Lightweight forged wheels for track on GT350

[Maxim_7k]

Hey everyone!

Thinking about updating my OEM GT350 wheels. There's few options out there - Forgeline, Apex, Project6, Signature, but not much info about durability/weight of every option, and to have such info in 1 thread would be nice, I guess.
I'm looking to drop some weight from the wheels and to get 11 square setup (running 305 tires square setup now). Also, would it be a good idea to use 11.5 rear rim, as probably I'd like to run 315 rear tires some time in the future?
I'm using my car mostly for trackdays, but I don't want superfragile rim as well.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

I would go to the Apex Sponsor site and click on the company representative ( Cory ). He can walk you through the changes needed so you can run bigger wheels and you will want a square set-up. In other words all four wheels are the exact same offset so you can rotate easily, but this will require spacers up front and ARP long studs for all 4 wheels. Good luck and I hope you find Track Mustangs Online useful?

 

[Bill Pemberton]

By the way, Maxim, you might post your car on the " Build Thread " as it is always enjoyable for others around the World to see what folks have done or are considering doing to their cars.

 

[Maxim_7k]

I would go to the Apex Sponsor site and click on the company representative ( Cory ). He can walk you through the changes needed so you can run bigger wheels and you will want a square set-up. In other words all four wheels are the exact same offset so you can rotate easily, but this will require spacers up front and ARP long studs for all 4 wheels. Good luck and I hope you find Track Mustangs Online useful?

Thanks!
Yes, TMO and members of the community is pretty much only source where I'm looking for information - noone is tracking this car in Russia (cause we have like maybe 10 GT350 overall) and noone knows anything about it, haha.

 

[Maxim_7k]

By the way, Maxim, you might post your car on the " Build Thread " as it is always enjoyable for others around the World to see what folks have done or are considering doing to their cars.

Will pick up my car tomorrow, was doing some upgrades in the shop, and than it will be posted

 

[RaiderJatt02]

I'm running these on mine. Not a lot of people have them and they're as close as you can get to the OEM GT350R Carbon Fiber wheels without actually getting the CF wheels. I run 19x11 et50 at all 4 corners. You'll need extended studs and 25-28mm hub centric spacers up front to run the same wheels all around.

19" GT7-R Custom Full Forged Concave Wheels Rims Fits Mustang Shelby GT350 GT500 | VIBE Motorsports | Burbank, California

Fully forged, 22-23lbs, fitment is great, caliper clearance is perfect, easy to clean. Looks like they only have staggered setups on their website but if you contact them they should be able to make you a square, track ready setup. If you look through the pictures, my car is the Race Red one on the site.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

We all look forward to seeing your car in the " Build Thread." What track will you run once you get the GT 350?

 

[blacksheep-1]

Forgelines are the gold standard, however Apex provides a less expensive alternative as long as you inspect and maintain them. Wheels, like brakes and gasoline, are another " consumable" that has a life expectancy

 

[Maxim_7k]

We all look forward to seeing your car in the " Build Thread." What track will you run once you get the GT 350?

I drove at "Igora Drive" all summer, but now track is closed for reconstruction (preparation for F1 in 2023), so car moved to Moscow and I'll be spending some time at "Moscow Raceway". In 1-2 month weather will be worsening, so car will be moving again - to Sochi, for track-days at "Sochi autodrom" (current F1 russian track)

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Well, if you have an in car camera post videos of each track when you run them. I am pretty sure we don't have any TMO members who have videos of those tracks. Plus you will end up with the fastest times recorded for any member, ha.

 

[VUDU V8 Steve]

Agree with Bill. APEX. While Forgeline is certainly default Gold standard, and Signature Wheels not only gorgeous but incredible quality and design, Big boy 11" square set up will set you back $6-8,000 for four super high-end wheels, whereas APEX came in at just under $2,000 for all four. 25mm front spacers, long studs, and 11" all around and you can mount 305's or 315's without a problem. Potential for rub/scrape issues depending on suspension/camber/ride height as covered elsewhere in TMO. The APEX wheels are light, strong, look good, and take a beating well. If you're running purple and green lights in your wheelwells, and spend lots of time polishing your garage queen, drop some more coin and spend three or four times as much- the car will look great.
The extra $4,000 PER WHEEL for high-end/top tier wheels will only save you approx. 500-900gms per corner over APEX wheels.
I spend my budget on seat time, tires, other expendables- Have fun!

 

[Maxim_7k]

Well, if you have an in car camera post videos of each track when you run them. I am pretty sure we don't have any TMO members who have videos of those tracks. Plus you will end up with the fastest times recorded for any member, ha.

