275's on 9" wheels is a matter of use case
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      03-07-2019, 01:06 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richbot View Post
Running a little extra tire on a narrower wheel means rim protection and "properly supported" when national championships are won on 275's on 9" wheels is a matter of use case
Unless you are bound by class rules when it comes to wheel widths, we run and recommend wheel widths that are on the wider end of a given tires suggested range. This typically leads to better handling characteristics/feedback, more consistent wear and a wider contact patch.

As an example, a 275/35-18 Nitto NT01 mates up to an 18x10" wheel nicely and is an extremely common pairing, however, a 10.5" wheel will typically yield superior results (holding all other things constant).

For a street car, other priorities like added wheel protection may be at play.

- Ryan
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      03-07-2019, 01:37 PM   #7
Abefroman55
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Thank you for the very nice in depth answer. Holy poop that was awesome. That helped tremendously and a wealth of knowledge.

I got in early on the group buy and I am very excited. Ok. It all makes sense.
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      03-07-2019, 03:09 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Abefroman55 View Post
Thank you for the very nice in depth answer. Holy poop that was awesome. That helped tremendously and a wealth of knowledge.

I got in early on the group buy and I am very excited. Ok. It all makes sense.
Killer! Great to have you onboard.

- Ryan
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      03-08-2019, 03:30 AM   #9
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what if I use this tires size, will it rub? pls advise

F: 18x9.5" ET22 - 255/40-18
R: 18x10.5" ET22/27 - 275/40-18

I want to keep running 40-18 tires as the road condition in HK is sucks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ApexRaceParts View Post
We appreciate your interest OP, and you raise a great question in regards to the suggested tire sizes for the staggered wheel configuration at hand.

As a benchmark, here are the standard wheel and tire specifications everyone is likely familiar with depending on how the car was optioned from the factory.

Style 218/219
F: 18x8.5" ET29 - 245/40-18 (25.72" tall)
R: 18x9.5" ET23 - 265/40-18 (26.35" tall)
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.63" / 2.39%

Style 220
F: 19x8.5" ET29 - 245/35-19 (25.75" tall)
R: 19x9.5" ET23 - 265/35-19 (26.3" tall)
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.1%

The term OEM+ may take on a slightly different meaning from enthusiast to enthusiast, but we consider it to be an incremental yet meaningful improvement over stock, without drastically deviating from the original intended design/functionality. The two staggered APEX fitments that we consider to be OEM+ encompass wheels that are 1/2" wider than stock, front and rear. You will notice the width and offset specifications are almost exactly the same as the ZCP/GTS wheels which I think is a testament to the OEM+ label.

There are many benefits going with an 18" setup, so we are glad to hear you are thinking of going this route. With that said, the tire options for our 18" OEM+ configuration are slightly more complicated in comparison to our 19" setup. You are forced to make a compromise on either slightly short tires in the correct widths, or slightly stretched tires in the correct heights. Both tire configurations will work, but neither are ideal if we look at them with a critical eye.

APEX
F: 19x9" ET28/30 - 255/35-19 (26.03" tall)
R: 19x10" ET25 - 275/35-19 (26.58" tall")
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.08%

APEX
F: 18x9" ET30/31
R: 18x10" ET25

Tire Option 1 - The perfect widths, but a little short (more specifically up front). You can still get away with running these no problem, as both the front and rear heights have decreased resulting in a similar front to rear ratio in comparison to stock.

255/35-18 - 25.03" tall
275/35-18 - 25.58" tall
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.16%

Tire Option 2 - Slightly slim, but the perfect height as these are the OEM tire sizes after all. If the tire model you plan to use runs on the wider side, these tire specs actually end up working out quite nicely.

245/40-18 - 25.72" tall
265/40-18 - 26.35" tall
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.63" / 2.39%

When it comes to a staggered 18" setup for the E9X M3, we are most in favor of the "Performance Street & Track" configuration which encompass wheels that are 1" wider than stock, front and rear, and are still considered to be an easy bolt-on fitment with no modifications required. By running these wheel widths, you can properly support 265/35-18 front and 285/35-18 rear tires, which are proven to work very well on this chassis.

APEX
F: 18x9.5" ET22 - 265/35-18 (25.3" tall)
R: 18x10.5" ET22/27 - 285/35-18 (25.85" tall)
^ Difference in height from front to rear = 0.55" / 2.13%

I hope you find this helpful, and please let me know if you have any follow up questions. Our 18" ARC-8 / EC-7 Group Buy is only live for a few more days


- Ryan
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      03-08-2019, 10:39 AM   #10
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I have 255/40/18 & 275/40/18 Michelins on my Apex 18x9 and 18x10 wheels for the crappy roads around my neck of the woods and they fit fine. The fat tires give it a muscle car look, lol.
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      03-08-2019, 12:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Huen View Post
what if I use this tires size, will it rub? pls advise

F: 18x9.5" ET22 - 255/40-18
R: 18x10.5" ET22/27 - 275/40-18

I want to keep running 40-18 tires as the road condition in HK is sucks.
These tire sizes are not technically advised for the E9X M3 as they can lead to significant rubbing within the fender liners upon suspension compression and/or at full steering lock. With that said, they can and have been used as Dreamer99 mentioned and vehicle ride height, spring rates and tire model would be a big factors.

