Six Spoke Wheels: Konig/FN/Volk...Any Other Options?

[5POINT56]

Level 8 MK6

Not bad, thanks for the link.

I was told by a guy at FN Wheels that the wheel size should have a width of 8" rather than 9".

Anyone know if 9" widths are ok?

 

[Jono.ful]

Ultra 198 Bolt, look at my photo album

 

[FNWheels]

Enkei ST6 or RT6 might be another option. Not as expensive as Volk Racing, but definitely better than Konig

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree that the ST6 or RT6 is better than Konig.

Enkei's Racing wheels for sports cars are great wheels. Very light weight and well-made.

Enkei ST6 and RT6 wheels are gravity cast wheels that are made in China and weigh approximately 27bs per wheel in 17". I've also had the chance to mount and balance the Enkei ST6 in the pat wheels in the past, and the finish is not on-par with their made in Japan racing wheels.

I wonder how many other 6 spoke wheels I've dismissed without realizing they may come in multiple bolt patterns?

I've seen a ton in 5 bolt, but didn't look much beyond the photos. Just figured that was that.

I like the Konig Six Shooters, just was hoping to have a few 6 bolt patterns in other similar designs. Volk's are beautiful, but beyond my budget.....which would seem to leave FN/Konig as the only show in town for black 6 spoke, 6 lug wheels....but I've likely missed some.

We (FN Wheels) intentionally brought our wheels to the market for Toyota trucks because we are Toyota truck owners and enthusiasts that wanted a high quality, light weight, strong, and Japanese inspired (simplistically designed) for our trucks.

Since most companies are large corporations that are looking to cover broad markets, you won't find them offering "niche" styles and fitments that are geared towards specific trucks. I know this first-hand, because I have worked with large wheel manufacturers/corporations in the past. They want to mass produce wheels in the quickest and least expensive method possible that fit will fit the broadest range possible.

Eventually one of these companies might release a similar style, but they're designs usually won't be as desirable, they're finishes (colors and paint) will normally be more generic and dull, and they almost never take performance into the equation beyond meeting load rating requirements (i.e., they don't worry about seeking out the most advanced / state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to bring the wheels in at the desired load rating with the lightest weight possible). I believe the reason for these undesirable traits has to do with the fact that the companies are not run by enthusiasts, but they are usually run by business men and investors looking for the bottom line.

Our intent is to offer the highest quality, most desirably styled wheels (for Toyota trucks) at a reasonable price and with an emphasis on staying current.

Level 8 MK6

This is a similar style to the Rays/Konig/FN Wheels as well, but please look into the wheel weights of this wheel. The MK6 weighs anywhere from 35% - 50% more than any of the Konig or FN wheels currently being offered. This will definitely take it's toll on performance, and your trucks wear and tear components will feel it too, even more so if you're installing larger/more aggressive tires.

I was told by a guy at FN Wheels that the wheel size should have a width of 8" rather than 9".

Anyone know if 9" widths are ok?

If you're planning to install an LT265/70R17 or LT275/70R17 an 8" wide wheel will work much better than a 9" wide wheel.

If you go up to a 285/70R17 you'll have no problems with 8" or 9".

 

[TexasAg]

I would suggest checking the FJforums for 2012 take offs. Those wheels are grey and look sweet and can be picked up cheap

I powder coated mine for $75/each

 

[Natey]

I guess we learn something everyday.
I also drive a 3rd gen RX-7 as a weekend car, and have done some (A TON) research on wheels. Konig wheels have a terrible rep for breaking, as do Rota. On the other hand, the Enkei RPF1 is one of the best bang-for-the-buck wheels you can buy. Light, strong, not too spendy, and come in 10" wide sizes.
I'm sure of you Google image 'broken Konig', you'll come up with more than a couple hits.
Enkei, they've been making factory alloys for brands like Honda for years and have a big reason to NOT make shabby racing wheels.

I guess they, like me, don't know their offroad wheels too well. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[JdMeF9SiR2]

I guess we learn something everyday.
I also drive a 3rd gen RX-7 as a weekend car, and have done some (A TON) research on wheels. Konig wheels have a terrible rep for breaking, as do Rota. On the other hand, the Enkei RPF1 is one of the best bang-for-the-buck wheels you can buy. Light, strong, not too spendy, and come in 10" wide sizes.
I'm sure of you Google image 'broken Konig', you'll come up with more than a couple hits.
Enkei, they've been making factory alloys for brands like Honda for years and have a big reason to NOT make shabby racing wheels.

