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koni 50mm or 55mm?

Old Feb 21, 2004
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koni 50mm or 55mm?

I have noticed that alot of people are talking about the struts and which mm to get. On tire rack it says they have 50mm and 53mm. Which one should I get if I have a 02 ex coupe?
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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50mm
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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get the 53mm i must have gotten the 50 from tornactive cause they fitted loose in to the housing and caused them to make a clunkin sound.
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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so which one is it now 50mm, 53mm, or 55mm. how do I know?
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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you should call and find out if they really have different ones cause if they do i think the people at tornactive(robear Racing) would have had some thing on there site. I sent koni an email conserning this issue and im just waiting for ther reply. ill post there answer if they do get back to me. i would like for them to replace mine for the right ones since i wasnt notified about different size.
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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You MUST measure your housings. Somewhere in the middle of the 02 run, they started mixing it up. So get a pair of calipers and measure the housings in your car. Thats the only way to be sure. Its not something that is determinable by a VIN number sequence. There's no record of what cars have what, you need to measure.
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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There are only two sizes for the front strut, 50mm and 55mm. When I questioned Koni about which ones I needed, they said that in 2002 Honda mixed them up so you could have either size and its best to measure before buying. The easiest way of the use a dial caliper like this one and measure the diameter like mentioned above:



I had one that I bought for 12 bucks from my local hardware store. If you dont have one, this is what Koni said to try:

Take a piece of string and wrap it around the strut to get the circumference. Then take the circumference and divide it by 3.14(pi) to get the diameter. Use the diameter you come up with the order the right one.

This is what I came up with when doing my math using this method:

If the string measures 157mm, then divided by 3.14 you get 50mm
If the string measures 172mm, then divided by 3.14 you get 55mm

Someone please correct me if my math is wrong thx. Thank goodness I had a dial caliper heheh. Anyways, you most likely will have the 50mm fronts. When I ordered mine from Rob at Robbear Racing he said that he never had any problems with fitment. Also I believe that the 55mm ones are the stock size in the RSX, but could have been used in some Civics.

About being loose, you could indeed have the wrong size, or it could be that you cut to much off the strut housing. The small bumps on the insert are supposed to be inside. The instructions say to measure 40mm from the top and then make your cut, like this:



If you cut to much off the bumps on the insert wont press against the inside of the housing and the top of the insert will be loose and rattle. What I did to be on the safe side is just cut off 30mm. I'd go and measure it to find out which size you need.
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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i cut less than what they cause if i needed i could always cut more but that isnt the problem i must have gotten the wrong size. i wich the people at robear would have notified me of different sizes, maybe they arenot aware of this issue
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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Is that mean the 01 has the 50mm and the 03+ has the 55mm?
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Old Feb 22, 2004
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most websites that offer them dont ever say anything about the mm that we require. Well I will figurwe something out.
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Old Feb 23, 2004
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Originally posted by dacivic
Is that mean the 01 has the 50mm and the 03+ has the 55mm?
I'd say that you'd be safe buying the 50mm for the 2001 model.

Streetglower, go measure first! If you stop by Koni's website you'll both sizes listed... good luck.
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Old Feb 26, 2004
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Originally posted by dacivic
Is that mean the 01 has the 50mm and the 03+ has the 55mm?
yes the people at koni said i received the wrong ones they sent me the 50mm wen i should have gotten the 55mm so they are going to exchange them for me. . and yes 02 to 04 most lekelly do need the 55mm but you should just messure to be safe.
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Old Mar 3, 2004
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ill try to post pics of both sizes
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Old Mar 3, 2004
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crap... does all this mean i gotta send my shocks back and order the 55mm ones? i got a 2003 civic LX... when i ordered from tirerack.com, like 3 weeks ago, they didnt give differnt options in the size, so i just got the ones they sent me.. should i wait and see if they work? or send back for the diff size?.. where would it say on the box what size i have now. cuz i dont even know what size i got, and also.. my shocks dont look like the ones in the pictiure on tire rack.. they are just circle.. they dont got that stuff coming outta them as it shows in the picture.. im assuming thats not a problem, some one help me plz
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Old Mar 3, 2004
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Just wait until you get them. Here's the part numbers from Koni:

8610-1415 Sport for 55mm outer diameter housing
8641-1416 Sport for 50mm outer diameter housing

