Automatic boot - Completed

[seanantenbring]

I also want to get this working on the hatchback!

[blackspaven]

Won't work, too heavy. Only just works on an estate... I know from extensive playing around with a spring manufacturer/distributor and trying various combinations until I got a good hit (earlier in the thread).

 

Tap die springs are designed for thousands of small bounces, not one large push, so in optimum conditions they just have enough pressure to push the estate boot up because the incline isn't so raked (ergo gravity on the horizontal plane isn't affecting it so much) and I suspect it's slightly smaller and therefore lighter, but on a hatchback, forget it. Also, the springs weaken a tiny bit with age. Once I'd gotten a spring to work properly, the 'strength' of the spring didn't really matter as the ultra, ultra heavy duty ones did it exactly the same as the ones that just were enough, the only difference was the boot wasn't such a pig to close. Both failed equally when the temp dropped but for a while with each set I thought I'd cracked it. Within about a week they started to fail intermittently, I think because they're not designed to be compressed as they are when the boot is shut.

 

Mine still pops fully open... just, but it has to be a warm day, I presume so that either the spring metal or the shock fluid is less stiff. Works fine in the summer, obviously. Having said that, I would definitely recommend doing it either way on an estate cos it's very handy to hit the fob button and even get that 6" pop so you can get your hand or a foot under the lip if your hands are full, whereas without it it just popped a centimetre or so, which is pointless, quite frankly as you may as well just pull the handle to open it!

Edited 14 May, 2014 by blackspaven

[blackspaven]

SH!T!! Just seen they cost £13 on that link!!   I only spent a fiver!

[RainbowFire]

The link I posted?

[D5KSY]

Interesting discussion, I have a 08 hatch and think this mod would be good, do we have any definitive answers for the solution or is it not worth the hassle?

[blackspaven]

Won't work on a hatch.

[D5KSY]

NOOOOOOOOO I need this in my life lol

[RainbowFire]

The tailgate on the hatch is way too heavy and is at the wrong angle. Basically you'd need to install rockets.......................or trail-blaze installing the electric tailgate from something like a Superb. ;)

[pip_vrs]

Where are people getting these springs? Im not paying that price for a spring lol

[Neily03]

or trail-blaze installing the electric tailgate from something like a Superb. ;)

Or an octavia 3

[Octo2LPG]

Hello all, I'm a Dutch Octavia Hatchback owner.

In my research for this project I came across this forum and since I succeeded on making this work on a HB, I thought I would share this with you.

 

My gas springs where up for replacement, so I decided to work something out to automate it.

 

It was soon obvious that I needed stronger gas springs than original. The distance required for the spring to pop the boot before the gas springs take over is simply too big on a hatchback. It would require a larger spring, which will not fit on the gas spring when boot is closed.

So, I searched for a spring which is similar in length, but stronger.

I found gas springs for a Renault Laguna III Grandtour are perfect. They are stronger (670N compared to 440N original) and only slighty shorter (569mm compared to 584mm original).

Found them affordable on (German) Ebay:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Gasdaempfer-fuer-RENAULT-LAGUNA-III-Grandtour-KT0-1-10-07-HECKKLAPPE-KOMBI-/281444512394?

 

Proof in video:

 

I should mention I used similar springs as the combi owners here use.

51mm in length.

There is more space on the gas springs but it only requires a light boost now and this way the springs will last longer as they are not fully compressed on closing the boot.

Edited 27 September, 2014 by Octo2LPG

[radders567]

Do you think this will work with a VRS (due to the added weight of the spoiler) ?

[Octo2LPG]

I'm quite sure it will work, the gas springs are really strong and they really need little help from the extra springs.

You might need a stronger and longer 'pop' from the springs due to the added weight, so perhaps a longer spring is wise. There is about 40mm space for the compressed spring on these Laguna gas springs.

So these might work?

http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/R16x64_Heavy_Load_Die_Spring-31136-p

 

I can't guarantee anything ofcourse, you'll have to try.

[J306TD]

Wow great idea. But alot of work

Sent from my Galaxy S5

[radders567]

My gas struts really do feel quite weak and I was thinking about replacing them anyway.  I have found the same ones on UK Ebay for £23 delivered.

[radders567]

Update - couldn't bear it. Had to do it. I'm now £40 lighter.  I'll keep you all posted. I went for the R16x64 springs in red and the new gas struts.

[StreetHawk]

Update - couldn't bear it. Had to do it. I'm now £40 lighter.  I'll keep you all posted. I went for the R16x64 springs in red and the new gas struts.

Interested to see if this works out, fair play for giving it a go.

[Octo2LPG]

Good luck, hope it works!

I for one am quite happy to have an automatic boot on a 2006 Octavia.

Pretty fancy if you ask me

[J306TD]

Update - couldn't bear it. Had to do it. I'm now £40 lighter. I'll keep you all posted. I went for the R16x64 springs in red and the new gas struts.

Keep us all posted. Maybe a how too

Sent from my Galaxy S5

[Octo2LPG]

A how too:

Put springs on gas struts by screwing off the top. (You will need pliers and a cloth)

Replace gas struts on boot.

Make sure to support the boot with a proper stick or beam while you remove the old struts. The boot is heavy!

 

Done.

20 minutes of work

[J306TD]

What about auto closing?

[alberg]

You need to close the boot, the weight only won't compress the springs

[mk2cliffy]

Is it just a case of unscrewing the top of the strut and putting the spring on then put the top back on? Just wanted to double check as it seems really simple?

[blackspaven]

Yes, that's exactly how I did it on my estate and a hatch will be no different. The piston has a screw thread on it whic the black plastic clip simply screws onto, but it is tough hence the need for a cloth and pliers so you don't damage anything with the metal plier teeth grip.

 

Interested to know if there's an equivalent piston conversion that could be used for the estate. As stated, the springs never work 100% as they give with age, temp and whatnot, but if the laguna ones are close in length, they would probably be enough in themselves to overcome the opening without the need for even the springs.

 

Anyone know the length of the estate pistons, just off by chance to save me pinging it off in the dark? :)

[adamal]

They are significantly shorter for the estate. I bought some replacements last year for my estate but they had wrongly labelled them or I got it wrong or something and I got sent hatch ones instead. They were nowhere near short enough...

See ebay item 131203079043 which suggests 490.5mm at full extent. The hatch ones from the same seller are 585.5mm at full extent.