[Kris_risk]

Hello Guys

I am not sure if it would even qualify to be called a DIY but a very simple yet effective hack that can provide a very useful outcome in less than 10 minutes of effort.

A number of modern sedans have remote boot lid opener option (on the remote). At least VW Vento has one but the fact is that it just releases the boot lock but the boot lid does not automatically raise. If you have a closer look, the boot mechanism is spring loaded and technically (I assume) a slightly stronger springs would have forced the boot lid to raise. I believe the manufacturers may have had a very strong reason to leave it that way. Anyway,
I wanted the boot lid to raise automatically for various reasons.

Two options that exists to achieve this is to either have a gas struts based lift mechanism fitted onto the boot lid or a much more simpler option of adding one more spring to give that additional lift.

I chose the additional spring option since it is far simpler and does not need any drilling and is way cheaper.

So the first step is to buy one of those $10 boot/ trunk lid spring from eBay. There are hundreds of vendors on eBay and other portal selling the same thing which essentially is a spring with a screw (to adjust the tension) and a fancy colored rim.

Buying experience:
I order one from eBay and the item was dispatched within 24 hours of payment though it took 20 days to reach via normal post. You get a neatly packed (pair) of springs carefully put in bubble wraps.









Well there are no instructions and perhaps it doesn't need one after all. For some silly reason, it took me some time to figure out the best placement of the springs since whatever I tried initially, it disrupted the factory fitted mechanism.

Except for some strange glances by neighbors who were seriously intrigued seeing me holed up inside the boot of the car on a weekend afternoon , there was no damage and I just managed to find out a number of configurations that DO NOT work:

Does not work


Does not work


And finally, realized the inevitably simplest solution that works like a charm



Just ensure that the spring tension is adjusted to such that it raises the lid sufficiently fast but doesn't push it up too hard.

The outcome:

http://youtu.be/HgXLNjhHsFY

It is a very simple DIY which I think can be done for any sedan that uses torsional torque to raise the boot lid and the whole DIY can be done in less than 10 minutes and less than $10.

Enjoy!

[thoma]

Nice video. I replayed it several times. It opens just right; cool! And thanks for sharing the right area to hook up the spring.

Since the spring is loaded most of the time (when the boot remains closed), I have my reservation on the longevity of its capacity. May be that was why VW didn't push it to production.

Another thing is the area where the buckles touch the metal of the car. After some use, the paint could be stripped off, leading to loss of protection and squeaking.

[srishiva]

Very nice DIY, simple and effective. You could try to add some insulation material at the spots at the metal contacts. thanks.

[akshay4587]

Nice; Linea has hydraulic struts in the boot; just wondering if anything can be done to make it lift on its own.

[joybhowmik]

Good hack. How did you know what length of spring to buy? Are these standard measurements for any 3-box car with a trunk lid

[sai_ace]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Nice; Linea has hydraulic struts in the boot; just wondering if anything can be done to make it lift on its own.

I guess a slightly stronger strut would help the Linea - dont know how difficult it would be to close it then. As it is it is a very heavy boot lid.

cheers!
sai

[newtonMeter]

Originally Posted by Kris_risk

Hello Guys

It is a very simple DIY which I think can be done for any sedan that uses torsional torque to raise the boot lid and the whole DIY can be done in less than 10 minutes and less than $10.

Enjoy!

please post the link - how do i buy this online?

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Kris_risk

I believe the manufacturers may have had a very strong reason to leave it that way.

Does anybody know why the manufacturers wouldn't want the boot to go all the way up during release?

The only downside of this is the security guard getting caught by surprise during the security check on your entry to a mall or hotel or office.

[Kris_risk]

Originally Posted by thoma

Nice video. I replayed it several times. It opens just right; cool! And thanks for sharing the right area to hook up the spring.

Glad that you liked the video and the set-up. In deed I was also quite pleased with the smoothness of the lift since I was expecting a more harsher "rebound" kind of action from the spring.

Originally Posted by thoma

Since the spring is loaded most of the time (when the boot remains closed), I have my reservation on the longevity of its capacity. May be that was why VW didn't push it to production.

A very valid point. For one I found the material of the spring to be good, and had a tough time even trying to bend the edge even a bit. Obviously the efficiency of elastic deflection over time is a question and I share you concern in relation to material fatigue, but for $10 it would be too much to ask .

In any case, to analyse the level of stress on the springs, I tried capturing a video of the spring in action and you can see that by balancing the tension screws, you can achieve a fairly balanced outcome. Note that it is not a full horizontal stress but rather a diagonal deflected angle of load.

http://youtu.be/pzKl5IzOkGc

You would notice that infact VW itself has a factory fitted spring (black) working in the background that gives that initial "pop" when the boot lid remote open is initiated. I still wonder why the VW guys did not choose to have a slightly stronger spring to push the lid up (perhaps it was intentionally left that way since not all people may want the lid to automatically open?)

Originally Posted by thoma

Another thing is the area where the buckles touch the metal of the car. After some use, the paint could be stripped off, leading to loss of protection and squeaking.

Will be sourcing a pair of rubber bushes asap. Need to protect the paint and obviously cannot tolerate a squeaky boot .

Originally Posted by srishiva

You could try to add some insulation material at the spots at the metal contacts.

