How to: POP THAT SHAVED HATCH (with pics)

I'm pretty sure. I just pick the odd one up when I'm at the junkyard.

 

Right guys, after promising myself I`d do this when I first read this thread, I`ve eventually got round to it.

Dubstardom`s guide, and, Andy947`s FAQ are a bit lacking in some details IMO. (No offence guys, but a proper step by step guide would be better for those who can`t work it out for themselves )

Here goes!

First off you`ll need to run a pair of wires from the tailgate, through the car, to wherever you are mounting your switch.

The difficult part is feeding the wires down the tailgate, into the car. I`ve done away with the rear wiper, but the washer tube was still in place, so was ideal for pulling the wires through. (A piece of stiff wire fed through ahead of the wires would be another option). Don`t be tempted to just pull them through in one go. Go slowly, and pull it through in sections. There are a couple of holes in the C-pillar to help with this.







Once the wires are through, run then alongside the existing loom, to the front of the car, using plenty of cable ties to keep it neat. You`ll need to remove the rear seats, but since they are only held by a couple of screws it`s not a major hassle.







Next up, fitting the motor. This is very easy using the supplied fixings. There are a couple of perfect holes in the tailgate frame (as seen in the pics in the other guides). A couple of trial fits will be needed to see how to join the operating rods. Some molegrips are invaluable for bending the rods to shape.




Right. Back to the front to wire it up!

My inital plan was to wire it into the fusebox. Found a couple of permanent lives on the right hand side...



...and some switched lives on the left.



After not finding any decent earths I decided to splice into the cigarette lighter, for a permanent feed. So first I ran the wires neatly over to that part of the loom.




When splicing the wires always use proper crimped connectors. Don`t be tempted to use Scotchlocks, they are a recipe for fire! On the cig lighter loom, the red/grey wire is the permanent live, the brown is the earth, and the blue/grey is the illumination wire that can be ignored.

This was the first switch I was going to use, but it turns out it`s only rated 1.5amp instead of the 15amp is was looking for (damn my sh*tty eyesight!)...



...so I used this microswitch I had knocking about for initial testing. Note the essential inline fuse (15amp).



After I had ironed out a few niggles with the operating rods (needed a bit of white grease on the lock), I decided to go for a discreet OEM switch. I had a spare fog switch, so used that. I may change to a momentary switch as described in the above posts, but for now it`s fine. Here you can see the wires spliced in.



Combined all that with a de-locked and smoothed rear plinth, and, you`re set to go!

 

thats alot of headache for such a small job.

I used a spare elctric window switch because it clicks back and doesnt stay 'on' permantly.

You only need one wire that runs down the length of the car and feed it through to the boot lid.
the other solinoid wire goes to the cars ground (chassis)

take the power from the cig lighter. your not going to run your boot popper for hours are you so cig lighter is the easier option

I used a central locking popper from a mk2 and then connected that up to the lock.

An elasic band was used to pull the motor rod back to the closed position once the boot lock is popped

3 years without fail

 

I wanted to use something that didn`t look out of place, or needed to be hidden away, though I agree a window switch would be a better type to use.

True. But I prefer to use definate factory earths, rather than earthing to random parts of the chassis. And if I`m running one wire, two is no more difficult...

I did...

Another option obviously, but I happened to have two spare from a 4-door kit I`d got for 20 from Maplins.

I`ve found the spring inside the lock is more than adequate.

 

i was going to tackle this job myself in the near future, i am going to releive the boot of it's wiper and washer, and i have 2 door pop solenoids with enough power to pop 15kg, my intention for the switch was to use the redundant rear wiper activation, is that not going to work?

the door poppers i got were from ebay 15 for 2 with all the required stuff even instructions!

 

Some people have used the rear wiper function on the stalk, but you`ve got to think;

What would happen if you accidently hit it when driving?...


Also, as mentioned at the start of this thread, solenoids are quite heavy, whereas C/L motors weigh virtually nothing.

 

both are good points, but as of yet i personally have never hit the rear wiper stalk by accident, and i was intending to get some uprated bootlid struts anyway as the ones i have are on the way out!

 

If you have one fitted to start with just use the wiper motor with a little bit of work as I'm sure most will get rid of this anyway....

VW has done the work for you more or less, that what us caddy van boys do to pop the back doors

 

I don`t think there is enough room within the tailgate to do it. Interesting idea though!

 

yep that works, as mine is on the rear wiper aswell

 

Solenoids (as said by the original poster) are a bit on the heavy side, whereas c/l motors weigh next to nothing.


I`ll have to concede that the use of a spare fog switch (or similar) isn`t the best, since I have burnt out three motors so far!...

I`ve since `upgraded` to a spare window switch, which is much better.

You can use the rear wash function on the stalk, but it`s not that simple. You`d need to modify the wiring to by-pass the wash/wipe relay.

Using a window switch is far easier, particularly if, like me, you splice into the cig lighter (it`s only a couple of inches away).

I also don`t like the fact that you could quite easily accidently open the boot when driving, if you knock the stalk...

 

Hmmm, I'm going to have to take apart a spare demister switch... thinking remove the spring and latch that makes the switch click in to position... then see if I can add a spring somewhere to make it a momentary switch ... then a bit of filler then sand and repray over the original symbol.