ptm1019

I've been looking around to pick up a set of track wheels and have been looking at the more moderately priced options for my 987.2 CS. I can't quite cost justify buying fully forged wheels for the 7-10 DEs that I will do each year (unless someone is selling a solid used set at a good price!). In light of that I know the OZ Alleggerita is a very common track wheel for the Cayman as I've seen multiple people running those at the events I've been to. I'm curious as to anyone's experience with the Apex rims (specifically the SM10 rim) as they are a relative newcomer to the Porsche market but have certainly established themselves with BMW a long time ago. I like the look of the SM10 better for the Cayman than the OZ and am curious as to whether the fit/finish/durability is comparable or better than the OZ.

Also looking for input on tire choices. I'm currently running PS4S but have been looking at something more along the lines of the Bridgestone RE71R or Hankook RS4. Others have also recommended the Nitto NT01. Any feedback from those who have experience with some or all of these would be greatly appreciated.

daylorb

I went Apex, with NT01's. So far so good - but it is warm here in TX.

GT3 Nut

I have a set of OEM 987.2 Spyder wheels with TPMS and Bridgestone RE71 in fantastic shape that I am getting ready to list for sale.
PM me if interested.

Code

I'm also running Apex SM-10's with RE-71R tires. I've been very happy with the wheels so far, and the fit and finish is terrific. The wheel sizes I chose are 18x8.5 ET42 and 18x10 ET36.

Cayman with Apex SM-10

SM-10

bernb6

Code, what RE-71R sizes are your running?
Bern

Code

245-40-18 up front and 275-35-18 in back.

GT3 Nut

I had 255 in front and 275 in rear. I really liked the balance! I had the stock sway bars on my most recent Spyder and with the 255 in front I feel like it was comparable in turn in to when I had 245 in front 275 rear with the GT3 front bar and Tarret rear bar on my previous Spyder. Not that it’s a direct crossover but I think it was ideal for a street car that I didn’t plan to track.

Dr.Bill

The OZ wheels in an 18" size are a great lightweight wheel for the price.
I really like the Yoko AD08R tires. Not as noisy as NT01s on the street with very similar levels of grip. RE71R is a great tire too, but needs quite a bit of negative camber to combat edge wear.

ptm1019

Awesome looking with the SM-10s on there. Are you running negative camber or did those fit on with the 245/275s on the stock suspension and setup. I'm lowered about 20mm and am wondering if the 245/275 setup on the wider rim (rear especially) will be rubbing anywhere. Would love to be 10'' in the rear if possible without having to revamp the whole setup, although I will likely be doing that in the future anyways.

Code

My car is setup for autocross, so I'm at -2.5 degrees camber all the way around. Per Apex's fitment guide you shouldn't have any issues running the 10" width in the rear with a 275 tire and OEM camber settings. Depending on what offset you choose for the front may be a different story. Here is their guide for reference: https://support.apexraceparts.com/hc...-Fitment-Guide

PorscheAddict

Apex/RE71 for me. They're great wheels if they're built like the BMW ones were. There's still a set of my old Apex track wheels off my M3 running around that has literally 100-150 track days on them. This setup is 275/255, -3/-2.2 camber.

Apex Wheels

* Edited on 9/25/2020 to add in our new EC-7R wheel specs *

We appreciate your interest, and thanks all for chiming in!

We offer multiple front and rear wheel fitment options in two different manufacturing processes (flow formed and forged) for Cayman owners depending on how you plan to use the car, the tire size and brand you intend to run, and your suspension and alignment setup. We understand that drivers have different priorities/goals and cars will be setup dramatically different from one another, therefore there is no such thing as one size fits all. We prefer to discuss some of these points up front to ensure you are getting the right wheel configuration for your specific needs. Feel free to reach out to my direct line (925)605-7397 if you would like to discuss anything in more detail.

