Product Description
18x11" ET52 APEX EC-7 Mustang Wheel (Satin Black)
Weight - 22.85 lbs
From Apex:
Fit Matters
The right solution for every application
The EC-7 wheel includes details specifically implemented to enhance the Mustang owners' track day and street performance experience. An optimized car setup begins with the right wheel and tire fitment, and without model-specific attention, maximum performance is compromised. These wheels were developed exclusively for S197 and S550 chassis, and will work in either square or staggered applications. Most fitments are direct bolt-on solutions, however aggressive square fitments utilizing the 18x11” EC-7 wheels will require spacers on the front axle for proper inner strut clearance. This not a compromised fitment, it is the only way to outfit an S197 or S550 chassis with the highly desirable true-rotatable 11” square fitment.
Simply put, our wheel was designed for long-term durability without sacrificing performance and fit, while also adhering to APEX’s mission of maximizing value. Corner carving & track enthusiasts: this is your wheel.
Face Profile
One design, many levels of beauty
The EC-7 wheel is manufactured in three increasingly-concave face profiles; The shallowest face provides increased caliper clearance on narrow applications, while the deepest concave face reduces weight and creates a stunningly aggressive appearance on low offset and wide-width applications. This Mustang application utilizes our medium profile for the best balance between caliper clearance, concavity, and weight.
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 these wheels offer ample brake clearance, effectively clearing a variety of aftermarket BBK’s as well as popular factory BBK’s like the S197 14” and 15” GT500 Brembo BBK’s, as well as the S550 Performance Package Brembo BBK. The S550 GT350 would require our 19” EC-7.
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 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. We 2D modeled most Big Brake Kits available in Solidworks and tweaked the wheel design of the EC-7 prior to production in order to fit as many kits as possible. Contact us to confirm brake clearances for your specific application.
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.
Hub Centric
No rings or adapters here
All APEX EC-7 wheels are purpose built for select vehicle applications, and centering rings are never required for any Mustang S197 or S550 application. All 5x114.3mm bolt pattern wheels feature a direct-fit, 70.5mm center bore.
Center Cap
A factory fit and finish
We don't reuse one cap design for all of our wheels. Every EC-7 wheel is designed to work with factory center caps. You can easily replace APEX center caps with OEM Ford center caps for a clean factory look. The EC-7 wheels will ship with our Gloss Black center cap that mimics the size and shape of a Ford factory center cap.
APEX EC-7 Mustang wheels fit the following OEM Center Caps:
• M-1096-K
• 1R3Z-1130-AA
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.
TPMS Sensors
They all fit
TPMS sensors, which monitor tire pressure, are one piece of technology that can't be compromised. The attention to OEM compatibility on the EC-7 wheel doesn't end with center caps. All APEX wheels accept OEM and aftermarket equivalent TPMS sensors, and any standard sized metal or rubber valve stem.
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.
Warranty
A wheel you can depend on
All APEX wheels are backed by a 2 year structural warranty and a 1 year finish warranty. This warranty guarantees that all APEX wheels will be free from defects in materials, workmanship, and paint finish under normal and reasonable use.
