Konig Rims vs. stock, bbs, etc. (archive)

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There is nothing wrong with Konig rims. HOWEVER, they are NOT designed for your car. They will FIT your car, as they were machined to do so, but they were NOT DESIGNED for it.

The E24 has a HUGE problem with wobble when using aftermarket wheels. ALWAYS use either a BMW spec rim, a BBS rim, or a wheel that weighs **LESS** than 20 lbs minus the tire. (PREF. 18-19 lbs.)

ALSO, what is the offset? Factory offset on the e24 is around 20-22mm, depending on the wheels that were sent by BMW, and the year of the car. Your factory rim was around 22mm, I think (close, at least) in offset. GO NO FURTHER THAN + or - 5mm different.

Do not ask the guy selling them, "Are these 22mm offset?" simply ask him for the offset, and hope he answers 22mm. If he is not sure, or says, "Same as factory.." but does not know the factory offset, RUN! Trust me. I have had 4 "6 series," and I have raced two of them. I KNOW about the wheel requirements for E24 cars, and I know Konig makes wheels to fit Acura,Ford,BMW, Honda, etc., etc.

I would go with BBS, or find a BMW wheel in a 15" that will fit the newer 540i series. These rims are PERFECT for the 6 series, and for the E32, as well. AND THEY ARE LIGHTWEIGHT.

By using a 15 inch wheel, you are retaining the original aspect ratio of the tire as closely as you can (sidewall height). Using a 16 may look nicer, but unless you have a BEEFY suspension (hi-perf bushings, adj. shocks, coil overs, THICK sway bars) you will notice a wobble when using a 45 or 40 profile tire.

People will argue this point, but alot of them are M6 owners, who had a VERY beefy ///M suspension. Alot of them also were lucky enough to buy a BBS or equivalent LIGHTWEIGHT wheel, thus preventing the wobble even further. Some are just luckier than me, I guess. But every E24 enthusiast has heard of wobble problems before. Once they start, that's it for your bushings, etc.

Go to the dealer, and ask for the weight of the rim, and the offset. If he can not find this info in his literature, the Konigs are not too smart a buy. If he CAN find it, make certain that the rim weighs under 20 lbs, and has the mentioned offset of around 22. If the wheels meet those criteria, they are probably a decent bet.

A lip on the *outer* rim to mount a clamp style weight is always a nice feature, too. Though it is a last resort in terms of looks, this outer weight has helped me fix some pretty bad wobblies before!

ALSO, Tire Rack sells a brand called "Borbet." Several of thier wheels fit the E24, and are LIGHT and ATTRACTIVE. (Amazingly inexpensive, as well.)

As for tires, Dunlop and Pirelli are lovely in my book, the Dunlop lasts longer, but the Pirellis STICK like glue.

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