1997-2002 E36/7 and E36/8 Z3 coupe and roadster. Fitment is identical between all models.
EC-7 // Front & Rear: 18x9" ET31 with 255/35-18 tires (mods required)
Vehicle Covered in this Guide
1997-2002 E36/7 and E36/8 Z3 M coupe and roadster.
Available Wheel Designs (click images to enlarge)
All APEX wheel designs are available for this chassis.
| Forged Designs | Flow Formed Designs | ||
|
ARC-8R |
EC-7RS |
ARC-8 |
EC-7 |
|
VS-5RS |
SM-10RS |
FL-5 |
SM-10 |
| Bolt Pattern | Thread Pitch | Center Bore |
| 5x120mm | M12x1.5mm | 72.56mm |
OEM+ Fitments
FL-5 // Front: 18x8.5" ET35 with 235/40-18 // Rear: 18x10.5" ET22 with 275/35-18 tires (mods required)
These fitments prioritize (in order):
1. Ease of fitment
2. Aesthetics
3. Performance
Ideal for the driver who wants a no-nonsense direct bolt-on fitment. These fitments are a small step up from stock wheels and tires, and offer a small but noticeable performance improvement.
Staggered Setups
Maintains stock-like handling characteristics, tires can only be rotated left to right. Maximizes both front and rear tire width.
- Front: 17x8.5" ET40 with 235/40-17 tires
Rear: 17x10" ET25 with 275/40-17 tires- Popular fitment.
- Available in ARC-8 design only.
- Direct fit.
- Front: 18x8.5" ET35 or ET38 (ARC-8) with 235/40-18 tires
Rear: 18x10" ET25 with 275/35-18 tires- Available in ARC-8, EC-7, FL-5, SM-10
- Alternative rear fitment: 18x9.5" ET22 with 265/35-18 tires.
- Additional negative camber may be required up front with tire models that run wide.
Aggressive Street Fitments
EC-7 // Front & Rear: 18x9" ET31 with 255/35-18 tires (mods required)
These fitments prioritize (in order):
1. Aesthetics
2. Performance
3. Ease of fitment
Ideal for the driver who wants to fill out the wheel wells with the widest possible rubber and perfectly flush offsets. Sometimes these fitments are a direct bolt-on, but often times require small spacers, negative camber, or rolled fenders for the sake of dialing in the perfect blend of function and form.
Staggered Setups
Maintains stock-like handling characteristics, tires can only be rotated left to right. Maximizes both front and rear tire width.
- Front: 17x9" ET30 with 235/40-17 tires
Rear: 17x10" ET25 with 275/40-17 tires- Available in: ARC-8, VS-5RS
- Front negative camber required.
- Front: 18x9" ET30 or ET31 (EC-7) with 245/35-18 tires
Rear: 18x10.5" ET22 with 275/35-18 tires- Popular fitment.
- Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, EC-7RS, SM-10, SM-10RS, VS-5RS
- Front negative camber required.
Performance Street/Track or Race Fitments
FL-5 // Front: 18x9.5" ET35 with 245/40-18 // Rear: 18x10.5" ET27 with 275/35-18 tires (mods required)
These fitments prioritize (in order):
1. Performance
2. Ease of fitment
3. Aesthetics
These fitments are effective for both performance oriented street cars and weekend track warriors. The suspension type,
Staggered Setups
Maintains stock-like handling characteristics, tires can only be rotated left to right. Maximizes both front and rear tire width.
- Front: 17x9" ET30 with 235/40-17 tires
Rear: 17x10" ET25 with 275/40-17 tires- Popular fitment.
- Available in: ARC-8, VS-5RS
- Front negative camber required.
- Front: 18x9" ET30 or ET31 with 235/40-18 tires
Rear: 18x10.5" ET22 with 275/35-18 tires
- Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, EC-7RS, SM-10, SM-10RS, VS-5RS
- Front negative camber required.
- Rear 285/35 tires may also be used.
- Front: 18x9" ET30 (VS-5RS) or ET31 (EC-7) with 255/35-18 tires
Rear: 18x11" ET25 with 295/30-18 tires- Available in: EC-7, VS-5RS
- Front negative camber required.
- Rear rolled fenders may be required.
Additional Fitment Information
Identifying Suspension Types
If you’re using coilovers, see the image below to identify which type of coilover spring you have, as it may effect your wheel fitment.
Aftermarket Suspensions Known To Reduce Inner Clearance
(includes but not limited to):
- Bilstein PSS9 & PSS10
- KW Height-Adjustable Spring (HAS) kit
- KW Variants
- KW Clubsports
- Öhlins Road & Track
Concavity & Face Profiles
Each of our wheel designs is available in two or three different levels of concavity, which we call Profiles. The Profile is dictated by the width and offset, meaning wide lower-offset wheels will have more concavity, while narrow higher-offset wheels will have less concavity.
Available Face Profiles
| ARC-8 | EC-7 | FL-5 | SM-10 |
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 |
To determine the face profile of a specific wheel visit the "Specifications" tab on the product page for that wheel. For example:
About Camber Plates
Adjustable camber plates do more than just aid in wide wheel and tire fitment. They provide increased grip and reduced tire wear by spreading the load evenly during cornering. Learn more in our blog article, The Positives of Negative Camber.
Big Brake Kit Clearances
We have tested many big brake kits with most of the wheels listed in this guide. Please email us with any questions related to brake clearance, we’ll be happy to help.
Still have questions?
Fill out our Fitment Recommendation form
Call us: 925-245-0773
Email us: support@apexraceparts.com