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Advice for Road Course Rims/ Tires

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Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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Blair, Nebraska
Actually I just listed it as so many were commenting on tires and I should have been more specific that this was just a posting of a tire that just became available in a bigger size. I should have done a new thread and you are correct , also, as a 10.5 is the minimum width listed for this tire........sorry. Now the 305 size of the Toyo RR is okayed to start with a 10 inch rim , though. But , I must apologize as I was off topic for the gentleman asking about various tires. Frankly neither of his choices may be very appropriate if he is using the tire as everyday, and just driving to the track occasionally, since he is from Canada and neither tire he listed is really remotely recommended in wet weather ,etc. Both are DOT approved Competition tires and the R888r is actually listed by Tire Rack for Competion only when ordering online. Might want to ask him for a bit more info , so we are all ( myself , obviously included ) giving him direction with a tire that will serve his full purpose?
 
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Apex Wheels

Race Proven, Street Approved
Supporting Vendor
670
1,061
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5-10 Years
Bay Area, CA
Lots of great info listed above! There are a couple more points I would like to touch on regarding wheel strength and fitment. First off, all of our wheels are certified to exceed JWL/VIA standards. Second, our barrels are designed to give the most caliper clearance possible and the 18" diameter lineup clears S550 15" 6 piston brakes!

For your car to effectively run a 305 or 315 section width tire, I highly recommend 11" wheels. Our EC-7 18x11" ET52 looks perfect with a 305/35-18 NT01 or R888/r wrapped around it, along with the 315/30-18 BFG Rival. These will require at most a 25mm spacer if used with stock style suspension. Those with coilovers can sometimes run less of a spacer, all paired with extended wheel studs of course. This is the only way to get a truly rotatable 11" square fitment. Camber plates are also crucial to optimal tire performance and life. Without camber plates, you will quickly wear through the outside edge of the tire.

39110829195_3d79a21fbf_b.jpg

26136160598_00e0af7bde_b.jpg

28229740869_2260db4d69_b.jpg

This car is sporting our 18x11" ET52 with 315/30-18 Rivals and a 20mm spacer up front with -3* of camber, which as you can see clears the strut just fine and doesn't rub the fender even when the suspension is compressed.

- Cory
 
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ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
You can't go wrong with the APEX wheels. I also highly advise getting camber plates as to not prematurely burn through the cash you are investing in tires--not to mention the performance benefits.
 
Lots of great info listed above! There are a couple more points I would like to touch on regarding wheel strength and fitment. First off, all of our wheels are certified to exceed JWL/VIA standards. Second, our barrels are designed to give the most caliper clearance possible and the 18" diameter lineup clears S550 15" 6 piston brakes!

For your car to effectively run a 305 or 315 section width tire, I highly recommend 11" wheels. Our EC-7 18x11" ET52 looks perfect with a 305/35-18 NT01 or R888/r wrapped around it, along with the 315/30-18 BFG Rival. These will require at most a 25mm spacer if used with stock style suspension. Those with coilovers can sometimes run less of a spacer, all paired with extended wheel studs of course. This is the only way to get a truly rotatable 11" square fitment. Camber plates are also crucial to optimal tire performance and life. Without camber plates, you will quickly wear through the outside edge of the tire.

39110829195_3d79a21fbf_b.jpg

26136160598_00e0af7bde_b.jpg

28229740869_2260db4d69_b.jpg

This car is sporting our 18x11" ET52 with 315/30-18 Rivals and a 20mm spacer up front with -3* of camber, which as you can see clears the strut just fine and doesn't rub the fender even when the suspension is compressed.

- Cory

This is great info! New here as well. As part of my rebuild, I've already installed the longer ARP studs and have the respective lugs. Being able to use 315/30/18 Rivals square with the EC-7 is great news (Budgeting that wheel and tire combo to complete the build).

I do have 2 questions about the photos above, would you know if it is a coilover setup for the 20mm spacer or a standard strut set up? Similarly to the other question regarding Roush steering rack lock clips, does the mustang in the photo use them or something similar?

My current setup is:
Maximum Motorsports Road and Track Springs
Bilstein HD struts and shocks
Vorshlag Camber plates with Vorshlag spring perch
 

Apex Wheels

Race Proven, Street Approved
Supporting Vendor
670
1,061
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Bay Area, CA
This is great info! New here as well. As part of my rebuild, I've already installed the longer ARP studs and have the respective lugs. Being able to use 315/30/18 Rivals square with the EC-7 is great news (Budgeting that wheel and tire combo to complete the build).

I do have 2 questions about the photos above, would you know if it is a coilover setup for the 20mm spacer or a standard strut set up? Similarly to the other question regarding Roush steering rack lock clips, does the Mustang in the photo use them or something similar?