Certainly sir, need to source a pair of rubber bushes asap, possibly this weekend. Till then I hope some insulation tape should help protect the paint even though the contact point is quite minimal.

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Nice; Linea has hydraulic struts in the boot; just wondering if anything can be done to make it lift on its own.

Now that you have gas struts why would you need springs? Well I have not had a look at a Linea boot yet but will try to have a check. Depending on the lock mechanism, you may just be lucky adding a spring to nudge the gas struts to lift the boot lid automatically.

Originally Posted by sai_ace

Good hack. How did you know what length of spring to buy? Are these standard measurements for any 3-box car with a trunk lid

These are standard springs but as you may notice in the video above, they have a screw mechanism within which can be used to adjust the length of the spring (and there by the spring tension too). From the look of things, it should be sufficient for most sedans since they seemed to be designed with international car models in mind.

Originally Posted by newtonMeter

please post the link - how do i buy this online?

Since there are a number of vendors out there.. please search for "boot lid spring" on ebay.com or dx or similar sites. Let me know if you need any help with it.

Originally Posted by fine69

Does anybody know why the manufacturers wouldn't want the boot to go all the way up during release?

The only downside of this is the security guard getting caught by surprise during the security check on your entry to a mall or hotel or office.

One reason I can think of is if the boot lock is released while in motion accidentally and the boot lid opening unintentionally. If that happens when you have a fully loaded boot could be catastrophic.

As you mentioned, you may startle a security guard but if you notice the video, the motion is quite fluid in nature so people would notice the lid rising unless they are totally distracted (in which case a nudge of the lid on their head would catch their attention.

I must admit that I started investing the option so that I didnt have to fumble to open the boot lid when missus wants help to drop her shopping bags or when my kiddo wants to drop her school bag in the boot..

[nec2152]

Hi Kris,
Could you share the link from where you ordered this? A friend of mine is interested
Thanks.

[aravind.anand]

This is quite an interesting DIY that is simple and yet very intelligent !

Only reasons I can come up with, to explain why manufacturers haven't done it yet -

- Majority of the customers want the boot lid to open only at their discretion. like the doors for instance - Unlocked from a distance, opened only when door handle is tugged.

- Increase in efforts to close the boot lid maybe?

In modern day cars ( with electronic boot release ) the boot will not be released even when triggered, if the car is in motion ! ( I have tried with Ford & VW cars ) Honda city still uses a mechanical boot release, so do not try in such cars!

[NaveenKBorra]

Originally Posted by fine69

Does anybody know why the manufacturers wouldn't want the boot to go all the way up during release?

1. I think It will be difficult to close the boot lid with springs in action.
2. Reliability of the spring
3. Cost cutting

[Kris_risk]

Originally Posted by nec2152

Hi Kris,
Could you share the link from where you ordered this? A friend of mine is interested
Thanks.

With no particular preference (except for rating and pricing), I had purchased the item from the following vendor:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230829552264...84.m1497.l2649

Note that there is no tracking for the item and it can take a few weeks before it reaches India.

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

This is quite an interesting DIY that is simple and yet very intelligent !

- Increase in efforts to close the boot lid maybe?

In modern day cars ( with electronic boot release ) the boot will not be released even when triggered, if the car is in motion ! ( I have tried with Ford & VW cars ) Honda city still uses a mechanical boot release, so do not try in such cars!

Glad that you liked the DIY. With regard to the effort, I found a very very negligible extra effort to close the boot. The key here is that the spring is not putting a direct rebound force, rather it just giving that slight lift.

On that note, I didnt know that aspect about the boot lid release in modern cars with electronic release. I think I should try it once on the Vento!

Originally Posted by NaveenKBorra

1. I think It will be difficult to close the boot lid with springs in action.
2. Reliability of the spring
3. Cost cutting

If you notice Naveen, VW already has a spring mechanism in the factory fitted set-up so they already have a spring in place which has passed their reliability test. If they slightly increase that spring tension, they can achieve auto lid up. I just put in that extra spring to give the additional lift.

kris

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by fine69

Does anybody know why the manufacturers wouldn't want the boot to go all the way up during release?

The boot lid is a reinforced panel which combines as a part of the bodyshell to provide impact resistance. You would never find a boot lid / bonnet in any car sold in EU/US lifting up on its own. In the event of a rear end collision where the locking mechanism is accidentally released, the boot lid would then lift off automatically, reducing the structural rigidity and altering the energy absorption characteristics of the bodyshell (reduced energy absorption = more damage to passenger compartment).

[Kris_risk]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The boot lid is a reinforced panel which combines as a part of the bodyshell to provide impact resistance. You would never find a boot lid / bonnet in any car sold in EU/US lifting up on its own. In the event of a rear end collision where the locking mechanism is accidentally released, the boot lid would then lift off automatically, reducing the structural rigidity and altering the energy absorption characteristics of the bodyshell (reduced energy absorption = more damage to passenger compartment).

Wow! that is a very valid point sir! Never thought of it from that perspective! While power boot lid option is available on Volvos and a few others though not sure if that feature is removed for vehicles sold in EU/US and whatever said, their boots may have been engineered in such a manner in the first place with safeguards in place.

The only solace here is the Vento is a Polo with a boot and in the event of the lock being released due to a mishap, the factory fitted springs will anyway pop open the boot (it wouldn't lift) . Nevertheless a very valid point sir!