► Official APEX VW SM-10 Flow Formed Wheel Thread

[daujin_mk7]

Any pictures you can share, especially of the flow formed options? My cousin and I are both looking for new wheels.

+1. I'm in the market for a track set

 

[Ambitorus]

I really want to, but I am going to need some justifiable demand from the community to push it through. The main reason why I don't think there is necessarily any need to offer MQB VW/Audi 5x112/57.1mm fitments in our new Enduro line is simply due to the fact that these cars are just so dang light. Combine that with the fact that most folks are using 17" wheels on the track with chunky tires, and considering there aren't many VW/Audis running around on slicks with a ton of Aero, it's hard to justify the need for a significantly stronger wheel (at the expense of unsprung weight, too).

That's a very PR-friendly way of saying "yall don't drive fast enough to need these"

 

[APEXWheels]

Any pictures you can share, especially of the flow formed options? My cousin and I are both looking for new wheels.

Not quite yet! But as soon as I can start trickling out teasers, this will be the first place I plan to share them!

+1. I'm in the market for a track set

If I'm being honest, these upcoming wheels are not going to be as track-focused as our current offerings. At the moment, the 17x9" ET42 VS-5RS is going to be our best VW/Audi track fitment, as it is the lightest, strongest, and has the best brake clearance out of the current catalog.

The new FF wheel will slot around the current SM-10, offering a few less spokes at a similar price point (hint hint). Functionality/performance wise, this new FF wheel will be a bit lighter but have less brake clearance compared to the SM-10 in the same fitments.

The upcoming Forged wheel will be a completely new and unique design to Apex, and from an aesthetic perspective, it's something I have seen the VW/Audi crowd request for a while now. This wheel will not be quite as light as the VS-5RS but will still maintain that Forged strength/durability while clearing most of the popular BBKs in this market. Hope ya'll like lips!

-Geirsen

 

[bentin]

Race Gold on the forged wheels, just putting that out there now.

 

[scrllock]

The new FF wheel will slot around the current SM-10, offering a few less spokes at a similar price point (hint hint). Functionality/performance wise, this new FF wheel will be a bit lighter but have less brake clearance compared to the SM-10 in the same fitments.

Any plans to have a matching 18x9 + 18x9.5 staggered setup? I'm looking at this for a reverse stagger but currently requires mixing SM-10RS in front and SM-10 or VS-5RS in rear.

 

[victorofhavoc]

Any plans to have a matching 18x9 + 18x9.5 staggered setup? I'm looking at this for a reverse stagger but currently requires mixing SM-10RS in front and SM-10 or VS-5RS in rear.

I ran staggered for a while and I like the heat distribution way better this way since the car stayed neutral in the middle of sessions. I'd recommend running 6 wheels since the fronts burn up way sooner, and it's just easier to have a couple extra fronts. I ran 17x9 and 17x8 in mixed wheels like a dork , and only because no other options existed then.

 

[scrllock]

I ran staggered for a while and I like the heat distribution way better this way since the car stayed neutral in the middle of sessions. I'd recommend running 6 wheels since the fronts burn up way sooner, and it's just easier to have a couple extra fronts. I ran 17x9 and 17x8 in mixed wheels like a dork , and only because no other options existed then.

Yep, more wheel support is always good. And it's a lot easier to add fender clearance in front. I suppose there's the 8Y RS3 setup, but can't justify their forged prices.

 

[APEXWheels]

Race Gold on the forged wheels, just putting that out there now.

Noted, and I 100% personally agree with you!

Any plans to have a matching 18x9 + 18x9.5 staggered setup? I'm looking at this for a reverse stagger but currently requires mixing SM-10RS in front and SM-10 or VS-5RS in rear.

Not really, unfortunately. The reverse staggered 18x9.5" ET41 and 18x9" ET42 setup is SUPER niche and is only really used for specific track applications with tighter/lower speed layouts (for additional rotation). The reason we don't offer a 18x9" ET42 SM-10RS is due to the fact that we couldn't get it to clear the larger RS model brakes. If we did make that wheel, it would only work in a square setup on stock brake Golf Rs, or as a rear wheel paired with the 18x9.5" ET41 up front.

