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Fit Matters
A design fit to win
An optimized car setup begins with the perfect wheel and tire fitment. The 17x9.0” ET42 ARC-8 configuration was built with feedback from very well know industry leaders to meet the needs of the hardcore performance enthusiast. That means the right fit and the most grip possible, for the flexibility to work for street enthusiasts and racers alike.
The ARC-8 is a direct bolt-on that accommodates many different brake configurations. (Read more below) It was specifically designed for ideal suspension and fender clearance — even when using the widest, meaty performance tires! Offset was very purposefully chosen to allow for direct bolt-on fitment, or the use of camber bolts, clearing the factory fenders and struts. The spokes naturally have more caliper clearance versus a deeply concave, or lip-style wheel. Many of these small choices add up to maximized flexibility and performance for the end user.
Spokes
More than just a pretty face
The spokes of the ARC-8 were designed to be robust where they need to be, and extra lightweight where they should be. In each iteration of our ARC-8 design, the split spokes are carefully evaluated to ensure light weight and remarkable strength. The lack of a deep front lip and implementation spokes that connect directly to the barrel’s lip create a rigid wheel, with very even load distribution. These features help reduce one of the most common concerns with aftermarket wheels — bending.
Style and function meet with this extremely popular and timeless design.
Brake Clearance - Spokes
Spokes that work for you
APEX wheels properly clear all OEM brake calipers including many bolt-on BBKs. Our wheels are targeted at the serious performance-minded owner knowing many will elect to upgrade the basic OE caliper and disc setup as they get more serious with mods. If you do go with a big brake kit (BBK), most big brake kits that clear 17” wheels will fit behind our low profile spokes without spacers, although some applications may need a thin spacer due to the added width of aftermarket calipers.
Confirmed BBK clearance on our 17x9.0” ET42 ARC-8 wheel includes: Stoptech ST40 328mm, Essex-AP Sprint & Endurance, AP Racing 330mm, Wilwood's kits, RacingBrake 4045, STi 4 Piston, 300ZX 4 Piston, Alcon 334mm, Sparta 355mm kit (3mm spacer is recommended), Tarox B32-6 326mm kit, RR Racing Stage I through IV Competition kits. If you have any questions, you can contact us to confirm brake clearances for your specific application.
Brake Clearance - Barrel
A lot of room in a tight space
Spoke clearance is only half the problem. The barrel opening on a wheel also needs to be large enough to clear the sides of your caliper. Many wheels on the market make aesthetic compromises to their design that have a major negative impact on barrel clearance. Those wheels may work with stock brakes and smaller diameter big brake kits (BBKs), but larger brake kits can pose major clearance problems. Our barrel opens up wider and earlier than most aftermarket wheels. This creates the largest possible inside diameter to accommodate a wide range of BBKs.
Lug Recess
Get in, get out, and get on with your business
Simply being lightweight is only a start, our wheels need to meet our high standards of functionality in a real high-performance environment.
Unlike the narrow lug recesses of many other wheels, the ARC-8 wheel boasts a completely wide-open wheel hardware recess that easily fits race lug nuts and the beefy adapters or impact sockets used to fit them. This allows for quick and easy wheel changes at the track, or just as a bonus; prevents chips and scratches from tools upon installation or removal.
Hub Centric
Direct fit, no compromises
Centering rings are never required for a direct fit with APEX wheels. For this application, a 56.1mm center bore is utilized. Rings might not sound so bad until one rolls away during a wheel change, or gets seized onto a wheel hub!
We have become known for a product with real-world features and utility, and our wheels specifically have a shallow rear chamfer to allow the wheel to remain hub centric even if spacers are used. A wider chamfer could seem appealing but can cause improper seating and wheel vibration on other wheels, this isn't a problem with APEX wheels.
Center Cap
Compatible with your OEM accessories
Some users like their aftermarket parts to blend in; for us, that means details are not overlooked like compatibility with factory center caps. Our ARC-8 wheels are designed to accept factory or 49mm direct replacement OE style center caps from the FR-S, BRZ, or GT86. That means you can pop in the Scion, Subaru, ‘86’, or TRD caps!
Each wheel ships with one of our gloss black APEX center caps.
Wheel Hardware
Original or Aftermarket, it all works
Go ahead and take your pick! The ARC-8 wheels can be used with all FR-S/ BRZ/ GT86 OEM and aftermarket mounting hardware with a 60° tapered seat (i.e Muteki, Project Kiks, etc). We’ve slightly tweaked the design of the lug nut seats to perfectly support the use of OEM hardware without compromising strength or safety.
TPMS Sensors
Race function without sacrificing creature comforts
The attention to OEM compatibility on the ARC-8 wheel doesn’t end with center caps and lugs. All APEX wheels accept OEM and aftermarket equivalent TPMS sensors and any standard-sized metal or rubber valve stem. TPMS sensors, which monitor tire pressure and communicate to your onboard dash computer, are fully compatible and needn’t be compromised or left out when considering our wheels. The short story: This means no constantly illuminated orange TPMS light on your dash.
THE APEX STANDARD
Flow Forming
Benefits of forging, without the pain
All APEX wheels including the ARC-8 wheel are produced using the Flow-Forming technique. This process significantly reduces the weight in the barrel, which has the greatest impact on rotational mass. During the manufacturing process, rollers apply high pressure to the inner barrel, compressing the aluminum into its final shape. This effectively eliminates porosity and aligns the grain structure of the metal which increases tensile strength. The end result of the Flow-Forming process is a lightweight and extremely strong barrel that equals that of a traditional fully forged wheel at a fraction of the cost.
Testing & Certifications
We break a lot of wheels
Computer-simulated stress tests are no match for real-world testing when designing a lightweight wheel that will see extreme loads. All APEX wheels are crushed and load tested to exceed JWL standards and those results are independently tested in Japan by the 3rd party government agency known as the VIA. Countless wheel companies falsely claim they are tested and certified by the VIA, and so they lack the certificates to prove it. We test and certify each and every design, diameter, width, and offset, separately. We publicly list all our VIA registration numbers which are on file with the VIA for confirmation. Don't trust brands that claim to test, but can't provide verifiable registration numbers.
Weight & Strength Optimization
It’s all in the details
Various design features were implemented to ensure that the ARC-8 wheel design was as light and durable as possible. We began with a strong one-piece design featuring an open hub center and reliefs in the mounting pad to remove weight between lug holes. The design was then run through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to further optimize the spoke and barrel design. The result is a lightweight wheel with extra strength in all the right places while keeping weight to a minimum.
Finishes
Because being faster is just not enough
The ARC-8 wheel is available in multiple finishes, in addition to exclusive finishes available only through select dealers. All APEX wheels are finished using a comprehensive multi-stage liquid paint system over a powder-coated base coat. Standard finishes include gloss metallic finishes and semi-gloss or matte finishes. Hyper finishes include an additional coating of a premium liquid-like metallic silver to create a uniquely bright finish that can only be achieved through misting liquid paint.
Often overlooked, painted or powder-coated lug hole seats can cause hardware to loosen or begin the spread of chipping the paint to more visible sections. The ARC-8 wheel's coating process leaves lug holes, center bores, and mounting pads unpainted, which ensures proper fit and torque values.
Warranty
A wheel you can depend on
All APEX wheels are backed by a 2-year structural warranty and a 1-year finish warranty. This warranty guarantees that all APEX wheels will be free from defects in materials, workmanship, and paint finish under normal and reasonable use.