Front Strut Diameter for Coilovers, US Spec GTI, 50mm or 55mm?

[frgr8r]

I ordered a set of ST XTA coilovers and now I'm wondering whether I have the 50mm or 55mm front strut clamp. The car is a November build date, Autobahn DSG, non-PP. I don't have access to my car right now, and should be installing them next week. I'm really hoping i have the 55mm version, since they don't make XTA's for the 50mm struts. Has anyone measured their struts or installed coilovers with 55mm tubes on a US spec GTI?

 

[BoardSnow6]

FWIW, the only recent US cars with 50mm front strut housing's were the Mk6 Jetta's with the 2.0L N/A engine.

I would imagine since everything else from 06 up (Golf, 2.0t/2.5/1.8t Jettas, CC's, Passats, Tiguans) have the 55mm front strut housing, the Mk7 does as well.

You should be alright!

 

[Wastegate13]

All Gti have 55mm struts. The mk7 golf has 50mm struts.

 

[Rod Paine]

All Gti have 55mm struts. The mk7 golf has 50mm struts.

Which includes the Mk7 TDI, which I found out, as an early buyer of the Bilstein HD B6 shocks, which were not shown as the 55mm version and the only ones they were currently shipping, during the initial advertisements. Bilstein and Bilstein dealers have since added the two diameter models specs to their advertising data. The B6 are great additions and are very nearly the feel of our 2015 R in 'Normal' suspension mode.

We've been running the B6's on our older 2003 Mk4 Golf TDI 5-speed too as well as 8 other vehicles over the past years. We've involved other elements, too, such as different anti-sway bars, rear end ratios, larger brakes and ECU chips for additional HP. They all provide various improvements in careful combinations as I address on my BMW web site at http://bit.ly/1jlIYbL, if you're interested.
-Rod

 

[frgr8r]

Measured with calipers. 55mm it is. I was really paranoid because of another post on a different forum with a guy stating his had 50mm struts. Must have been a standard Golf. I wonder why Tire Rack lists options for both on their website when searching for suspension for the MK7 GTI. That's really where my confusion started.

I should have my coils installed mid next week, will post pics. Just put on some new wheels too. Will post before and afters.

 

[BoardSnow6]

Thats very interesting to know! Thanks for the info.

 

[Jc17]

I ordered a set of ST XTA coilovers and now I'm wondering whether I have the 50mm or 55mm front strut clamp. The car is a November build date, Autobahn DSG, non-PP. I don't have access to my car right now, and should be installing them next week. I'm really hoping i have the 55mm version, since they don't make XTA's for the 50mm struts. Has anyone measured their struts or installed coilovers with 55mm tubes on a US spec GTI?

I purchased my GTI in October 2014. I just recently started to work on it. I have a GTI S 4 door. Do you have any idea if mine is the 50 or 55mm. And will the ST cool overs for? Thanks

 

[snobrdrdan]

^^^

All Gti have 55mm struts. The mk7 golf has 50mm struts.

 

[edujsalcedo]

All Gti have 55mm struts. The mk7 golf has 50mm struts.

I also have a mk7 golf 2.5 base model and i seem to have 50mm strut knuckle housing. I did not know about this tip bid and got some 55mm...

So i bought some loaded quick struts GSP brand from ECS tunning. THEY ARE SHIT. I had to wedge the shit out of the knuckle, shave off 5 inches of paint off the strut, and use my 8lbs hammer to beat these fuckers in there...I was ready to set the car on fire. Got them in, and they make all kinds of noise...im thinking on that top cup. ECS dont want them back, said they need to send them to the manufacture, and if they say they are defective, they will give me credit back...Meanwhile i have to fork out money other struts. ECS does not want to own up, and send me their better ones (even when i offered to pay the difference), in exchange for the shitty ones. Non the less to say, fuck ECS tuning i guess?

 

[StorableComa]

I also have a mk7 golf 2.5 base model and i seem to have 50mm strut knuckle housing. I did not know about this tip bid and got some 55mm...So i bought some I had to wedge the shit out of the knuckle, shave off 5 inches of paint off the strut, and use my 8lbs hammer to beat these fuckers in there...I was ready to set the car on fire.

Might have been easier to flip the suspension or upgrade the spindles. In a somewhat similar situation as I jumped on a used stock set of Alltrack suspension due to the price. At least I can swap springs out of it.

 

[edujsalcedo]

so guys, what do people do if you have the 50mm knuckle? I am having a hard time finding parts 50mm while. Ideally would like to get the quick loaded strut with the spring.

Also, what about the rear? are the rear shocks different too? what are some tid bits on those?

2007 vw rabbit 2.5l

thanks

 

[StorableComa]

Upgrade I suppose. There is a bit of a weight savings, granted it's not where you'd normally aim to have weight savings. 50mm spindles are iron, 55 are aluminum. I think they weigh about 8 pounds a pop from another thread on the topic.
https://www.partsgeek.com/gbproduct...s6E7j8bM3OjNWC_2o6ck7sxrCU5r5m3BoCjPwQAvD_BwE

I want to say the rear are the same, but I could be dead wrong.

 

[Diggs24]

2007 vw rabbit 2.5l

What's that, a MK5? You lost bro.

 

[StorableComa]

What's that, a MK5? You lost bro.

Damn, i'm still waking up. Didn't even catch that.

 

[Raguvian]

I also have a mk7 golf 2.5 base model and i seem to have 50mm strut knuckle housing. I did not know about this tip bid and got some 55mm...

So i bought some loaded quick struts GSP brand from ECS tunning. THEY ARE SHIT. I had to wedge the shit out of the knuckle, shave off 5 inches of paint off the strut, and use my 8lbs hammer to beat these fuckers in there...I was ready to set the car on fire. Got them in, and they make all kinds of noise...im thinking on that top cup. ECS dont want them back, said they need to send them to the manufacture, and if they say they are defective, they will give me credit back...Meanwhile i have to fork out money other struts. ECS does not want to own up, and send me their better ones (even when i offered to pay the difference), in exchange for the shitty ones. Non the less to say, fuck ECS tuning i guess?

You beat the fuck out of the suspension to get them to fit into knuckles they weren't meant to fit into and then complain about the noise?

I wouldn't even think of fucking around with suspension components like that, let alone complain to the vendor about noisy parts after manhandling them into the car.