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Volkswagen Golf Automatic Hatch Opening Updated

The original Automatic Hatch Opening became less reliable over time as the springs compressed, this updated guide uses new struts from Skoda and bumpers from the Scirocco.

Parts required

  • 2 x 6Y0 827 550 C (6Y0827550C) – Skoda Fabia gas struts
  • 2 x 1K8 827 761 C (1K8827761C) – Scirocco bumpers
  • 2 x 1J6 827 439 A ( 1J6827439A) – Strut ball pins
In Europe allow around €65 depending on the source, in the US the kit can be purchased from ECS Tuning. Australian pricing is around $300 through the dealerships so purchasing from Europe or the US is the way to go however freight can be expensive.

Tools required

  • VCDS or Volkswagen Dealer to perform the changes required
  • 13mm spanner (an adjustable spanner can be used instead)
  • 24mm spanner (an adjustable spanner can be used instead)
  • Small flathead screwdriver (#1 size)
  • 3mm allen key
  • optional – Something to hold the hatch up (a broom, your head or similar)
  • optional – plastic safe grease

The parts required

Installation
The hatch needs to be supported for this part of the install so if you don’t have someone around to assist and you have a broom handy this can be placed in the handle area of the hatch and will hold the hatch up whilst you remove and replace the struts and ball pins as once a strut is removed it will fall on your head. If you don’t have a broom just make sure you have all the tools you require at hand and you can sit the hatch on your head whilst you work.

Removing the gas strut

Working on the hatch side insert the #1 flathead screwdriver into area shown (there is a small recess) and carefully lever the clip towards the end until it sits in place as shown in the second photo.

Pull the gas strut away from the pin to remove (a plastic trim removal tool can assist if it’s hard to remove).
The same process is repeated on the body side of the strut mounting.
Pull the gas strut away from the pin to remove (a plastic trim removal tool can assist if it’s hard to remove).

Replacing the ball pin

Using the 13mm spanner remove the ball pin from the hatch, this may be difficult to remove due to the paint holding it in place, using a sharp knife you could score the paint around the washer carefully to make it easier to remove and less prone to chipping or tearing at the paint on the hatch. I placed electrical tape on the spanner to make it a tighter fit and also stop the paint on the original ball pin from being damaged.
Unscrew the ball pin by hand once loose and clean up any raised loose pieces of paint around where the washer was sitting.
Install the new ball pin, you can see the new ball pin has a smaller washer but you can’t remove the washer from the other ball pin to use. To make it look like the old one you could spray paint the pin and the base.
The original ball pin and the one on the body had grease on them and I added a plastic safe grease to both after cleaning them.

Installing the new gas strut

Installation of the new gas strut is a reverse of the removal process. I found it easier to slide the clip back to allow the strut to clip on easier.

Removing the bumper

Using a 24mm spanner or adjustable spanner remove the bumper by rotating  ~90 degrees and pulling it out.

Installing the bumper

The new bumpers are shown below, the lower one is adjusted to be fully extended and the upper one is fully retracted which is how it will be used on the Golf.

Insert the 3mm allen key into the end (make sure the bumper is locked first by pressing down on it and turning – the pictures above are of the bumper popped out and able to move up and down whereas the picture below shows the bumper locked into place) and turn counter-clockwise until it stops.

Push down on the bumper until it’s fully retracted and turn the allen key clockwise until it stops to lock it into position.

The bumper should now look like this, install into the opening, turn ~90 degrees to lock it into place and press downwards on the bumper and turn to unlock it so it is as shown in the second photo. The bumper can now be compressed and will assist in the initial opening of the rear hatch.

Coding changes

In VCDs/Vagcom change Byte 2 Bit 3 in the Central Convenience Controller 46.

Measurements (before and after)

Before: 65cm or 25.5″

After:   61.5cm or 24.25″

Comparison of parts

Bumper comparison

First photo is the bumper extended and the second locked in place to show it’s closed position (standard top / scirocco bottom).

As above, shows the standard bumper and the scirocco both extended and locked in position.

Ball Pin Comparision

(new one on the left, old one on the right)

The washer on the new one is 17mm whereas the old one is 20mm.

The height of the new one is 19mm whereas the old one is 30mm.

The size of the ball is identical when the paint thickness is taken into account.

Strut Comparison

The length of the shafts is pretty much identical at this end.

The thickness of the struts is different with the old one being 22.15mm and the new one being 19.20mm.

At this end the length of the struts is clearly different with the new one being 9.50mm shorter.

 

November 17th, 2010 | Category: DIY, Exterior, Mark V, Mark VI, Model Specific, VCDS

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