Moral of this story: MAKE SURE the wheels you buy are intended for your car (for example, not needing removal of OEM wheel bearing dust cover to make the wheel fit).

A little over a year ago I purchased the Konig wheels. https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...0-shipped.html. The wheel itself is great and light. Let me repeat. The wheel itself is great and light and I love the wheels.

But, it also required a hubcentric ring to ensure a flush fit on the E55 rotor. Now, lets move forward in time to last week. I hear this "clunk" towards the front passenger side as I am making a slow tight turn. Then, the steering gets harder, ESP light comes on, Brake light comes on, ABS light comes on and a light telling me that the active headlights are not working. I am like....what the f? Took it to the dealer, as my car is still under warranty. Dealer said it was the Wheel Speed Sensor via through a fault code telling them that. But, they do not have the part and need to have it federal expressed from the east coast.

I am to return tomorrow for the part install (covered by warranty). I return the next day and I get a big, bad, surprise. The dealer mechanic showed me why both front wheel speed sensors went out. They went out because the spindle and rotors were loose and wobbling. The spindle and rotors were loose and wobbling because the wheel bearings were loose and overheated. The wheel bearings were loose and over heated because the OEM dust cover for the wheel bearings were removed and over time the heat killed the bearings and caused them to get loose. Now, how in the world did I come to have missing wheel bearing dust covers from both front wheels?

Apparently, the Konig wheels do not fit the W211 E55 due to the fact that they will not clear the OEM wheel bearing dust cover / will not fit on the rotor unless you remove the OEM wheel bearing dust cover. At the time of the installation of the Konig wheels, the wheel installer removed the wheel bearing dust cover. However, I was NOT, NOT, NOT told of this! Now, I have to get new bearings, dust cover, spindle, alignment, a rotor and switch all 4 wheels back to the stock rims at the cost of.......$$$$$$$ F... me!

I took a look myself and had it verified by a good friend (he works at a local indy shop and he agreed as to the problem and cause). Dealer said warranty will not cover, but knows I will take it to indy shop for the work so we are negotiating the cost to keep the work at the dealer. Urgh! My good friend also told me that the wheels were not specifically intended for my car, which is why I needed hubcentric rings and removal of OEM wheel bearing dust cover to make the wheel fit flush on the rotor. He also tells me that he has seen this before on wheels needing hubcentric rings to fit the car/rotor. This is why he never recommends wheels for his clients that need hubcentric rings (now he tells me, some good friend, huh!?!)

With that said, learn from me experience. Please let me add that I in no way am knocking Konig wheels. I love those wheels....but they were not specifically intended to fit my car, if it did then it would not have required hubcentric rings or removal of the OEM wheel bearing dust cover. I am also not bashing any wheels that need hubcentric rings. I am simply sharing my experience (painful $$$ experience) and passing along my knowledge.


Moral of this story: MAKE SURE the wheels you buy are intended for your car (for example, not needing hubcentric rings; or not needing to remove OEM wheel bearing dust cover to make the wheel fit).

 

Sorry to hear about that. That must be quite an expensive lesson. Thanks for sharing/educating.

 

Thanks for sharing, good to know and sorry to hear about the mess.

 

Thanks for sharing! So do all wheels that require hubcentric rings for the E55 require you to remove the bearing dust cover?

 

I do not know....but it could be an indication.

 

wow, I would never remove bearing dust covers just to put some rims on.

 

You do realize that the grease caps are there for a reason?

Seriously only an idiot would remove them so he could have some "Cool" wheels

 

Yes, I agree. That is why I would not have done it.