[nolesfan]

Keith,

Off topic, but I need your trunk mounted emergency triangle Seriously.

After looking at the thread in detail and seeing how everything has come together, I am getting interested, but after paying $1000 upfront for a surgery today, I won't be able to swing this for a while. Is this a once and done project for you, or will you have some around later down the road?

-Mike

Sent from my DROID2 using AutoGuide.Com Free App

 

[keithwbloom]

Off topic, but I need your trunk mounted emergency triangle

Seriously.

Some member in Chicago has one for sale. I think it is Steve.

After looking at the thread in detail and seeing how everything has come together, I am getting interested, but after paying $1000 upfront for a surgery today, I won't be able to swing this for a while. Is this a once and done project for you, or will you have some around later down the road?

It will probably not be a one and done run on these. I may expand to B5 A4s and other chassis with similar hinges after. :driving:

Hope you recover from your surgery quickly! :thumbup:

 

[DerhsLacidar]

Any chance you've come across b5 trunk shocks while in that "You pull it" yard? Mine have been blown since before I even owned my car. Probably original!

 

[Steve in Chicago]

ACTIVE: B5/B.5 Stainless Self-opening Trunk Hinge Mod

One Please!
(will be the first kid on my block to have this )

Info PM'ed.

 

[Steve in Chicago]

Payment sent. Thank you for taking the time and effort to produce these for everyone. :thumbup:

 

[Bdubskii]

Any left still available?

 

[keithwbloom]

Any left still available?

They are still available. A change in spring spec to OE Audi may increase cost to $199 including shipping. Please feel free to email me directly at keith at keithbloom dot com, PM or post to this thread with your email address, year and model Passat, and I'll send you an invoice through PayPal.

Cheers,

Keith

 

[Bdubskii]

So I'm assuming this could be made to fit my 01.5 B5.5?

 

[keithwbloom]

B5s and B5.5s. Passats and A4s. All are welcome in our trunk popping party.

 

[Paladin Rider]

:barmy::barmy:

I installed my trunk mod today! I'm very impressed - I was shocked really. The quality is very very nice. If you're on the fence about it, it's easy to install and makes a world of a difference. It's a super neat trick, especially coupled with the key fob window up/down. My passat is going to drive itself at the rate I'm going.

Next up, Keith can you make something to open my doors for me?!

 

[Steve in Chicago]

In the above video, if you crank up the resolution to 480p or better, you can watch it in 3D! (I gotta get a pair of those glasses now)

 

[keithwbloom]

New and improved spring design, better than OE Audi parts!

I have learned a great deal more about spring design in the last few weeks than I ever dreamed existed. Apparently, the OE Audi part springs are not ideal for the trunk hinge mod because they are not designed to be installed under tension with a full 25mm of deflection. What is deflection you say? Here's a primer:

• deflection |diˈflekSHən (engineering), the displacement of a structural element under load — in spring language, how far the spring is stretched from it's resting length when under tension.

I won't go into all the other terms. Suffice it to say, the Audi OE springs will eventually lose efficacy because they are deflected 200% of their structural limit in the hinge design as spec'd by the German wizards at PassatPlus.de. Under such a continuous load, the springs stretch and eventually "set" in an elongated, less effective state. Not something they shared in followup to their posting of the design, but probably why their design spec'd the additional Audi buffers to push the lid up with a pop initially when the latch is released. :banghead:

So here's where my spring designer and I have made the breakthrough. I shared with him my design and the deflection requirement, and the actual force requirements of the design. I even added some extra oomph to my lift calculations thanks to SteveInChicago who posited that he has both a Votex spoiler and warning triangle installed on his boot lid, thereby making it heavier.

The end result is that we came up with a spring design that is better suited to the mod, and will not stretch over time due to being installed with a constant 25mm deflection. This means that the springs will be as strong on day one as they will be on day three hundred and one, and for years after that. And it means no one will have to supplement their hinge assists with OE Audi buffers.

How was this done? The new springs are of a slightly heavier gauge wire, and are wound with a slightly larger coil diameter with a modest preload. I promised I wouldn't go into all the other terms, but there I went ahead and used them. In plain English, the wire is thicker and the barrel part of the spring is a little fatter. They will again be made of carbon steel, tempered and finished in black oxide for a tidy look, especially in contrast to the brushed stainless brackets and hardware, and to protect against rust.

OK, so the "tell you like it is" part of me is twisting my arm to finish my lesson in spring design dynamics. Springs strength and performance characteristics are dictated by four factors: 1) wire gauge, 2) type of steel, 3) number and diameter of coils and 4) preload. Safe deflection range of any spring design is a formulaic calculation. The Audi OE springs and the original copies I had produced do not have the needed characteristics to survive under constant deflection of 25mm (stretch applied to springs when trunk lid is closed.) The new ones do, with a little breathing room, just to be sure.

Thanks to the early adopters for helping me test installations other than my own. Your new springs are in production. :thumbup:

:lightsaber:

 

[Steve in Chicago]

Who would go to this length to "get it right"?

You rock, Keith!

 

[keithwbloom]

Who would go to this length to "get it right"?

You rock, Keith!