You should perhaps measure them like mentioned above. Worst case, you take one strut out and measure before cutting. If you got the wrong set, then put everything back together and exhange them for the right ones.
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Old Mar 3, 2004
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i got the 55mm ones.. and thats good i think.. cuz i got a 03 civic
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Old Mar 3, 2004
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Originally posted by flotsamm
Just wait until you get them. Here's the part numbers from Koni:

8610-1415 Sport for 55mm outer diameter housing
8641-1416 Sport for 50mm outer diameter housing

You should perhaps measure them like mentioned above. Worst case, you take one strut out and measure before cutting. If you got the wrong set, then put everything back together and exhange them for the right ones.
8610-1415 Sport for 55mm outer diameter housing - made for RSX front
8641-1416 Sport for 50mm outer diameter housing - made for Civic 01-03

imp:
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Old Mar 4, 2004
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Originally posted by 87carrera
crap... does all this mean i gotta send my shocks back and order the 55mm ones? i got a 2003 civic LX... when i ordered from tirerack.com, like 3 weeks ago, they didnt give differnt options in the size, so i just got the ones they sent me.. should i wait and see if they work? or send back for the diff size?.. where would it say on the box what size i have now. cuz i dont even know what size i got, and also.. my shocks dont look like the ones in the pictiure on tire rack.. they are just circle.. they dont got that stuff coming outta them as it shows in the picture.. im assuming thats not a problem, some one help me plz
I have 2003 mine are the 55mm robear racing sent me the 50mm if you get the wrong ones just email koni and let them know they will exchange them.
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Old Mar 4, 2004
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Is there any way we could get a definitive answer on this. Not so much for the 02 guys who had the old switcheroo played on them, but for those of us with 01's and 03-04's...So far the general concensus is that:

01 --> 50mm
02 --> make a measurement(you guys got screwed)
03 --> 55mm
04 --> 55mm

However, is there anyone who has a contact that can get us the definitive answer? That would acutally be helpful, instead of going back and forth for a month.
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Old Mar 4, 2004
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Those of you guys with the 55mm one should try the Civic Type R EP3 front konis shocks(larger). I think they are much better although they are non-gas shocks(hydraulic). I have a '01 and don't think I can try it even if I got the '03 front shocks. This is due to the larger strut bolts used for the '03-'04 shocks which will not fit the front knuckle arms. Correct me if I am wrong.
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Old Mar 5, 2004
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I have had my Koni on for not even a week since they sent me replacement (55mm) and one of them is already leaking a bunch of oil. so for those of you guys that are thinking of getting the koni you might be better of just waitting for some other company to come out with some thing. even thoe they are under waranty its going to be a pain in the *** to get them back out.
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Old Mar 5, 2004
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I think you may be a RARE exception to the standard of quality Koni has. I have spoken to MANY people that have the Koni's and are VERY satisfied with them....so...sorry to hear your plight man, but I'm still gettin' them, lol.
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Old Mar 6, 2004
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Originally posted by FattyMcJ
I think you may be a RARE exception to the standard of quality Koni has. I have spoken to MANY people that have the Koni's and are VERY satisfied with them....so...sorry to hear your plight man, but I'm still gettin' them, lol.
I hope you get a good set, plus koni is good with there waranty.
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Old Mar 6, 2004
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Originally posted by Diablo
I hope you get a good set, plus koni is good with there waranty.
ME TOO!!! lol
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Old Mar 8, 2004
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just jack up the front of your car and measure them with a vernier caliper. Takes 2 minutes and you know for sure before ordering

BTW 50 or 55mm is the OUTER diameter of the strut body
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Old Mar 11, 2004
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8610-1415 Sport for 55mm outer diameter housing - made for RSX front
8641-1416 Sport for 50mm outer diameter housing - made for Civic 01-03

Then what is the part # for the 55mm civic?
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Old Mar 11, 2004
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The 55 mm insert is the RSX one. Basically, when honda found the defect, they started using RSX struts until they fixed the 50mm ones.
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Old Mar 11, 2004
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So the rsx one can be used on the civic?
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Old Mar 11, 2004
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Originally posted by Prominencecivic
8610-1415 Sport for 55mm outer diameter housing - made for RSX front
8641-1416 Sport for 50mm outer diameter housing - made for Civic 01-03

Then what is the part # for the 55mm civic?
Robearracing already went over this, but you answered your own question, what is the part number for the 55mm? 8610-1415.
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Old Mar 11, 2004
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Why not use the Civic Type R one ?
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