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

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Thanks for the informative post. I went with the 71/2"x16" Borbets on the recommendation of an experienced Bimmerhead up here in Calgary, and have found them to be excellent. Weighed them in at under 20lb with tires for shipping purposes. Proper hub centric fit as well, and no spacing or offset problems for fitment to the six.

Recently got a set of 16" ROH wheels from the parts digest. Seem to be marginally heavier than the Borbet, but have worked well on the ///M6 with snow tires. Not as nice as the Borbet though.

I was interested in the Konig's during my wheel search, but never got a reply from the distributor re sizing, etc., and they seemed prohibitively expensive. Agree with you that for the big coin, the BBS cross spoke is a great looking wheel!

For Canadians on the list, Borbet is not distributed in Canada, but is available through Tire Rack in the 'States. Got mine on eBay from a private seller. Shipping cost and customs brokerage to Canada was a bit of a killer, but I am very happy with them. If shipping to Canada, duty is applicable due to non US point of manufacture. No duty on the tires though.

: 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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