How to retro-fit skid trays, aerodynamic under trays, & stone guards to a MK7 Golf

[golfdave]

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Front tray and front exhaust tunnel cover. The only thing left to install - the MK8 Golf lower rear aero covers. Extraordinary. The engine is barely audible. Very pleased. Thanks again @golfdave.

Glad you got it done! Its how they could & should have come from the factory!....Quieter, more bodywork protection, better aero dynamics, better fuel consumption.

P.S. I see you have the Audi aluminium front subframe...........nice!!!...

 

[HuangMoney]

Back to the exquisite repository we have here...this time i've acquired a MK7 TDI. Time to fit some of those torsion beam parts with a little bit of dremeling.

 

[Justin871]

Just got in 5Q0825229C exhaust tunnel cover from e acca. It won’t mount to my 2015 golf sportwagen TDI, the panel seems to be a few mm too narrow, I cant get all of the push pins in, only three. The fourth requires using 50+ LB of force to “stretch” the cover to get the push pin in, no way that ends up being right. Did I order the wrong panel?

 

[golfdave]

Just got in 5Q0825229C exhaust tunnel cover from e acca. It won’t mount to my 2015 golf sportwagen TDI, the panel seems to be a few mm too narrow, I cant get all of the push pins in, only three. The fourth requires using 50+ LB of force to “stretch” the cover to get the push pin in, no way that ends up being right. Did I order the wrong panel?

The pin goes into the middle hole in the picture.

Have you placed the "wings" of the panel behind the existing side panels??

Other fact could be that the existing metal bracket in the exhaust tunnel is fitted the wrong way around??

 

[Justin871]

The pin goes into the middle hole in the picture.

Have you placed the "wings" of the panel behind the existing side panels??

Other fact could be that the existing metal bracket in the exhaust tunnel is fitted the wrong way around??

I placed the “wings” behind the existing side panels as mentioned in your post. I also thought the exhaust tunnel bracket was possibly on the wrong way but it appears correct. The hurdle seems to be the front subframe brackets, very strange

 

[golfdave]

I placed the “wings” behind the existing side panels as mentioned in your post. I also thought the exhaust tunnel bracket was possibly on the wrong way but it appears correct. The hurdle seems to be the front subframe brackets, very strange

Maybe one of the brackets isn't 100% correctly aligned??....The big bolt is 70Nm & a further 180deg turn (renew after each use)...the smaller ones are if M8 size 20Nm & a further 90deg......if M10 size they are 50Nm & a further 90deg...again all renew after each use....

I'd just shuffle the tray over a bit...as the holes in the tray have tolerance in them

 

[Justin871]

Maybe one of the brackets isn't 100% correctly aligned??....The big bolt is 70Nm & a further 180deg turn (renew after each use)...the smaller ones are if M8 size 20Nm & a further 90deg......if M10 size they are 50Nm & a further 90deg...again all renew after each use....

I'd just shuffle the tray over a bit...as the holes in the tray have tolerance in them

I suspect something is fishy because the car had the dieselgate fix and they did stuff with the subframe and things did shift a tad, had to get an alignment after. I’ll of course keep trying. It should fit then I suppose, I just really wanted to make sure I had the right parts on hand, as that is most of the battle.

Ill have to grab a pic of the exhaust tunnel that might be of use

 

[golfdave]

I suspect something is fishy because the car had the dieselgate fix and they did stuff with the subframe and things did shift a tad, had to get an alignment after. I’ll of course keep trying. It should fit then I suppose, I just really wanted to make sure I had the right parts on hand, as that is most of the battle.

Ill have to grab a pic of the exhaust tunnel that might be of use

Yep that's the problem...(bold)

 

[Justin871]

Yep that's the problem...(bold)

Compared the angles of my subframe brackets vs some other pictures on this thread and it is safe to say they are both angled, causing the front mounting holes for the cover to be a good 1-1.5cm off too far apart. Crazy how much you learn about your car when you go over it with a fine comb

I will have to get some new TTY bolts and align the brackets so they are straight instead of angled, so silly. Then another alignment. Luckily I know a place that is affordable.

it’ll be worth it. AEEEROOO

thanks for all the help, when I get around to completion my pics will definitely be uploaded. The rear exhaust cover went on without a hitch, just an extra run to the dealer for some small parts as usual

 

[golfdave]

Compared the angles of my subframe brackets vs some other pictures on this thread and it is safe to say they are both angled, causing the front mounting holes for the cover to be a good 1-1.5cm off too far apart. Crazy how much you learn about your car when you go over it with a fine comb

I will have to get some new TTY bolts and align the brackets so they are straight instead of angled, so silly. Then another alignment. Luckily I know a place that is affordable.

it’ll be worth it. AEEEROOO

thanks for all the help, when I get around to completion my pics will definitely be uploaded. The rear exhaust cover went on without a hitch, just an extra run to the dealer for some small parts as usual

Maybe use the moment to fit a tryolsport deadset kit which includes the bolts??