APEX SM-10 Flow Formed Wheels

Option 1: Recommended for cars predominantly used on the street with factory alignment specs
Front: 18x8.5" ET50
Rear: 18x10" ET36

Option 2: Recommended for cars predominantly used on the street with factory alignment specs
Front: 18x8.5" ET42
Rear: 18x10" ET36

Option 3: Recommended for track/race cars looking for wider front wheels to improve turn-in and to mitigate understeer (complies with SpecCayman rules)
Front: 18x9" ET46
Rear: 18x10" ET36

APEX EC-7R Forged Wheels

Option 4: Recommended for track/race applications where drivers want to fully maximize front and rear wheel/tire widths (perfect for GTB1)
Front: 18x9" ET46
Rear: 18x10.5" ET44

As you can see, the only difference between option 1 and 2 listed above is only the offset for the front wheels (ET50 vs. ET42). ET50 is the more conservative fitment, while the ET42 is slightly more aggressive pushing the front wheels 8mm closer to the front fenders. Both 18x8.5" wheels work on this chassis, however, the ET42 results in a more flush fitment and offers much better brake clearance between the wheel spokes that brake caliper face. The 8.5" front wheels work best with 235 - 245 wide tires.

Option 3 encompasses our wider 9" front wheels for the Cayman. Track enthusiasts and racers looking to run wider front compounds for improved turn-in and less understeer will also want wider wheels for proper sidewall support. Popular track compounds tend to run wider than your average street tires, and the wider 9" wheel will help extract the most performance out of those compounds. Dialing in a touch of negative is recommended with this setup to ensure front fender clearance, however, I think it important to state that negative camber is vital for a well-performing car that will see track time and shouldn't be thought of as a barrier (see negative camber section below).

Option 4 (only available in our new forged EC-7R design) maximizes both front and rear wheel widths for well developed Cayman/Boxster track/race cars which maximizes sidewall support for wide tire configurations. The 10.5" rear wheels will better support wide 295 or 305 tire sizes over 10" wheels, and we perfected the offset to make it quite easy to fit.

Tire Configurations and Suggestions

We can get into this topic in great detail, but at a high level, you should choose your compound based on how much seat time you have under your belt. I'm a firm believer in rising through the tire ranks, only upgrading to the "next level" when you've plateaued and the car is properly prepared/setup for what is to come. Since you have run Michelin PS4S up until this point, I would move to an extreme summer tire like the Hankook RS-4 which is going to offer superior dry grip while still providing a lot of longevity (in comparison to r-comps and slicks) and feedback at the limit. The natural progression after the RS-4 would be the Bridgestone RE-71R or the trusty Nitto NT01.

Option 1: These are the same tall tire specs that come on the base 981/718 Cayman with 18" wheels, however, by choosing a superior track-oriented compound the tires will naturally be a bit wider and will provide much better grip. Moving to a lightweight 18" wheel is going to be a huge advantage as well so novices shouldn't get hung up on the tire width. Using the OEM tire specs ensures that your setup will work flawlessly with PASM and other electronics (although most of the tire configurations listed below have no reports of issues), and the RE-71Rs are a massive upgrade over the stock compounds.

Front: 235/45-18 - 26.33” tall
Rear: 265/45-18 - 27.39” tall

^ 3.88% percent difference from front to rear (or 1.09”)
^ Bridgestone RE-71R is the only option, but a very good/popular one

Option 2: Commonly referred to as "+1 sizing", as we are increasing the tire width by one size front and rear. This is probably the most popular 18" tire configuration on Cayman's as many enthusiasts want to go wider than stock and there are good tire options to choose from.

