Product Information

Apex SM-8RS Forged Mazda Wheel 17X10 ET43 (4X100 / 54.1) - Anthracite

Introducing the Apex SM-8RS, tailor made for the Mazda ND MX-5 Miata. As part of our Sprint Line family, the SM-8RS brings Real Performance to this beloved chassis.

This forged, 8-spoke take on our extremely popular SM-10RS design was tailor-made for the ND MX-5 Miata platform. It delivers an ideal balance of weight savings, durability, and track-ready stiffness with an incredible 1,400 lbs load rating, over 230 lbs stronger than required for JWL certification and 185 lbs stronger than most aftermarket ND Miata wheel options, making it perfect for both competition-focused ND Miatas and aggressive street builds.

Our new forgings weigh as much as 120 pounds before machining. To form such a thick blank we require special equipment capable of 10,000 metric tons of pressure, well above what most other brands use. This extreme pressure increases the strength of the aluminum by eliminating porosity and improving the grain structure.

Many companies use 3rd-party blanks intended for non-motorsport wheels which can severely limit sizes, concavity, spoke design, and critical brake clearance. We designed our very own blank profiles from scratch which gives us total control over the final product, resulting in exceptionally deep spokes and stronger designs.

One of the most noticeable features of the SM-8RS is its use of side-milling on both sides of each spoke, creating an I-beam effect. Any excess material that doesn’t add strength is carved out using a precision CNC ball cutter. Side-milling is often deemed cost-prohibitive by others, but for true performance without compromise we believe it's essential.

Our forged Sprint™ wheels are lightweight without the strength compromises found on typical lightweight wheels. First, we carved out as much material as possible, then we purposefully added one pound back to reinforce critical areas, creating a stronger inner lip and a higher load rating. What’s the point of a lightweight wheel if it’s fragile?

We conducted extensive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to reinforce high-stress areas and to remove material where it didn’t improve strength. The result is a wheel that is exceptionally light without the strength compromises found on typical lightweight wheels.

Just like the SM-10RS it’s based on, we used Finite Element Analysis of bending loads to optimize spoke geometry on the SM-8RS for greater stiffness without increasing weight.

Introducing the Sprint™ spec inner lip, with a unique channel profile that makes it even stronger than our previous designs. So even though our Sprint™ wheels are pounds lighter than comparable Flow Formed wheels, the inner lip is 32% stronger.

From day one, Apex has been on a mission to build wheels that clear big brakes. Our new forged SM-8RS is no different and the 9” and 10” fitments were designed specifically to clear both the ND’s large OEM Bremos and aftermarket BBKs.

Whether it’s a day at the track or months of street driving, repeated hard braking and acceleration can make a tire slip along the bead seat and go out of balance, causing vibration. Knurled beads help, but are less effective when painted over. Our forged line features unpainted knurled beads that stay sharp and maximize grip.

As track enthusiasts ourselves, we know how frustrating it is to try to locate and decipher wheel specs that have been hastily hammered into the rim or become unreadable over time. With our new Sprint™ wheels, we chose to invest a little extra and laser-engrave the specs on the barrel, in plain sight, making them easy to find and read. (You’re welcome.)

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