 

[seanblee]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the info - fitted the front aero undertray, rear exhaust tunnel cover and rear subframe cover to my 2019 GTI PP, along with the rear subframe harmonic damper and the RS3 front brake air guides. In case it helps anyone else...

• The Mk8 front exhaust tunnel cover doesn't fit my car - it hits the GPF can. I could probably bend it slightly, but I suspect it would rattle against the GPF if I did...
• Engine aero undertray part number 5Q0825236N is a perfect fit - it has the two NACA ducts and the sound absorbing mat on the inside.
• Different thread I know, but the rivnuts for the Mk8 rear lower arm covers are really tough to install - I broke my rivnut tool trying, so I'm going to get some more of the plastic push rivets instead...

Thanks again!

 

[golfdave]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the info - fitted the front aero undertray, rear exhaust tunnel cover and rear subframe cover to my 2019 GTI PP, along with the rear subframe harmonic damper and the RS3 front brake air guides. In case it helps anyone else...

• The Mk8 front exhaust tunnel cover doesn't fit my car - it hits the GPF can. I could probably bend it slightly, but I suspect it would rattle against the GPF if I did...
• Engine aero undertray part number 5Q0825236N is a perfect fit - it has the two NACA ducts and the sound absorbing mat on the inside.
• Different thread I know, but the rivnuts for the Mk8 rear lower arm covers are really tough to install - I broke my rivnut tool trying, so I'm going to get some more of the plastic push rivets instead...

Thanks again!

GPF cans & exhausts silences/mid boxes do cause problems for the trays in that area..its still a case of "try it"...


Rivnuts are PITAs....I have a big tool for them, but you have to line it up properly otherwise it screws them up!..... I see you'll use the plastic OEM ones top & bottom as I suggest in the thread.


Anyway sounds like you blitzed my guides!!!...

 

[OryxRob]

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I have install today the rear axle cover. Thank you @golfdave for this topic and for the instructions.

Yo need to do the Audi jacking point covers next

 

[bobivy1234]

My experience installing these today on my '16 GTI in the US (extended aero tray, long forward exhaust cover, rear exhaust cover)

1) Needed to expand the 3x subframe mounting holes on the extended aero tray as they weren't lining up (panel too short). Some dremel work fixed that and now it is good
2) On the rear exhaust cover, the suggested 'hex collared plastic nuts' WHT000713 didn't work because their thread was just a bit too recessed and they were almost too small to be held in by the trim piece, went back to the already installed speed washers.
3) Also on the rear exhaust cover, the second speed washer mounting point that is on the extended piece off the trim - I had to trim the corners of the extended part off with a dremel to get it to catch the body bolt with the speed washer. For mine, that extruted piece of the trim interfered with the car's mounting point just enough that I needed to dremel in a few mm to then get the speed washer to push in.

Overall, works with some minor modifications and looking forward to continuing with the rear control arm covers and potential the short back exhaust cover once I get my coilovers and Verus diffuser on the car.

 

[golfdave]

My experience installing these today on my '16 GTI in the US (extended aero tray, long forward exhaust cover, rear exhaust cover)

1) Needed to expand the 3x subframe mounting holes on the extended aero tray as they weren't lining up (panel too short). Some dremel work fixed that and now it is good
2) On the rear exhaust cover, the suggested 'hex collared plastic nuts' WHT000713 didn't work because their thread was just a bit too recessed and they were almost too small to be held in by the trim piece, went back to the already installed speed washers.
3) Also on the rear exhaust cover, the second speed washer mounting point that is on the extended piece off the trim - I had to trim the corners of the extended part off with a dremel to get it to catch the body bolt with the speed washer. For mine, that extruted piece of the trim interfered with the car's mounting point just enough that I needed to dremel in a few mm to then get the speed washer to push in.

Overall, works with some minor modifications and looking forward to continuing with the rear control arm covers and potential the short back exhaust cover once I get my coilovers and Verus diffuser on the car.

There will always be some variations depending on crash damage to the car, how your subframe was aligned, build dates and also to the parts, i.e. who made them etc..