Soft Touch Passenger Grab handles?

[KBPhoto]

My Yeti handles have a groove on both sides of the pin hole.

 

Have I misunderstood what these do? I thought there were 'soft close' as it they return slowly to the closed position after use.

 

Mine just stay open...

[langers2k]

Mine just stay open...

Yup, they are damping too much. We either need to reduce the damping or add more spring tension, I'll probably try the latter later :/

[KBPhoto]

Yup, they are damping too much. We either need to reduce the damping or add more spring tension, I'll probably try the latter later :/

 

So they should auto close (slowly) then. I'm not imagining it.

 

As I have one of the handles off at the moment, I'll go see what I can do.

 

UPDATE/ EDIT:

 

Now sorted - Make sure that the long ridge along the round body (3 in picture above) is correctly seated in the groove on the handle (4 in picture above).

[Plantman]

Nice one dude! 

 

Still yet to try the ones I have!

[KBPhoto]

All done and dusted now. Two pins came out fairly easily, one was a bit tougher and the final one a real PITA!

 

However, all fitted and working as they should.

 

Links to You Tube videos:

 

Without damping / With damping

 

Worth the £4.60 odd just for the smug satisfaction of seeing it in action and not having to hear the 'clunk' when other people let go of a handle.

[Plantman]

Phew, done all four all in my lunch hour.  Working a treat.

 

As mentioned, ensure you get them all lined up correctly before insertion. I bet they would be a nightmare (if not impossibe) to remove them after you have replaced the pins, should you want to that is.

 

The pins themselves were pretty hard to remove from mine. I did have the double cut outs around the pin hole too.

 

Now to replace the ones in the Fabia too

 

Thank you to Spannaz for the suggestion these were even possible to retrofit!!

 

Video of the before and after of course https://youtu.be/0bYhuvFQLfY

[Spannaz]

Mine arrived yesterday but the damping is too strong, at least on both front handles as I haven't done the rears. They get about halfway closed and stop unless I push them closed.

 

Also, unlike this image, the groove labelled 2 only extends on one side of the mount rather than both. Anyone else had this?

 

handles.JPG

Er.. not me - I know what you are saying, but the groove was on either side (both sides) of mine and it went together fairly easily once I had worked out exactly what went into what groove..

[Spannaz]

The cut only extends to one side of the hole so I removed one of the tabs from the damper otherwise they wouldn't have fit.

 

I did try working the drivers side for a minute or so and it didn't seem to make much difference.

Weird?

[Spannaz]

Mmmm,  bit naff.  Mine feel pretty stiff (oooerr) but considering I've not installed them in to the handle yet I don't know if that is normal or not.

 

Is there a way you could increase the spring tension? Perhaps give it an extra turn before putting it back together?

 

Spannaz, were yours ok? 

Brad, how about yours?

Yes, without any spring force or added leverage, they did feel pretty stiff (if trying to move them with just your fingers), but once together, anything less wouldn't have damped the action sufficiently as the spring is pretty strong.. Compared the the Wife's Tiguan and my old Bora, they now feel exactly the same and as they should..couldn't be happier with the result.

[Spannaz]

My Yeti handles have a groove on both sides of the pin hole.

 

Have I misunderstood what these do? I thought there were 'soft close' as it they return slowly to the closed position after use.

 

Mine just stay open...

Are you sure you haven't put them together incorrectly?

[Spannaz]

Phew, done all four all in my lunch hour.  Working a treat.

 

As mentioned, ensure you get them all lined up correctly before insertion. I bet they would be a nightmare (if not impossibe) to remove them after you have replaced the pins, should you want to that is.

 

The pins themselves were pretty hard to remove from mine. I did have the double cut outs around the pin hole too.

 

Now to replace the ones in the Fabia too

 

Thank you to Spannaz for the suggestion these were even possible to retrofit!!

 

Video of the before and after of course https://youtu.be/0bYhuvFQLfY

Yeah, I had that same thought about the idea of taking them to bits in future - don't think it would be pretty!   Still, apart from doing this job, when was the last time you ever needed to remove the pivot pit from one of these handles?

[Spannaz]

...Thank you to Spannaz for the suggestion these were even possible to retrofit!!

 

Video of the before and after of course https://youtu.be/0bYhuvFQLfY

God - stupidly satisfying when you do the job and play with the handles!

I just grinned!  Cheap and nasty to upmarket & classy in 10 minutes!

I'm such a saddo, but I cant help looking for things I can make look/work better

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Tried to do my first one last night and gave up after about 15 minutes trying to get the pin out. Only managed to move it by about 1mm in all that time.

 

Is there a knack to it that I haven't got ?

 

Did wonder if I should warm up the handle first ?

 

Thanks.

 

Paul

[Plantman]

For me I just had to use brute force. Couldn't find a knack but just used needle nose pliers and used the thumb on the other hand as a leverage point.  Once you have enough of the pin out you can grab the end and pull from there.

 

As you can see from my pictures I did scrape the pin a bit which was showing the amount of force used.

 

You could try a tiny bit of WD40 on the end that comes out first perhaps?

[Kenny R]

Thanks again for the heads up, fitted mine today. Took longer to work out how to release the handles from the roof, as they are clipped in on the Yeti, than to fit the bits. Well chuffed at the result.

[KBPhoto]

I was surprised the Yeti handles weren't screwed in as well. Pretty easy to remove when you know how - and no screws to drop!

My pins were either fairly easy or ridiculously hard. Scraped quite a lot of plastic off one in particular. Brute force and big pliers to get enough of the pin out to pull from the end.

Keeping it straight helped on most as the slightest angle off on pulling the pin made it really hard.

[Gizmo]

Took longer to work out how to release the handles from the roof, as they are clipped in on the Yeti

 

Go on please enlighten me.

[Kenny R]

Go on please enlighten me.

Same as KBPhoto says above, no screws, the handles are held in with spring clips.

[KBPhoto]

Flat screwdriver above the top one and another below the bottom one. Pride the drivers apart to squeeze the two tabs together then pull the handle away from the headlining.

I'm sure there'll be a proper tool for it in all good VAG garages...

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Thanks - will have another go at the weekend when I have a bit more time :-)

[brad1.8T]

Brad, how about yours?

Mine are still going strong.

 

I did mine so long ago that I can't remember doing them.  I recall I botched the first one (I had no instructions at all) and it was interesting removing the pin a 2nd time.  The long tab seated properly in the handle is essential or it won't work

[Gizmo]

Flat screwdriver above the top one and another below the bottom one. Pride the drivers apart to squeeze the two tabs together then pull the handle away from the headlining.

I'm sure there'll be a proper tool for it in all good VAG garages...

 

Ah yes obvious when you look at them!

 

This must be one of the easiest and cheapest mods you can do.

[KBPhoto]

Cheap, yes.

Easy, no.

Getting two of the pins out was a real PITA.

[JulieD]

Just done this on our Octy and Yetis - great mod and not too bad with the exception of one particularly stubborn pin on the Octy.  The other thing I'd say is to only push the pin back in half way and then double check that the damper has fitted properly in the correct slots beofre pushing the pin home, because once the pin has been pushed back home fully you'll never get it out again.

[KLM]

Does anyone know where else you can buy them? The ebay listing is now ended and I've not been able to find any others.

 

Cheers