The FL vRS hatch fails after the first 30 minutes and especially if its cold.

You can get uprated Gas Struts but then they might not be that easy to close.

Perhaps slightly uprated struts with springs would be the answer.

Also this would bump up cost from £10 to something far far more expensive...

Do we know the dimensions of the struts required for the hatch? Is there a marking on them that says how many newtons force they provide?

I was sure someone listed the info on this thread but i've scanned through and i don't see it. Probs just blind

Keep us informed, would be interested if it worked and the spring sizes you used!

Martin, hvilket forum??

I would say your not going to get the balance of having enough power to lift the hatch but not too much that it requires a lot of force to close it. All of course without bending or damaging the struts or mounts that werent designed for the extra load or to be constantly under higher tension when closed, would be nice if it did work. Maybe something electric? Costly though.

Edited 23 November, 201015 yr by Rhoobarb

Hi

Im go to try the gas strut version, found these on ebay Germany

Gas Struts

They have 100nm more force to them. Ill report back when I have tried them out.

Tom

Hi

Im go to try the gas strut version, found these on ebay Germany

Gas Struts

They have 100nm more force to them. Ill report back when I have tried them out.

Tom

In the description, it states for Octavia "1U5" Kombi-is that not the MK1? They may not be different-but check it out!

Hello!

Any new info for the hatch?

Thx!

Vex

In the description, it states for Octavia "1U5" Kombi-is that not the MK1? They may not be different-but check it out!

I've asked my German mate to contact the seller of the gas struts and ask if he can supply them for the MKII Octavia

I'll post back when he gets back to me

http://cgi.ebay.de/1-Gasfeder-Heckklappe-Skoda-Octavia-Kombi-verstarkt-NEU-/320562393195?pt=Autoteile_Zubeh%C3%B6r&hash=item4aa301f06b

so are we saying that after a period of time the red heavy duty springs still work on the estate??

Looks like pot luck mate, I'm running on my 2nd set of blues, still going strong, looks like a 6/7 month lifespan. I bought reds with the blue last time, new car coming at the end of the month so will compare red with blue.

I'd be inclined to say buy red. Hopefully last longer than 6 months.

Reds on mine lastet 6months plus versus blue which was more like 6 weeks!

Think ill get the red springs and give this a go.

Yip i'd agree with the others on reds. I've now got them fitted on my new car and there's a subtle difference to the blues, besides any longevity issues - the reds feel the same strength as the OEM struts, so it takes the same amount of force all the way down to close the lid. It feels OEM to close the lid, where with the blues there's a very slightly lighter feeling towards the end of the travel. Obviously without any springs there's no feeling of resistance at the end of the travel and that's fine also, but the reds feel better to close the boot lid.

That's a tiny thing to make a recommendation on but i think the reds open the door more progressively, at the same speed as the OEM struts open it for the rest of the travel upwards. Where with the blues there's a slightly noticeable 2 steps to the opening - springs open, pauses for a millisecond then the OEM struts take over and open the rest of the way.

With reds it opens in one smooth motion.

EDIT: i wouldn't recommend the heat shrink, however i would go with the black tape over the first ring of the springs to stop them sliding up the strut shaft if that bothers you. It doesn't bother me but i will be adding the tape anyway just to stop the springs moving away from the strut base then sliding back down the strut tube as the door opens fully.

Cheers Craig, why wouldn't you recommend the heat shrink. I thought it would finish it off ?

I'm convinced it's what finished off my first springs. They were absolutely fine until i shrink wrapped them and they immediately stopped opening the door as well. I removed the heat shrink and they lasted a while longer but never really recovered to their former strength, a month or 2 later they were only opening the door every 2 or 3 times i tried.

Sound advice, I will give the heat shrink a miss then. Will order the springs tomorrow.

Red's ordered, now can't wait for delivery and to fit them

Go on then, spill the beans, what have you done there? It looks good.

Interesting theory from Mute re the heat shrink, mine did the same after a couple of months. The heat shrink split anyway but the red springs haven't worked since!

For anyone reading this with a Yeti trying to do the same trick: don't bother. I got the red springs but stupidly I did not measure the "empty" space where the spring is supposed to be compressed in. It is about 4mm less than the actual spring! hehehe So no compression and thus no opening force. I added some bathroom washers (as a cheap test) to compress it more but still no go. With the Yeti tailgate being near vertical the spring's force is going straight down instead of at an angle to open the boot. So no auto opening for us Yeti folk either.

Has anyone gone down the other (more expensive) route of just using a more powerful strut?

There is a member-sebD-who works for a strut company who can manufacture struts in black or s/s to order with varying force etc-see this thread-might be worth PM'ing him for prices (I haven't gone down this route, yet!)

There is a member-sebD-who works for a strut company who can manufacture struts in black or s/s to order with varying force etc-see this thread-might be worth PM'ing him for prices (I haven't gone down this route, yet!)

Thanks I saw that thread, but that is WAY too technical as I would not have a clue what the force should be and a mistake will cost a wee bit more than the tenner I just lost on getting the springs!

Johann, on the Superb with electric tailgate it appears to be a large screw thread instead of the conventional gas strut, maybe this would be the answer?

Johann, on the Superb with electric tailgate it appears to be a large screw thread instead of the conventional gas strut, maybe this would be the answer?

I would have thought so but alas, that would involve an electric motor and electrical changes too. I don't really want to go to that much trouble. My hands and arms are totally capable. Just that I've had a Mercedes C-class rental once with a spring loaded bootlid and it was just so nice and user friendly to walk up to it and have the boot spring open for you without having to put the stuff in your hands down. Oh well... stop being lazy Johann! hehehe

Well my red springs arrived today, just before the car was due to go into the skoda garage, and the nice mechanic/technician fitted them free of charge. Well pleased.