Konig wheels are garbage. - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

Buster · 10-07-2009, 07:24 PM

I just got a set of Konig ReTrack wheels about a month ago. I've never bought a set of cheap wheels in my life....

Yesterday I was washing my car out front of my house with my bottle of simple green, soft wheel brush and a garden hose and to my suprise in the water I saw white chunks of powdercoating floating down my street! All around the hub has flaked off, and has gone into my spokes now too. Its just falling off.

I've never used an impact gun on my wheels and have always torqued by hand with a torque wrench.

Anyone else experienced this?

JB'sLGT · 10-07-2009, 07:34 PM

Simple Green is pretty serious stuff though. Not all wheels have the same finishing processes, so while one set of wheels may be resilient to Simple Green, another set may not be.

I know I ruined the finish on my stockers with the Armor All Wheel Cleaner. I didn't even think twice about using it and bam, they need to be repainted.

Buster · 10-07-2009, 07:41 PM

Its diluted 10-1. Simple green couldnt hurt powdercoating, thats rediculous lol.

Foolinaround · 10-07-2009, 07:42 PM

what kind of brush was it?

jb1830 · 10-07-2009, 07:44 PM

While it's true that simple green is pretty strong I doubt that simply washing them with it did the job. I've had people come back to the shop with both cheap and expensive wheels that have never been washed and the clear just flakes off.

I even had a wheel that the clear couldn't handle the stress of a tire going on and just cracked.

99% of the time manufacturer just had us ship it back for a new one.

Buster · 10-07-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foolinaround

what kind of brush was it?

A very soft synthetic fiber brush.

CleanNeon98 · 10-07-2009, 08:07 PM

It's a known fact that "replica" or "knockoff" wheels are not of the same quality, hence their price. Issues with finish are common, I even talked to a Miata distributor who used to stock Rota wheels and said they stopped when on average, 3 of 5 wheels that they got from Rota were not even round.

I'd just get them re-coated, they are a nice design and look sweet on the car.

Buster · 10-07-2009, 08:23 PM

I didnt buy it because it was a "replica". In fact I've never seen the originals before, nor do I care to. I was making a generalization about the piss poor powdercoating. I'm also not going to drop 500 dollars just to blow another hundred.....

CleanNeon98 · 10-07-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster

I didnt buy it because it was a "replica". In fact I've never seen the originals before, nor do I care to. I was making a generalization about the piss poor powdercoating. I'm also not going to drop 500 dollars just to blow another hundred.....

I know, just saying that generally cheaper wheels have cheaper finishes. I for one know that you know how to keep your stuff clean, so it's not like they are peeling because of lack of care or improper care, but a factory defect.

delphinE30 · 10-07-2009, 08:47 PM

yea but i got sportmax's

haha but i never really use soap on any part of my car......just quick detailer, its been holding up for me. i just hear a lot of junk about regular soap soooo i just drop tons of wax/polish on the whole car (wheels included) and just either use quick detailer at shows or just plain old water and whip then rinse then shammy. (old school goat skin or w/e shammy)

RWDTurbo149 · 10-07-2009, 09:18 PM

not to thread jack, but i'm looking at Axis Hiro's. axis is a legit brand right? not like the knock-offs from rota?

just wanna make sure flakes of my rims dont float off down the drain either lol

CarbonIS · 10-07-2009, 10:01 PM

keith it is semi-common for powdercoating to flake slightly around the hub. Do you have hubcentric rings?
That may help if you decide to get them recoated, you might be getting a slight vibration around the hub
causing the wear. I mean you could also have been lucky enough to get a set that hadn't been prepped
properly. I had no problems with my Konigs I had years ago.

Fujito · 10-07-2009, 10:08 PM

That's unfortunate, but knockoffs aren't the only wheels that are adversely affected by harsh detergents and wheel cleaners.

I saw on a my350z.com thread Volks that have been damaged because of harsh detergents. You're only supposed to wash the wheels with soap and water, no special wheel cleaners.

Buster · 10-07-2009, 10:26 PM

diluted SG isnt any different than using soapy water. Any one who knows me knows I wouldnt do unless it was safe.

dragonfly2k3 · 10-08-2009, 12:02 AM

10-1 simple green is actually rather mild. I would say it is almost certainly NOT because of improper care.

Proven · 10-08-2009, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster

Its diluted 10-1. Simple green couldnt hurt powdercoating, thats rediculous lol.

100% that they are powder coated? I really don't know but I would imagine konig would have used paint to cut cost and production time.

Either way now's your chance to get them powder coated some nutty color cause the wheel style is hottness!

