APEX EC-7 Wheel 18x9.5" ET43 5x120 (Set of 4)

Spokes
More than just a pretty face

The curved spokes of the EC-7 serve many purposes, both in terms of form and function. The split "Y" spokes were carefully evaluated from every aspect to ensure light weight and remarkable strength. Their curved design increases brake calipers in almost every application, allowing the EC-7 to fit where the ARC-8 design simply cannot. The unique curvature of each face profile reduces center pad material as they are optimally selected for each unique width and offset. The lack of a deep front lip and spokes that connect directly to the barrel's lip, producing a rigid wheel with even load distribution.

Brake Clearance - Spokes
Spokes that work for you

If the spokes of a wheel don't clear your brake calipers, then the wheel can't be used at all. We made sure all 18" APEX EC-7 wheels can properly clear OEM steel brakes, spacer free. Because of the large variation in clearance needs, APEX produced the EC-7 wheel using three unique face profiles. When the correct profile is used for each specific vehicle application, every Big Brake Kits can clear the spokes spacer free. The flattest face profile offers maximum caliper clearance for high offset, narrow wheels, and older vehicles with Big Brake Kits. The deepest 18" concave face still has enough room to clear wider aftermarket Big Brake Kits on almost all applications. Contact us to confirm brake clearances for your specific application.

Brake Clearance - Barrel
A lot of room in a tight space

Designing a wheel with spokes that clear a Big Brake Kit, is only half of the battle. The inside of the barrel needs to be large enough to physically fit large calipers and rotors. Be warned— not all 18" wheels are made equal. The barrel of the EC-7 wheel offers unmatched caliper clearance because wheels shouldn’t limit your choice of aftermarket brake kits, and brake kits shouldn’t force you to run oversized wheels.

Hub Center
Form follows function

Race wheels can't just be light, they need to function in a high performance environment. Unlike the narrow lug recesses of most other wheels, the EC-7 wheel features bored-out lug recesses that easily accommodate over-sized race lugs and beefy impact sockets. This allows for quick and easy wheel changes and prevents chips and scratches from tools.

Wheel Hardware
Original or Aftermarket, it all works

The EC-7 wheel can be used with all OEM and aftermarket mounting hardware with a 60° tapered seat. Lug bolts, wheel locks, and stud conversion kits all work perfectly. The EC-7 wheel also accepts wheel spacers without issue. The shallow rear chamfer allows the wheel to remain hub centric even when 5mm flat spacers are used. The chamfer is deep enough to clear the chamfered lip found on some aftermarket spacers that would typically cause improper seating of the wheel and, therefore, wheel vibration.

Flow Forming
Benefits of forging, without the pain

All APEX wheels, including the EC-7 wheel, are produced using the Flow-Forming technique. This process significantly reduces 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 it's 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 light-weight and extremely strong barrel that equals that of a traditional 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 light-weight wheel that will see extreme loads. All APEX wheels are crush 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 testing, 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 EC-7 wheel design was as light, but had even more strength to handle the abuses experienced in endurance racing. We began with a beefy, multi-spoke, one-piece design. We built and test this wheel with even higher load rating requirements. We added reliefs in the mounting pad to remove weight between lug holes, where we could safely save weight. 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. Use the EC-7 with confidence is over built for both street and track.

Finishes
Because being faster is just not enough

The EC-7 wheel is available in multiple finishes. 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.

Often overlooked, painted or powder coated lug hole seats can cause hardware to loosen or begin the spread of paint chipping to more visible sections. The coating process of the EC-7 leaves lug holes, center bores and mounting pads untouched, which ensures proper fit and torque values.