I guess they, like me, don't know their offroad wheels too well. Thanks for the heads-up!

I guess we learn something everyday.
I also drive a 3rd gen RX-7 as a weekend car, and have done some (A TON) research on wheels. Konig wheels have a terrible rep for breaking, as do Rota. On the other hand, the Enkei RPF1 is one of the best bang-for-the-buck wheels you can buy. Light, strong, not too spendy, and come in 10" wide sizes.
I'm sure of you Google image 'broken Konig', you'll come up with more than a couple hits.
Enkei, they've been making factory alloys for brands like Honda for years and have a big reason to NOT make shabby racing wheels.

I guess they, like me, don't know their offroad wheels too well. Thanks for the heads-up!

I wouldn't go as far as to say that Konig wheels have a "terrible reputation for breaking." We've sold Konig truck wheels numbering in the thousands (over the course of the last few years), and I can count on one hand the number of times a customer has contacted me for a damaged wheel. All of the customers had been using their wheels for at least two years and the wheels were bent after numerous times jumping their trucks or from hitting an object at an extremely high rate of speed. Many of our customers have used Konig wheels for off-road driving, rock crawling, on-road driving, hauling, and other high-load situations with no issues.

To be fair and consistent, please Google search broken, cracked or bent followed by "volk, te37, enkei, rpf1, bbs" or any other wheel. You'll find just as many if not more images.

I worked at a tuner shop / wheel shop for a little over 10 years prior to working with FN Wheels, and I would have customers bring in cars with broken wheels from Volk, BBS, Work, Enkei, etc. (all the big name Japanese and European brands) on a regular basis. I even broke a forged BBS wheel myself going off a race course.

Enkei does make some OEM wheels (as you mentioned), they make some excellent quality aftermarket wheels, they make some mid-range good quality wheels, and they make some low-end Chinese manufactured commodity style wheels.

Konig's parent company/one of their factories is actually certified to be an OE supplier for certain Japanese-based auto manufacturers as well. And of course Konig does have factory's that supply commodity style wheels to American tire chains or on-line super stores that need inexpensive wheels to sell. We don't carry any of those types of wheels (from either Enkei or Konig). FN Wheels picks and chooses which Konig wheels we want and from which factory (same thing we do when sourcing who will make our FN models for us) to ensure that the wheels we sell are the highest quality possible.

Here are some images showing FN Wheels and Konig Wheels products put to hard use:

 

[JdMeF9SiR2]

Something else to consider:

All of our (FN Wheels) and Konig wheels manufactured over the last few years are certified to SAE J2530 standards. This is a voluntary standard (not mandated by any government body) that was created by SEMA's Wheel and Tire Council (WTC) to try get aftermarket wheel manufacturers to prove the quality and integrity of their wheels.

The president of Konig and the president of Konig's sister company have both served as chairmen elect of the WTC (Konig's president is the current chairman of the WTC). They've been instrumental in developing the SAE J2530, and they voluntary send their wheels to be independently tested by a third party to ensure compliance.

Personally, I don't think it would make sense for any company that had a terrible reputation of making low quality wheels to develop a stringent test to ensure high quality and then attempt to certify their wheels' compliance to this test. Presumably, only a manufacturer that knows their product is of good quality would do this.

FN Wheels is also a member of the SEMA and the SEMA Wheel and Tire Council, and we also test and certify our wheels to be SAE J2530 compliant. ;-)

Just some food for thought, and I also just wanted to share facts from my experience in the industry rather than anecdotal evidence.

References:

http://www.sema.org/wtc

http://www.sema.org/news/2011/03/01/j2530-and-the-industry

http://www.sae.org/works/documentHome.do?docID=J3010&inputPage=wIpSdOcDeTaIlS&comtID=TEVWC

 

[JdMeF9SiR2]

One last post, this one is for [MENTION=83520]Natey[/MENTION] :

M.A.T. Wheel Process ? Konig Wheels

Enkei and Konig share the MAT process that is used to make Enkei racing wheels (such as the wheels you have on your RX7). To my knowledge Enkei is not currently making any truck / SUV wheels with MAT, and neither is Konig, but this does go to illustrate that high-end Konig wheels are on par with high-end Enkei wheels.

 

[cbielat]

I'd buy another set from FN any day. I really like the BFD's but just bought another set of 17" tires for my Countersteers.