10-07-2009, 07:24 PM	#1
Buster TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Holland Pa Member #449 My Ride: 2008 Mustang GT/CS iTrader: (3)	Konig wheels are garbage. I just got a set of Konig ReTrack wheels about a month ago. I've never bought a set of cheap wheels in my life.... Yesterday I was washing my car out front of my house with my bottle of simple green, soft wheel brush and a garden hose and to my suprise in the water I saw white chunks of powdercoating floating down my street! All around the hub has flaked off, and has gone into my spokes now too. Its just falling off. I've never used an impact gun on my wheels and have always torqued by hand with a torque wrench. Anyone else experienced this? __________________ III To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

10-07-2009, 07:34 PM	#2
JB'sLGT Tri-State Addict Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Haddon Twp. Member #10156 My Ride: 05 Legacy GT, 97 M3 iTrader: (0)	Simple Green is pretty serious stuff though. Not all wheels have the same finishing processes, so while one set of wheels may be resilient to Simple Green, another set may not be. I know I ruined the finish on my stockers with the Armor All Wheel Cleaner. I didn't even think twice about using it and bam, they need to be repainted. __________________ 05 Subaru Legacy GT: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

10-07-2009, 07:41 PM	#3
Buster TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Holland Pa Member #449 My Ride: 2008 Mustang GT/CS iTrader: (3)	Its diluted 10-1. Simple green couldnt hurt powdercoating, thats rediculous lol. __________________ III To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

10-07-2009, 07:42 PM	#4
Foolinaround TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: McGuire AFB Member #9448 My Ride: 2016 GTI SE w/PP/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III iTrader: (2)	what kind of brush was it? __________________ -John C-17 Loadmaster DenOfDebauchery

10-07-2009, 07:44 PM	#5
jb1830 Tri-State Addict Join Date: May 2007 Location: Philadelphia Member #4646 My Ride: '88 MR2 SC, '97 Corolla iTrader: (0)	While it's true that simple green is pretty strong I doubt that simply washing them with it did the job. I've had people come back to the shop with both cheap and expensive wheels that have never been washed and the clear just flakes off. I even had a wheel that the clear couldn't handle the stress of a tire going on and just cracked. 99% of the time manufacturer just had us ship it back for a new one. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. XBL Gamertag: JB1830

10-07-2009, 08:07 PM	#7
CleanNeon98 TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Philadelphia Member #2029 My Ride: "Honey Badger" Turbo Miata iTrader: (8)	It's a known fact that "replica" or "knockoff" wheels are not of the same quality, hence their price. Issues with finish are common, I even talked to a Miata distributor who used to stock Rota wheels and said they stopped when on average, 3 of 5 wheels that they got from Rota were not even round. I'd just get them re-coated, they are a nice design and look sweet on the car. __________________ 2004 MAZDASPEED MX-5 : 328whp / 308wtq / 2500lbs 2012 Toyota Prius 2 : Daily Driver

10-07-2009, 08:23 PM	#8
Buster TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Holland Pa Member #449 My Ride: 2008 Mustang GT/CS iTrader: (3)	I didnt buy it because it was a "replica". In fact I've never seen the originals before, nor do I care to. I was making a generalization about the piss poor powdercoating. I'm also not going to drop 500 dollars just to blow another hundred..... __________________ III To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

10-07-2009, 08:47 PM	#10
delphinE30 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Member #14644 My Ride: 1987 BMW 325is iTrader: (0)	yea but i got sportmax's haha but i never really use soap on any part of my car......just quick detailer, its been holding up for me. i just hear a lot of junk about regular soap soooo i just drop tons of wax/polish on the whole car (wheels included) and just either use quick detailer at shows or just plain old water and whip then rinse then shammy. (old school goat skin or w/e shammy) __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

10-07-2009, 09:18 PM	#11
RWDTurbo149 Tri-State Addict Join Date: May 2009 Location: Quakertown, Pa Member #13830 My Ride: 2007 STI iTrader: (0)	not to thread jack, but i'm looking at Axis Hiro's. axis is a legit brand right? not like the knock-offs from rota? just wanna make sure flakes of my rims dont float off down the drain either lol

10-07-2009, 10:08 PM	#13
Fujito Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Dec 2008 Member #10571 My Ride: Toyota Celica iTrader: (0)	That's unfortunate, but knockoffs aren't the only wheels that are adversely affected by harsh detergents and wheel cleaners. I saw on a my350z.com thread Volks that have been damaged because of harsh detergents. You're only supposed to wash the wheels with soap and water, no special wheel cleaners.

10-07-2009, 10:26 PM	#14
Buster TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Holland Pa Member #449 My Ride: 2008 Mustang GT/CS iTrader: (3)	diluted SG isnt any different than using soapy water. Any one who knows me knows I wouldnt do unless it was safe. __________________ III To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

10-08-2009, 12:02 AM	#15
dragonfly2k3 Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Mar 2007 Member #4106 iTrader: (5)	10-1 simple green is actually rather mild. I would say it is almost certainly NOT because of improper care. __________________ HIDs, they're serious business.