My current setup is:
Maximum Motorsports Road and Track Springs
Bilstein HD struts and shocks
Vorshlag Camber plates with Vorshlag spring perch

I believe the GT500 has a little thicker steering stops from the factory already, not sure how they compare in size to the Roush ones. It's not a requirement to install different steering stops by any means, you just need to pay more attention to how much you've turned the wheel.

20mm spacers come into play more frequently when you have coil overs. I have not tested the 11"/20mm combo with a stock style strut yet personally, but as you can see from that GT500 it does work, just tight quarters in there. That's probably a bit closer than I'd like to see, so I would recommend 25mm. No tires are mounted on the pictures I posted, and the 315 Rival is wider than the 11" wheel so it will overhang on each side. As long as you have adequate (-3* ish) camber, you shouldn't have any issues with the wheel/tire poking way out there.

On my personal car, I run our 18x11" ET52 EC-7s wrapped in a 305/660 Continental slick. With the MCS struts, ARP hubs, and 20mm spacers there is plenty of room between the strut body and the tire. The only place where it gets close is the spring perch, but once I drop down to a 7" long spring from an 8", there will be a mile of space.

- Cory
 
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Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,424
8,349
Exp. Type
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20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
Running Apex 18x11s with used Pirelli slicks ( easy to acquire and quite reasonable ) and have a set of Hoosier R7s ( 315/18s ) ordered. I really like the M&M Camber Plates for pricing and quality. Black Boss would echo that sentiment as he has found them great for both his Boss and GT 350.

You can not go wrong with the Apex rims -----and as they say in Kentucky, " That is a reeeel Purdy rim!"
 

Wingrider

'11 GT500, 99% Track Car. Lots of mods & I coach
Running Apex 18x11s with used Pirelli slicks ( easy to acquire and quite reasonable ) and have a set of Hoosier R7s ( 315/18s ) ordered. I really like the M&M Camber Plates for pricing and quality. Black Boss would echo that sentiment as he has found them great for both his Boss and GT 350.

What size Pirelli's are folks running on the Apex 18x11's? I ordered some 315/680/18s and Cortex says those may be too big... I have the full cortex system so I'm hoping with some 1/2" spacers up front I'll be ok running square.
 

Apex Wheels

Race Proven, Street Approved
Supporting Vendor
670
1,061
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Bay Area, CA
What size Pirelli's are folks running on the Apex 18x11's? I ordered some 315/680/18s and Cortex says those may be too big... I have the full cortex system so I'm hoping with some 1/2" spacers up front I'll be ok running square.

Pirelli slicks run small compared to Continentals, so I think you will be fine as far as the wheel vs tire relationship is concerned. A friend of mine picked up some 305/660-18 Pirelli slicks from the PWC when they were in Portland last month, and those tires fit well on his 10" wide wheels whereas my 305/660-18 Conti G5000 were pretty bulged a 10".
 

Wingrider

'11 GT500, 99% Track Car. Lots of mods & I coach
Pirelli slicks run small compared to Continentals, so I think you will be fine as far as the wheel vs tire relationship is concerned. A friend of mine picked up some 305/660-18 Pirelli slicks from the PWC when they were in Portland last month, and those tires fit well on his 10" wide wheels whereas my 305/660-18 Conti G5000 were pretty bulged a 10".

Thank you for this. Is there a loose agreement that a 1/2" spacer is the correct size to run up front if running the Cortex reverse front struts, or do I have more clearance? I seem to recall Darrell from AV8 thinking 1/2" was the one to use.
 

Apex Wheels

Race Proven, Street Approved
Supporting Vendor
670
1,061
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Bay Area, CA
Thank you for this. Is there a loose agreement that a 1/2" spacer is the correct size to run up front if running the Cortex reverse front struts, or do I have more clearance? I seem to recall Darrell from AV8 thinking 1/2" was the one to use.

Yeah loose agreement is the best way I could word that, lol. Most of the customers I recall that run the offset struts with our 11s use a 15mm but they didn't really comment on how much room is available with the 15. So 1/2" in theory could be fine.

A different friend of mine, Ray, who's GT500 we did the write-up on a couple weeks ago, runs 19x10" ET40 up front with a 295 Toyo paired with Cortex offset housings. He did not need any spacers, where someone who had standard struts would need a 10-12mm spacer normally just to give you an idea how much more room the Cortex units offer.

- Cory
 
I have the Apex 18x11 EC-7 wrapped with NT01 305s, 20 mm spacers from OPM with the Boss stock struts. Maximum Motorsports cc plates are maxed at -2.5 camber. Need to install camber bolts to get to -3 or more. No rubbing on the struts, but did have a small amount of rubbing on the plastic fender liner and brake cooling duct, not significant. Need steering stops or pay closer attention to my steering inputs. I'm very satisfied with the Apex and OPM products and service.
 

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