Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
03-29-2016, 07:53 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
So what's the consensus on how to run Koni shocks on a 88-00 Civic (specifically an 89-91, but should not matter) if you're missing the OE shock collar (this piece):
I'm running fixed springs (Eibach Prokit) so letting the shock slip down more into the fork would mess with the ride height. However, is it safe to mount the fork to the shock where it "should" be if the collar was there?
So what I'm asking is if the situation on the left (in the below pic) is safe, assuming the bolt is torqued as specified.
This is the *one* thing about Koni shocks that **** me off...they somewhat require you to have the OE shock to borrow parts off of.
I'm running fixed springs (Eibach Prokit) so letting the shock slip down more into the fork would mess with the ride height. However, is it safe to mount the fork to the shock where it "should" be if the collar was there?
So what I'm asking is if the situation on the left (in the below pic) is safe, assuming the bolt is torqued as specified.
This is the *one* thing about Koni shocks that **** me off...they somewhat require you to have the OE shock to borrow parts off of.
03-30-2016, 11:06 AM
#2
I said I don't want a title!
Thread Starter
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
As a side note, if anyone has a set of 88-91 Civic/CRX front OE shocks with decent collars on them, PM me and I'll buy them from you.
03-30-2016, 11:10 AM
#3
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
You can run them without the shock collars. They're mainly there to mount the brake line. I did this with zip ties instead.
The car passed State Safety Inspection soon after I drove it 75 miles from my job to my house and 20 miles to the shop. Zip ties still haven't snapped.
Allow for enough slack in the line that they can move with the suspension going up and down, but not enough that they will rub something else.
If you have stainless lines, I wouldn't worry about this issue at all.
The car passed State Safety Inspection soon after I drove it 75 miles from my job to my house and 20 miles to the shop. Zip ties still haven't snapped.
Allow for enough slack in the line that they can move with the suspension going up and down, but not enough that they will rub something else.
If you have stainless lines, I wouldn't worry about this issue at all.
03-30-2016, 11:17 AM
#4
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Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
Not really worried about the brake line mounting. I wanted the collar there for extra protection against the shock sliding up into the fork.
03-30-2016, 11:21 AM
#5
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
Yeah, when I saw this thread, I thought of that too and got a little worried, hahah.
Are they press-fitted on?
I'm sure lots of people run without the collars as well.
Are they press-fitted on?
I'm sure lots of people run without the collars as well.
03-30-2016, 11:45 AM
#7
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
LOL. Try to press them off the old shocks and see if they come easily.
Mine were stuck on (welded?)
My bet is that they're only there to position the strut, not support load.
Those forks and the fork bolts are pretty dang husky...
Mine were stuck on (welded?)
My bet is that they're only there to position the strut, not support load.
Those forks and the fork bolts are pretty dang husky...
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03-30-2016, 12:16 PM
#8
I said I don't want a title!
Thread Starter
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
If I would've had a set of stock shocks this thread never would have been created 
Koni is *assuming* folks still have their OEM shocks off of a car that's now no newer than 25 years old. They should update their documentation.
Koni is *assuming* folks still have their OEM shocks off of a car that's now no newer than 25 years old. They should update their documentation.
03-31-2016, 06:05 PM
#10
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
03-31-2016, 08:00 PM
#11
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Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
03-31-2016, 09:15 PM
#12
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
I really wish someone would design a billet shock fork for the front. There is a company that makes a drop one, but I would love a regular length. No real reason other than to save unsprung weight. I almost went to the drawing board on doing inverted struts on our cars for this reason.
04-01-2016, 04:14 AM
#13
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
My bilsteins didn't have the brake line collars either. I just used a hammer and a lot of pb blaster to knock out the ones off the stock shock off and put on the bilsteins.
I might actually have a spare set of the brake line collars that I knocked out, lost, and then found them again. Mine are off an integra, Im assuming they should be the same
I might actually have a spare set of the brake line collars that I knocked out, lost, and then found them again. Mine are off an integra, Im assuming they should be the same
04-01-2016, 09:07 AM
#14
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Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
The collar isn't strong enough to support the suspension without the friction provided by the pinch bolt anyway. It really is just a brake line mount that makes it easier to tell when you have the shock fully seated.
04-01-2016, 10:56 AM
#15
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Thread Starter
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
My bilsteins didn't have the brake line collars either. I just used a hammer and a lot of pb blaster to knock out the ones off the stock shock off and put on the bilsteins.
I might actually have a spare set of the brake line collars that I knocked out, lost, and then found them again. Mine are off an integra, Im assuming they should be the same
I might actually have a spare set of the brake line collars that I knocked out, lost, and then found them again. Mine are off an integra, Im assuming they should be the same
The EF shock, IIRC, is narrower than the EG/DC2 shock--so I doubt the collars will carry over.
04-03-2016, 03:01 PM
#16
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
lee grimes from koni has spoken publicly saying its fine.
The dent in the bottom of the shock does nothing but help guide the pinchbolt inat the normal position. The shock is located solely by the clamping force of the pinchbolt tightness in the wishbone.
If you want to install the shock in the normal location, then align the bolt with the original dent and tighten it. I couldn't tell you what the torque spec is on it as I have never actually torqued one one the probably greather than 100 shock installs I have done. I just tighten it down until it is plenty good and tight.
As has been said here many times, many of us actually do push the bottom of both front shocks farther down into the wishbone passed the original dent to help gain more free lown travel on a lowered car. Note that this should only be done in conjuction with a threaded sleeve system so you can raise the perch back up a bit to keep the car at the same height but have mre stroke. The scarring or additional dent marke made by the bolt on the bottom of the shock body are on no consequence to function or strength.
If you want to install the shock in the normal location, then align the bolt with the original dent and tighten it. I couldn't tell you what the torque spec is on it as I have never actually torqued one one the probably greather than 100 shock installs I have done. I just tighten it down until it is plenty good and tight.
As has been said here many times, many of us actually do push the bottom of both front shocks farther down into the wishbone passed the original dent to help gain more free lown travel on a lowered car. Note that this should only be done in conjuction with a threaded sleeve system so you can raise the perch back up a bit to keep the car at the same height but have mre stroke. The scarring or additional dent marke made by the bolt on the bottom of the shock body are on no consequence to function or strength.
https://honda-tech.com/road-racing-a...ipped-1072584/
04-04-2016, 12:11 PM
#17
I said I don't want a title!
Thread Starter
Re: Koni Yellows + OE Shock Collar (or lack thereof)
theres a lot of clamping force and surface area of the collar. its not going to slide up.
lee grimes from koni has spoken publicly saying its fine.
https://honda-tech.com/road-racing-a...ipped-1072584/
lee grimes from koni has spoken publicly saying its fine.
https://honda-tech.com/road-racing-a...ipped-1072584/
I actually emailed Lee last week after I created this thread and he replied back with much the same response. I did not see that thread ahead of time.
The main reason though why I emailed Lee was because when I called Koni asking for confirmation on how to properly/safely use the shock without the collar, I was told (directly from a tech) it wasn't advisable and a collar would need to be procured. If this is Koni's "politically correct" answer, then they should consider redesigning the shock with this collar already in place (as Tokico does).
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