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[TedA]

Hello,
I’m looking for a set of wheels (and tires ) for once per year HPDE. Does anyone know if the APEX ARC-8 wheels go on sale at all? If I wanted to go 18x9.5 vs 18x10, what size tires and offsets do I need? Since I only do a track event 1-2 times per year, I’m looking for potentially for a used set of wheels and tires. I’m located in NY.

[roastbeef]

there are a few sets of apex wheels in the classifieds at the moment. i'd go 18x10 over a 18x9.5. you'll probably want to stay around a 275/35/18 tire. nobody is really buying a 9.5 width for the track.

[TedA]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

there are a few sets of apex wheels in the classifieds at the moment. i'd go 18x10 over a 18x9.5. you'll probably want to stay around a 275/35/18 tire. nobody is really buying a 9.5 width for the track.

Thank you! Do I need to do anything other than mounting those to the car? Do they normally have TPMS or could even they be fitted with a TPMS that connects to your phone, so that you can see the precise tire pressure?
Thank you so much for your help and quick response.

[b4hand]

Originally Posted by TedA

Thank you! Do I need to do anything other than mounting those to the car? Do they normally have TPMS or could even they be fitted with a TPMS that connects to your phone, so that you can see the precise tire pressure?
Thank you so much for your help and quick response.

You could do this, https://www.amazon.com/HUF-North-Ame.../dp/B07HNV8XB7

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by TedA

Thank you! Do I need to do anything other than mounting those to the car? Do they normally have TPMS or could even they be fitted with a TPMS that connects to your phone, so that you can see the precise tire pressure?
Thank you so much for your help and quick response.

for track wheels, i probably wouldn't bother with any tpms. i don't run any at the track. the car will chime at you when you first get in, but it is easy to reset once your put your road wheels back on.

a better investment might be a very accurate tire gauge and a quality 20' hose. most tracks have air or nitrogen and you could hookup easily to manage pressures. i'm not sure i would trust a cost efficient tpms solution that claims to give independent accurate tire pressure.

i have and enjoy this one. longacre is renowned for accurate and quality products. this air chuck allows you to quickly check and add or bleed off a little pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/Longacre-5300...%2C195&sr=8-15

[Kelse92]

Honestly, if you’re just going to go 1-2 times a year. Just drive the car on some Michelin 4S’s... it’s not worth spending 2000+ and the hassle and storage on a set of wheels and tires for a couple times a year...

[ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by TedA

Hello,
I’m looking for a set of wheels (and tires ) for once per year HPDE. Does anyone know if the APEX ARC-8 wheels go on sale at all? If I wanted to go 18x9.5 vs 18x10, what size tires and offsets do I need? Since I only do a track event 1-2 times per year, I’m looking for potentially for a used set of wheels and tires. I’m located in NY.

Hey Ted, we can definitely get you setup with the correct offset.

Originally Posted by roastbeef

there are a few sets of apex wheels in the classifieds at the moment. i'd go 18x10 over a 18x9.5. you'll probably want to stay around a 275/35/18 tire. nobody is really buying a 9.5 width for the track.

This is excellent advice. We generally recommend the 18x10 ET25 square setup for e9X m3s that are tracked. The recommended tire would be a 275/35-18 as Roastbeef mentioned. If you would like to see other staggered or less aggressive fitment options, take a look at our fitment guide: https://support.apexraceparts.com/hc...-Fitment-Guide

We can sell OEM TPMS sensors with the wheels or separately. If you do decide to order these, PM us the last 7 digits of your VIN to confirm we have the correct part #.

This fitment of wheel is currently on sale in our EC-7 and FL-5 design in select finishes. If you want to stick to the ARC-8s, we are planning on running an early group buy with more information coming mid-January.

Let us know if you need more info!

Thanks
-Tom

[dparm]

Originally Posted by Kelse92

Honestly, if you’re just going to go 1-2 times a year. Just drive the car on some Michelin 4S’s... it’s not worth spending 2000+ and the hassle and storage on a set of wheels and tires for a couple times a year...

I would agree with this. Just use whatever is already on the car and save your money.

[TedA]

Good advice overall, but I’m getting to the point where the HPDE weekend I do (Calabogie), my street tires are getting destroyed. i currently have a bit more thread left on my current MPS, but since I only put 2000 miles per year, those tires will last me another summer.

[kyippee]

Stock suspension? Car needs a lot of negative camber up front to balance out tire wear. -2.5 was borderline ok with street tires, -3.5 now wears very evenly for me. I was able to get -1.7 stock, -2.5 with dinan camber plates, and -3.5 or more with coilovers

[TedA]

Originally Posted by ApexRaceParts

Hey Ted, we can definitely get you setup with the correct offset.



This is excellent advice. We generally recommend the 18x10 ET25 square setup for e9X m3s that are tracked. The recommended tire would be a 275/35-18 as Roastbeef mentioned. If you would like to see other staggered or less aggressive fitment options, take a look at our fitment guide: https://support.apexraceparts.com/hc...-Fitment-Guide

We can sell OEM TPMS sensors with the wheels or separately. If you do decide to order these, PM us the last 7 digits of your VIN to confirm we have the correct part #.

This fitment of wheel is currently on sale in our EC-7 and FL-5 design in select finishes. If you want to stick to the ARC-8s, we are planning on running an early group buy with more information coming mid-January.

Let us know if you need more info!

Thanks
-Tom

Thank you Tom - I’ll look forward to the group but! (Someone mentioned a decent discount recently, but I missed an opportunity). I was hoping to pick up a used set, as I’m not sure if I wanted to spend $2500-$3000 for a set of wheels and tires.