255/40-18 - 26.03" (stock front 245/40-18 is 25.72" tall)
275/40-18 - 26.66" (stock rear 265/40-18 is 26.35" tall)

Also, a lot of enthusiasts get stuck on a particular number when it comes to aspect ratio. Keep in mind aspect ratio is simply a percentage of the tire width. This means that as the tire width increases, the aspect ratio should decrease to hit the same proper rolling diameter. In other words, a tire with a 35 aspect ratio can result in the same sidewall height as a tire with a 40 aspect ratio if the widths are correct.

If you want to run our staggered 18x9.5" / 18x10.5" and you want to stay as close to the OEM rolling diameter as possible, you could run the following tire sizes:

275/35-18 - 25.58" (stock front 245/40-18 is 25.72" tall)
285/35-18 - 25.85" (stock rear 265/40-18 is 26.35" tall)

or

275/35-18 - 25.58" (stock front 245/40-18 is 25.72" tall)
295/35-18 - 26.13" (stock rear 265/40-18 is 26.35" tall)
* Rear may need a touch of negative camber to ensure you clear the rear fenders depending on which APEX 10.5" wheel you go with (ET27 vs. ET22) and what the tire brand is (not all are created equal).

Another option is stepping down to our "OEM+" 18x9" ET30 / 18x10" ET25 staggered setup which is what the OP is considering, and those will accommodate the stock 18" tire sizes: 245/40-18 / 265/40-18.

- Ryan
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      03-08-2019, 06:04 PM   #12
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I run the 265/35 and 285/35 in ARC8 18x9.5 and 10.5. Actually now I am on 295/30 rears. The 285/35 fit better. I have rubbed a couple of times with the 295/30. My car is slightly lowered in H&R.
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      03-08-2019, 07:38 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
I run the 265/35 and 285/35 in ARC8 18x9.5 and 10.5. Actually now I am on 295/30 rears. The 285/35 fit better. I have rubbed a couple of times with the 295/30. My car is slightly lowered in H&R.
Agreed, 265/35-18 / 285/35-18 is certainly the most popular tire configuration for the 9.5" / 10.5" wheel combo. The widths match up perfectly and they clear the fenders out back no problem.

Dreamer99 was specifically looking for tires at the taller end of the spectrum, something as close to the stock rolling diameter as possible for added protection against those treacherous potholes he faces. My 275/35-18 / 295/35-18 recommendation was purely based on meeting those target heights. I prefer 275 / 295 tires to be mounted to 10" / 11" wheels.

- Ryan
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      03-08-2019, 11:24 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ApexRaceParts View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huen View Post
what if I use this tires size, will it rub? pls advise

F: 18x9.5" ET22 - 255/40-18
R: 18x10.5" ET22/27 - 275/40-18

I want to keep running 40-18 tires as the road condition in HK is sucks.
These tire sizes are not technically advised for the E9X M3 as they can lead to significant rubbing within the fender liners upon suspension compression and/or at full steering lock. With that said, they can and have been used as Dreamer99 mentioned and vehicle ride height, spring rates and tire model would be a big factors.

255/40-18 - 26.03" (stock front 245/40-18 is 25.72" tall)
275/40-18 - 26.66" (stock rear 265/40-18 is 26.35" tall)

Also, a lot of enthusiasts get stuck on a particular number when it comes to aspect ratio. Keep in mind aspect ratio is simply a percentage of the tire width. This means that as the tire width increases, the aspect ratio should decrease to hit the same proper rolling diameter. In other words, a tire with a 35 aspect ratio can result in the same sidewall height as a tire with a 40 aspect ratio if the widths are correct.

If you want to run our staggered 18x9.5" / 18x10.5" and you want to stay as close to the OEM rolling diameter as possible, you could run the following tire sizes:

275/35-18 - 25.58" (stock front 245/40-18 is 25.72" tall)
285/35-18 - 25.85" (stock rear 265/40-18 is 26.35" tall)

or

275/35-18 - 25.58" (stock front 245/40-18 is 25.72" tall)
295/35-18 - 26.13" (stock rear 265/40-18 is 26.35" tall)
* Rear may need a touch of negative camber to ensure you clear the rear fenders depending on which APEX 10.5" wheel you go with (ET27 vs. ET22) and what the tire brand is (not all are created equal).

Another option is stepping down to our "OEM+" 18x9" ET30 / 18x10" ET25 staggered setup which is what the OP is considering, and those will accommodate the stock 18" tire sizes: 245/40-18 / 265/40-18.

- Ryan
great ,thx alot
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