Thank you very much. I'm here all week. Tip your waiters.

I just noted you were in 6th Gear. Did you do a tranny swap on your B5?

:nerd:

 

[keithwbloom]

Testing springs one more time before finalizing replacements

I sent a kit to Steve in Chicago to install on his B5. He has a Votex spoiler and VW/Audi safety triangle installed on his boot lid, so I have asked him to install with the rev. 1 springs to be sure that they can pull the extra load before I order redesigned spec replacements for all the new kits and the springs sent with original kits.

 

[keithwbloom]

Installation Instructions

Some better photos and step-by-step with notes. For my photos, I used a hinge I had on my bench. In addition to being more photogenic, I found it far easier to mod the hinges this way, albeit it adds about 15 minutes to the install time because you have to remove and then reinstall the hinges from the car. If you have a friend to help you, you can probably lay the lid back against the back window on a blanket while you mod the hinges off the car so you don't have to unplug the electrical connectors going to the license plate lamps and trunk lock release.

NOTE: some of the sequence pictures show the hinge arm extension without the spring mount post attached. You need not disassemble your kit that far to install. Just slip the spring from the grommet on the hinge arm side to make it easier to handle. It can be reassembled as shipped to you once the hinge arm extensions are mounted.

1. A view of the driver's side hinge removed from the car.
   
2. Using a sharp punch, mark the first hole on the center of the ridge about 6mm from the mid point of the rounded bend (where the shop light reflection looks like a "/" to left and below the punch tip in this photo).
   
3. With a 1/8" HSS bit, carefully drill a pilot hole through the hinge arm, making sure your drill tip does not "crab" out of position. A deep punch mark will keep it tracking perfectly.
4. When the pilot hole is complete is will look like this.
   
5. Next, increase the size of the pilot bore to 1/4" with a HSS bit.
   
6. Using one of the M6x10mm screws, loosely attach one of the hinge arm extensions through the hole shown, and position the second hole over the center of the ridge further down the arm.
   
7. Using the sharp punch tool, mark the exact center of the second hole position on the hinge arm. Because I finish these pieces by hand, sometimes the distance between the bores the hinge are extensions is slightly different from piece to piece. By installing in this method, the brackets will be an exact fit.
8. With the center clearly marked, remove the hinge arm extension and punch the mark firmly to make a good pilot hole. Using the 1/8" HSS bit, drill the second pilot hole.
9. Visually check the accuracy of your pilot bore with the hinge arm bracket.
   
10. Increase the size of the pilot bore to 1/4" using a HSS bit.
    
11. If you have a round file, you might want to smooth down any roughness in the bores after you have finished the second one.
12. Loosely install the hinge arm extension through the second hole using one of the M6x10mm screws.
13. Loosely test fit the second M6x10mm screw. They are usually very close, and sometimes they touch, which is okay. Once we install the top bracket and spring standoff, we will tighten these down in sequence from left to right as shown in this photo.
    
14. A view of the reverse side of the hinge arm extension with the mounting screws in place.
15. Because the spring will be under too much tension to attach the boot lid anchor with the spring attached, remove mounting screw from the position shown and loosen the other a wee bit to allow the extension arm to pivot easily.
    
    
    
16. Note: repeat this same installation sequence in mirror for the other hinge, and then if you have removed the hinges from the car to do these step to this point, reinstall them on the car. The following sequence shows steps that should be done once the hinges are on the car with the hinge arm extensions in place, however, for continuity, the photos were taken while hinge was still on my workbench.
17. Once the hinge has been reinstalled on the car and the boot lid attached, using a 13mm deep socket or a 13mm socket with a stubby extension, remove the lower flange nut and use it to install the boot lid anchor and pivot arm assembly as shown.
    
18. With the boot lid anchor attached, pivot the hinge arm extension with the spring now under modest tension, until the second mounting holes line up. Restore second mount screw (lock) into position and tighten in sequence, pivot then lock.
    
19. Once the pivot and lock screws are tightened securely, assembly should look like this.
20. A view of the installed assembly on the car. Note the route of the boot lid electrical cable, it is critical to match this photo or the lid may be pushed up by the cable if it is routed incorrectly.
21. A Velcro tie would be a a good addition to secure cable to spring barrel (photo to follow.)

 

[rogerius]

Just seen this. Amazing work. WTG Keith!

 

[hu vw]

I sent a kit to Steve in Chicago to install on his B5. He has a Votex spoiler and VW/Audi safety triangle installed on his boot lid, so I have asked him to install with the rev. 1 springs to be sure that they can pull the extra load before I order redesigned spec replacements for all the new kits and the springs sent with original kits.

With everything you have going on, have you had a chance to determine whether the revised springs are adequate? Thanks again for making this happen.

 

[keithwbloom]

I have been slacking on this, and it is starting to keep me up at night that I have put it aside for so long. Lemme try to get back on track this week. I do need to move the rest of these units and they aren't going to go anywhere without revised springs!

Keith

 

[jtaylor42]

Man that is awesome! I always wondered why this wasnt a stock option like it is now on our 2012. I wish I could swing the money to get this for our 2005 but I guess I will just keep saving.