Ha-ha
Will do some onboards, that's for sure.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Looking forward to the new GT 350 record holder at all Russian tracks posting more on TMO! Company I worked for for years ( Woodhouse Ford , Woodhouse Stellantis and more ) did a ton of Forgelines for years and still will do some custom applications for years , but for the track the Apex rims are light, reasonably priced and most important, the company is dedicated to making proper hub centric rims for all sorts of Mustangs.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Looking forward to the new GT 350 record holder at all Russian tracks posting more on TMO! Company I worked for for years ( Woodhouse Ford , Woodhouse Stellantis and more ) did a ton of Forgelines for years and still will do some custom applications for years , but for the track the Apex rims are light, reasonably priced and most important, the company is dedicated to making proper hub centric rims for all sorts of Mustangs.

Wheels, they're wheels

 

[k_z]

I'll add my 2 cents - none of the Mustang Apex wheels are forged. Also. Forgelines can be had much cheaper than their websites indicated, if you know who to go to. They're made here in Dayton, OH. If you buy a three piece one and mess up a rim (or need to change width), it can easily be replaced.

(I don't have anything to do with Forgeline - my current set are cheap SVEs - other that I am local to them, hang around with lots of people that are friends with them, they (Forgeline) also donated money to our local autocross lot surface repair).

 

[JDee]

I'll add my 2 cents - none of the Mustang Apex wheels are forged. Also. Forgelines can be had much cheaper than their websites indicated, if you know who to go to. They're made here in Dayton, OH. If you buy a three piece one and mess up a rim (or need to change width), it can easily be replaced.

(I don't have anything to do with Forgeline - my current set are cheap SVEs - other that I am local to them, hang around with lots of people that are friends with them, they (Forgeline) also donated money to our local autocross lot surface repair).

So who would we go to in order to get Forgelines much cheaper than they advertise them at? Because anywhere I see their wheels they are at least 4 times the price of flow formed (aka flow forged) wheels from companies like Apex.

 

[blacksheep-1]

there are forged wheels and there are the others, flow formed, spin forged, whatever are still cast, not that that is a deal killer, but they aren't as strong as the forged wheels.
Let's say you pay $4K for a set of forged wheels and they last 4 years
So you pay $2K for cast and they last 2 years
The cost is the same
however, and this is a big "however" the forged wheels will be stronger by a large margin, as an example.
this car was hit on lap 1 at Sebring running the Majors SCCA deal, the car finished the race... at Sebring no less, 50 minutes later, I seriously doubt a cast wheel would do that, especially at the rumple strip they call Sebring. I'm not saying anything bad about non forged wheels really, they are probably fine for HPDE, but for competition, there are more variables that need to be considered.

there was 1 spoke completely missing, 1 cracked totally through, and 1 just cracked around the impact area

 

[honeybadger]

I run two sets of Signature track series wheels and have been very happy. One set is 3 years old and the other 4. Definitely had some hard hits - gravel traps, lots of kerbs, etc. Highly recommend if you want Forged at a decent price. Otherwise Apex are a good alternative at a lower price point (just a bit heavy) or Forgeline obviously.

Building on Blacksheep's post above - a good thing to remember is the cheaper wheels are more likely to break/crack where Forged wheels often "bend." If possible, I'd suggest Forged wheels whenever possible.

 

[JAL racing]

Has anyone tried BC Forged wheels? Prices seem amazing for monoblock forged wheels!

 

[JDee]

there are forged wheels and there are the others, flow formed, spin forged, whatever are still cast, not that that is a deal killer, but they aren't as strong as the forged wheels.
Let's say you pay $4K for a set of forged wheels and they last 4 years
So you pay $2K for cast and they last 2 years
The cost is the same
however, and this is a big "however" the forged wheels will be stronger by a large margin, as an example.
this car was hit on lap 1 at Sebring running the Majors SCCA deal, the car finished the race... at Sebring no less, 50 minutes later, I seriously doubt a cast wheel would do that, especially at the rumple strip they call Sebring. I'm not saying anything bad about non forged wheels really, they are probably fine for HPDE, but for competition, there are more variables that need to be considered.

there was 1 spoke completely missing, 1 cracked totally through, and 1 just cracked around the impact area

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View attachment 67943

Except you can get flow formed, er-r-r-, cast 19 X 11" wheels for 305 bucks a wheel, $1220 a set. I'm on my 3rd year with mine with no issues......yet (touches wood). I thoroughly wash them and inspect them after every track day.
Would I race with them? Not a chance now, though back in the day when we had to run production wheels in certain classes I did and never had an issue. But for HPDE they're fine and cost effective for sure.

Edit: Forgeline GS1R in 19 X 11 are $1750 a wheel. That's a cool $7,000 for 4. Tough sell vs $1220 for HPDE or street guys.