[TedA]

Originally Posted by kpewpew

Stock suspension? Car needs a lot of negative camber up front to balance out tire wear. -2.5 was borderline ok with street tires, -3.5 now wears very evenly for me. I was able to get -1.7 stock, -2.5 with dinan camber plates, and -3.5 or more with coilovers

All stock suspension, I don’t know enough about how to adjust, what parts I need, etc. Are those easy to install/remove? Expensive to purchase?
Thank you for the advice!

[Yugo]

Originally Posted by TedA

All stock suspension, I don’t know enough about how to adjust, what parts I need, etc. Are those easy to install/remove? Expensive to purchase?
Thank you for the advice!

Take the car to a reputable alignment shop and let them do your alignment. Ask them to do as much as possible negative camber, which on stock suspension will be around -1.5.

To get more you need parts others listed above and depending on which way you go yes things do get pricey when changing suspension components.

I am in similar situation to yours. Plan on tracking m3 on my stock 18" wheels w michelin pss and down the road if I do get hooked and am able to track more than couple of times a yr get a set of dedicated track wheels.

[ApexWheels]

Originally Posted by TedA

Thank you Tom - I’ll look forward to the group but! (Someone mentioned a decent discount recently, but I missed an opportunity). I was hoping to pick up a used set, as I’m not sure if I wanted to spend $2500-$3000 for a set of wheels and tires.

Completely understandable! Let us know if you need anything and have fun on track!

Thanks
-Tom

[dparm]

Originally Posted by TedA

Good advice overall, but I’m getting to the point where the HPDE weekend I do (Calabogie), my street tires are getting destroyed. i currently have a bit more thread left on my current MPS, but since I only put 2000 miles per year, those tires will last me another summer.

What is destroying them, exactly? Camber wear? Chunking? Overheating?

I would agree 100% that an alignment will slow that down, as will proper tire pressure management. The MPSS is capable of handling mild track use without totally disintegrating, assuming you manage them appropriately.

[SYT_Shadow]

OP

One option is to go with a set of dedicated track wheels and tires. The typical 18x10ET25 is popular and fits well.

However, for one or two events a year, I have to wonder if you'd be better off getting camber plates, then replacing your current tires with something like the RE71r.

Camber plates make a huge difference in tire wear. You can also get them aligned in a way that the plate has a street setting and a track setting, each with the appropriate amount of toe, meaning a single alignment cost and you adjust to track/street right at the track.
Camber plates work on OEM suspension and can be installed 'DIY'. And then if you get coilovers one day you can reuse them.

A good street/track tire like the RE71 has perfectly good road manners, is decent in rain and even in the correct fitments for your OEM wheels is really fast.


I have 6 sets of 10.5" wheels for my E90 and F80 track cars plus a 10" apex wild card set, however, I have also tracked my regular wheels and the car can be retardedly fast with them as long as you have good tires, and with camber plates they don't get destroyed.
Not having to store an additional set of wheels/tires is a big advantage in my mind. For 1 or 2 weekends... you don't track enough to get anything out of the wider front wheel

[TedA]

Originally Posted by dparm

What is destroying them, exactly? Camber wear? Chunking? Overheating?

I would agree 100% that an alignment will slow that down, as will proper tire pressure management. The MPSS is capable of handling mild track use without totally disintegrating, assuming you manage them appropriately.

I think the last time, after 2 days of track (6+ hours total on track time), I was at the point where I was pushing the car fairly hard and I think I was overheating them. I was constantly taking air out so that they were not over inflated. My left side tires took the majority of the punishment, so the wear was not even. I’m sure there is some tire management I can do, that I don’t do... also towards the end of the 2nd day, I was doing some really quick times (relatively speaking). There was definitely signs of camber wear.

[TedA]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

OP

One option is to go with a set of dedicated track wheels and tires. The typical 18x10ET25 is popular and fits well.

However, for one or two events a year, I have to wonder if you'd be better off getting camber plates, then replacing your current tires with something like the RE71r.

Camber plates make a huge difference in tire wear. You can also get them aligned in a way that the plate has a street setting and a track setting, each with the appropriate amount of toe, meaning a single alignment cost and you adjust to track/street right at the track.
Camber plates work on OEM suspension and can be installed 'DIY'. And then if you get coilovers one day you can reuse them.

A good street/track tire like the RE71 has perfectly good road manners, is decent in rain and even in the correct fitments for your OEM wheels is really fast.


I have 6 sets of 10.5" wheels for my E90 and F80 track cars plus a 10" apex wild card set, however, I have also tracked my regular wheels and the car can be retardedly fast with them as long as you have good tires, and with camber plates they don't get destroyed.
Not having to store an additional set of wheels/tires is a big advantage in my mind. For 1 or 2 weekends... you don't track enough to get anything out of the wider front wheel

That may be indeed a great way to go. I haven’t done any research yet on adjustable camber plates... any quick links or suggestions? Would I be able to change the camber settings myself, or would I always need a mechanic? Storing an extra set of wheels is not a problem.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by TedA

That may be indeed a great way to go. I haven’t done any research yet on adjustable camber plates... any quick links or suggestions? Would I be able to change the camber settings myself, or would I always need a mechanic? Storing an extra set of wheels is not a problem.

I've used ground control street plates on the e46, e92 and f80 generations and they've been great.
https://www.bimmerworld.com/Suspensi...E9X-M3-1M.html

You would only get an alignment once. The rest you would do yourself at track events when you switch from one to the other
After that, to move to a 'track' setting you'd just jack up one front wheel, move the plate to a preset spot and then repeat for the other side.
Then when you're done you'd lift again and put the plate in another preset spot.
It's super easy to do and avoids any compromises. At the track you'd have camber and toe for the track. On the street your toe would be spot on and you'd have a little bit more camber than you would otherwise, but that without bad toe does very little to your tires