I found a durable grommet solution for the spring loops so I pulled the trigger on the custom spring production as well as the stainless fabrication order.
Springs are being custom ordered to spec and with the PVC grommets will be nearly identical to the OE Audi units.
We are green for order collection!
PM me your email info, shipping address, model and year of your B5/5.5 and I will send you a Paypal invoice for $165, USPS priority mail shipping included.
All that is needed to install is a 13mm socket wrench, 13mm combination wrench, 10mm combination wrench, large flat blade screwdriver, and drill with 17/64" and 3/32" or near equivalent hardened steel or cobalt steel drill bits.
I will update this thread with final production part photos as they come in. Will also update with installation pics when I put on PablitormDub's locally, or when I install on the second set of hinges I picked up from a pick n' pay boneyard that I am going to spray in Wurth silver wheel lacquer to match my strut barrels.
ETA for springs and production stainless parts is 2-3 weeks, so first orders will easily have kits by this time next month.
Keith
Images of the production sample stainless pieces in place with OE Audi springs. Final versions will have edges knocked down a bit more and through fasteners ground flush with flats.Springs will be indistinguishable from OE Audi parts.
:wrench:
And here's an action look at mod installed on my 2004 B5.5:
Parts and springs in the works. Tested final reconfiguration with new spring grommets and added two 1/16" thin nylon washers to pivot post for smooth, noiseless operation. Shweetness!
So fun to load and unload my trunk now. The novelty hasn't even begun to wear off yet.
A few have asked. It would be a different spring design (torsion vs tension) and I think now that I know where to get springs made to spec, I believe it is possible. However, I think for safety reasons the waggie hatch doesn't operate by remote—that is it will unlock but not actually unlatch by remote, correct? IMHO, that is a bigger hurdle than engineering the correct spring assist and bracket design.
The B6 wagons automatically open and has a one-button auto close mechanism. You may be able to take a look at that assembly and try to adapt it. No springs afaik...
Finished Parts Assembled with New Springs and Grommets
Final configuration for production. Hardware ground and finished flush. They are quiet and they are strong. Going to try out the polished aluminum barreled struts I found pickin' the other day once more, but they definitely work great with OE black struts.
Too tired to start boring and tapping parts tonight, but I am psyched to get covered in cutting oil and metal polish this weekend. I may need to get a flat screen for my workshop so I can watch the Velocity Channel while I tool these pieces into my trunk hinge mods. :wrench:
Damn Keith, I thought you had them made with the holes already in them and you just tapped the threads. You are a glutton for punishment.
Keep up the good work. :thumbup:
Naw, the bores are easy. I finished all the M6 bores this morning. Will try to get on the M8 bores this evening so I can start tapping. I have a drill press, so that helps a lot.
Unfortunately, the angled anchor brackets came from the cutter all bent the same direction. So I have 50 right/passenger side anchors and 0 driver's side anchors. Sent an email to vendor last night, got a reply with an apology this morning at 615am, he is going to be shipping a full compliment of correctly bent units tomorrow. Springs should be here today or tomorrow, and hardware I think will be here tomorrow. So first units could ship Thursday. I am going to the beach that afternoon, so if I can get them out, they will be on their way then, else, they will go out early next week.
I cleaned off my work bench and work table this weekend to get this assembly line going and it is going along smoothly. The parts have been cut and edges pre-finished beautifully by the fabricator. I was marking them all up for the bores this morning and the tolerances are within .125mm. That's some smooth shizzle.
Here's a pic of all my right-hand, stainless soldiers in parade formation:
Fastenal goodies arrived today. Now just awaiting driver's side anchor brackets and spring eye grommets, expected tomorrow. I have 7 sets of hinge hardware being readied for the early orders. I been boring and tapping and brushing and polishing. Sucks at cleanup time because all the shavings and filings are not magnetic, so they go everywhere and can only be vacuumed up. When I was prototyping in mild steel I used a bar magnet like a Swiffer on my workbench and drill press. No so now—but I'm not complaining...
I am having fun making these for everyone, and I am very excited to get them out the door and onto your Passats.
I can classify them as parts returned for repair if that helps. PM/email (keith at keithbloom dot com) me your email and shipping address and I will send you an invoice.
I received the corrected brackets last night, but was not able to prepare them for shipping by this afternoon. I will ship all paid orders on Tuesday via USPS priority mail. If you haven't provided a shipping address, please do so to the email above.
Currently working on yet another suspension refresh and also changing out the front struts on a B5.5.
I am so sick of those cheezy assed spring compressors, slipping around the coil causing the spring to bulge out one side and the fact that the acme threads are always getting messed up because...
I cant post in the groupbuy section so forgive me moderators,
Can someone put together another group buy for the SPEEDTUNING ECU's? Me and another buddy of mine are both interested but can't post in Group Buy section :cry:
Tax season so hopefully a few interested parties can pull together...
NOTE: This is now posted to Passat B5/5.5 Owners Group Page on Facebook, as well as PassatWorld Group Page on Facebook. I will aggregate interest from all three to try to build a critical mass. Please post/respond here or on the other pages, but if you post here, please include your real name so...
ACTIVE: OBDII Port Relocation
As title states, looking to estimate the interest for a plug in (no splice) method to relocate the data port used for vagcom and other devices. Cable would have male/female connectors and sufficient length to relocate port to the passenger side of the center dash...
Alright guys, as promised I am going to see if there is any interest in the krautoLED reverse lights.
I have been running them for about 3 months now and I absolutely love them. I have tinted windows and the blue tinted mirrors so this made a great improvement for being able to see while...