 

[adio3x]

[MENTION=67103]JdMeF9SiR2[/MENTION]

Get some 17x9 5 stars made for me already, I need a third set from you guys!!! lol just kidding, sorta. :rockon:

 

[Natey]

EDIT: If FN is affiliated in any way with Konig, I apologize and don't mind deleting my posts immediately. The last thing I want to do is mess with anyone's sales. Like I mentioned, I know next to nothing about offroad wheels



Haha, I've gotta nibble one last time too. :tea:
I ditched the RPF1s for a set of CCW Classics on my RX-7 a while ago and I'm not looking back.

 

[5POINT56]

I'm currently on a waiting list for some wheels from FN. The wheels should be in late May/early June. So at this point I can't speak as an owner, but what I can tell you are the following two points.

1) Seldom, if ever, can I recall such a slam dunk set of replies as I read from FN on the bottom of page one. Though the intent was certainly not mean spirited, it was so thorough, so complete and beyond debate, it really was epic....just my opinion. Very well said.

2) I'm the kind of consumer that places an unusually high premium on customer service. I'm by no means a demanding customer, but I'll walk at the drop of a hat from a business that is half a$$ with how they deal with me as a potential customer.

From first contact with FN while asking some rather remedial questions about wheels and wheel options, to the last time I talked with them about my order and a minor error on my part, these guys have been among the best vendors I've ever dealt with.

They've gone out of their way to be accommodating, informative, easy to deal with and reliable in respect to their follow through. If their wheels are half as good as these guys are professional, I'll be a life long customer and I'd recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone.

 

[cbielat]

I'm currently on a waiting list for some wheels from FN. The wheels should be in late May/early June. So at this point I can't speak as an owner, but what I can tell you are the following two points.

1) Seldom, if ever, can I recall such a slam dunk set of replies as I read from FN on the bottom of page one. Though the intent was certainly not mean spirited, it was so thorough, so complete and beyond debate, it really was epic....just my opinion. Very well said.

2) I'm the kind of consumer that places an unusually high premium on customer service. I'm by no means a demanding customer, but I'll walk at the drop of a hat from a business that is half a$$ with how they deal with me as a potential customer.

From first contact with FN while asking some rather remedial questions about wheels and wheel options, to the last time I talked with them about my order and a minor error on my part, these guys have been among the best vendors I've ever dealt with.

They've gone out of their way to be accommodating, informative, easy to deal with and reliable in respect to their follow through. If their wheels are half as good as these guys are professional, I'll be a life long customer and I'd recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone.

I too had a good experience dealing with these guys.

 

[FNWheels]

EDIT: If FN is affiliated in any way with Konig, I apologize and don't mind deleting my posts immediately. The last thing I want to do is mess with anyone's sales. Like I mentioned, I know next to nothing about offroad wheels



Haha, I've gotta nibble one last time too. :tea:
I ditched the RPF1s for a set of CCW Classics on my RX-7 a while ago and I'm not looking back.

Nice FD RX7 [MENTION=83520]Natey[/MENTION]! That's definitely a car I wish I owned.

No hard feelings at all. I did not take offense to your posts. In fact I appreciate the opportunity to speak about the products that we sell.

I'm currently on a waiting list for some wheels from FN. The wheels should be in late May/early June. So at this point I can't speak as an owner, but what I can tell you are the following two points.

1) Seldom, if ever, can I recall such a slam dunk set of replies as I read from FN on the bottom of page one. Though the intent was certainly not mean spirited, it was so thorough, so complete and beyond debate, it really was epic....just my opinion. Very well said.

2) I'm the kind of consumer that places an unusually high premium on customer service. I'm by no means a demanding customer, but I'll walk at the drop of a hat from a business that is half a$$ with how they deal with me as a potential customer.

From first contact with FN while asking some rather remedial questions about wheels and wheel options, to the last time I talked with them about my order and a minor error on my part, these guys have been among the best vendors I've ever dealt with.

They've gone out of their way to be accommodating, informative, easy to deal with and reliable in respect to their follow through. If their wheels are half as good as these guys are professional, I'll be a life long customer and I'd recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone.

Thank you very much. We try our best to operate by two simple rules:

1) Do not offer our customers anything that we wouldn't personally use on our own trucks.
2) Treat every customer exactly as we'd like to be treated.

I've had many opportunities to purchase lower cost wheels or have our wheels made in lower cost factories, but we've declined every time because the wheels don't meet our standards.

I too had a good experience dealing with these guys.

Thank you! We had a good experience dealing with you too.