Yep, more wheel support is always good. And it's a lot easier to add fender clearance in front. I suppose there's the 8Y RS3 setup, but can't justify their forged prices.

The 8Y RS3 specific wheel we have is a much lower offset (18x9.5" ET20) than what would be ideal for a reverse staggered setup on the Golf R (18x9.5" ET41). That said, we likely won't offer any of these niche/aggressive track focused fitments in our Flow Formed line, as our minimum production requirements are siginificantly higher than Forged. Plus, most of the folks looking to run a super aggressive track setup like that tend to lean towards Forged wheels anyways.

-Geirsen

 

[Salami]

The new FF wheel will slot around the current SM-10, offering a few less spokes at a similar price point (hint hint). Functionality/performance wise, this new FF wheel will be a bit lighter but have less brake clearance compared to the SM-10 in the same fitments.

So exactly how many fewer spokes? I'm a sucker for 4 less spokes!

 

[Jmitchell4873]

Just wanted to drop in a pic of my SM-10/RT660 track setup. Only a couple short rips through the Ozark hills with them so far, but they should get a decent workout on the autoX course next weekend.

 

[APEXWheels]

So exactly how many fewer spokes? I'm a sucker for 4 less spokes!

I can't share any details quite yet, but you are definitely guessing in the right direction!

Just wanted to drop in a pic of my SM-10/RT660 track setup. Only a couple short rips through the Ozark hills with them so far, but they should get a decent workout on the autoX course next weekend.

View attachment 301421

Would you mind if I added your car to our website gallery? We are always looking to include more customer cars in there!

If so, please feel free to share any other angles/pics you have, as well as your suspension/camber specs.

-Geirsen

 

[Jmitchell4873]

I can't share any details quite yet, but you are definitely guessing in the right direction!



Would you mind if I added your car to our website gallery? We are always looking to include more customer cars in there!

If so, please feel free to share any other angles/pics you have, as well as your suspension/camber specs.

-Geirsen

Sure thing.
17x9 +42 with 245/45/17 RT660
Camber -2.1f -1.8r
Had a slight rub on the rear shock at -2.1 since the RT660 is a full 10'' wide on a 9'' wheel. This is as wide as I can go in the rear without rolling the fenders.

Couple more to share if you'd like them.

 

[scrllock]

From now on all wheel beauties should be shot at the uranus fudge factory

 

[APEXWheels]

Since some of y'all were chatting about the idea of going even wider than 9" wheels on the MK8 chassis, I thought I would share a recent fitment test we did this week.

Bone stock MK8 Golf R with our 18x9.5" ET41 SM-10RS wheels wrapped in SUPER aggressive 265/35-18 RT660s. Long story short, they fit but just barely. The RT660s run super wide in the shoulders, so it is a bit tight on the inner clearance side (see second pic taken while the car was on the ground). After seeing this setup, I think the 18x9.5" ET41 would be a great option to run 255/35-18 RT660s (or similar aggressive compounds) to provide a bit more sidewall support vs. the 18x9" ET42. It should also work with less aggressive 265/35-18 street tires or light duty 200TW compounds. Keep in mind, this will need lots of camber and is NOT somthing I would recommend for a street car. It does look slick as hell though.

-Geirsen

 

[manu97]

Since some of y'all were chatting about the idea of going even wider than 9" wheels on the MK8 chassis, I thought I would share a recent fitment test we did this week.

Bone stock MK8 Golf R with our 18x9.5" ET41 SM-10RS wheels wrapped in SUPER aggressive 265/35-18 RT660s. Long story short, they fit but just barely. The RT660s run super wide in the shoulders, so it is a bit tight on the inner clearance side (see second pic taken while the car was on the ground). After seeing this setup, I think the 18x9.5" ET41 would be a great option to run 255/35-18 RT660s (or similar aggressive compounds) to provide a bit more sidewall support vs. the 18x9" ET42. It should also work with less aggressive 265/35-18 street tires or light duty 200TW compounds. Keep in mind, this will need lots of camber and is NOT somthing I would recommend for a street car. It does look slick as hell though.

View attachment 301691
View attachment 301692

-Geirsen

Man I wish I loved closer to you guys so I could check the clearance on a MK7 R. Looks sweet.