Front: 245/40-18 - 25.72” tall
Rear: 275/40-18 - 26.66” tall

^ 3.55% percent difference from front to rear (or 0.95”)
^ Available in Michelin PSS, Hankook RS4, Yokohama A052, Nitto NT05, Nitto NT01 (my personal favorite)

Option 3: This configuration helps further mitigate understeer as it closes the gap from front to rear tire widths. The front end of the car benefits from a much wider compound over the stock 235's, but negative camber is required to ensure they do not rub. This configuration is also shorter in height in comparison to stock but is a popular choice which offers a wide tire selection

255/35-18 - 25.03" tall
275/35-18 - 25.58" tall

^2.15% difference from front to rear (or 0.55")
^ Available in Bridgestone RE-71R, Michelin PS4S, Dunlop Direzza ZIII, Hankook RS-4, Nankang AR-1, Toyo R888R, Hoosier R7/A7


Option 4: Very similar to tire option 3 above, only we increased the rear tire width

Front: 255/35-18 - 25.03”
Rear: 285/35-18 - 25.85”

^ 3.19% difference from front to rear (or 0.82”)
^ Available in Michelin PS4S and Hankook RS-4


Option 5: Aggressive configuration that maximizes front tire and rear tire widths

Front: 265/35-18 - 25.03”
Rear: 295/35-18 - 24.97”

^ 3.2% difference from front to rear (or 0.8"”)
^ Available in Yokohama A052

Option 6: This is the most aggressive tire configuration used on club race cars like GTB1. The black 987 Cayman S pictured below is running this tire configuration, but he also has a 3.8L engine to warrant it

Front: 265/645-18
Rear: 305/660-18

^ Available in Pirelli DH and Michelin slicks

Negative Camber:

If the car is going to be used on the track or AutoX, especially with r-compounds or slicks, we highly suggest dialing in negative camber regardless of which wheel and tire setup you end up choosing. Not only will negative camber provide you with more front fender clearance, but it, more importantly, improves the car's handling characteristics and ability to turn-in. Negative camber will provide you with more even/consistent tire wear, ensuring you get the most out of your expensive tires. Without the appropriate amount of negative camber, you will significantly decrease the longevity of the tire (the shoulders will wear prematurely) and performance will be left on the table. Negative camber can be dialed in by purchasing aftermarket adjustable camber plates and/or upgraded GT3 front control arms with shims. Some enthusiasts do one or the other, while others do both to get a broader range of camber adjustment. Both will work with your stock suspension.


















- Ryan

ramans

Apex 18" wheels with RE71Rs on my 981 CS for track duty, they look awesome and fit great.

ptm1019

Wow thanks for the crazy detailed response. You should use that on your website, there is more info there than on the fitment guide!

I’m sure many folks here will be interested in the answers to my next two questions:
1. I see if we order the rims direct from you that you only currently ship with tires mounted and balanced from Michelin and BF Goodrich. Are there any plans in the short term where we would be able to order with the Hankook, Bridgestone or Nitto tires we have been talking about? If not direct from Apex, are there other Apex distributors that can sell the fully mounted and balanced set?
2. Are there any upcoming promotions for the SM10? Father’s Day? Another group buy? It looks like there is a lot of interest for another run.

PS - I saw the black KMC Cayman at a DE at Thompson Speedway this past weekend. It is a monster and is actually the reason I started this thread. Wheels looked even better in person.

Thanks again for your help!

Apex Wheels

My pleasure. We'll be updating our Porsche fitment guides to be much more comprehensive.

All of our wheel and tire packages include free mounting and road force balancing, however, our tire selection is quite slim at the moment. We are working on expanding the tire line, as I would love to offer more extreme summer and r-compound tires for customer convenience. The tire segment of the industry is a bit odd/difficult, so it isn't easy to make quick progress on that front.

We typically run a community Group Buy in Q1 to kick off the season, as that is when most enthusiasts are stocking up/prepping for the season. We may run another before year end, but it depends on a few contributing factors. If so, it would likely be sometime in Q3. At the end of the day, we believe our product holds tremendous value at MSRP

Very cool that you got to see the KMC 3.8L Cayman in the flesh! What a machine. We're working on getting a video done of the car, and should that come to fruition, we'll be sure to share it here on RL.

- Ryan