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

[Faceman]

It appears the poster and I were mistaken, there are gains to be had. Too bad a flush one would be a hell of a job on the 4Motion GSW.
@golfdave

 

[golfdave]

It appears the poster and I were mistaken, there are gains to be had. Too bad a flush one would be a hell of a job on the 4Motion GSW.
@golfdave

Car wouldn't show the gains immediately, it needs to drive a few hundred miles for the computers to register the daily incremental gains..

Basic aero...massive negative air pressure in that cavity pulling the faster under air flow upwards & causing turbulence in the cavity causing noise...this turbulence also slowing the car down, lifting the rear up, & adversely affecting handling etc., etc....

Blank the void off, flat underside, like all the top supercars, done for a reason...also like Tesla & various other EV cars...except VW.......just VW being the half arsed idiots they are!!

Also as an FYI, Gordon Murray & his new supercar, uses a fan system...which is a low pressure fan, but the car has a big void much like the e-Golf.....So in simple terms, imagine the e-Golf with a big full width duct fan in the boot connected to the void under the boot floor, & exiting via a big duct in the hatch.....suck the air in the negative void out removing the air turbulence & giving the faster underbody air two exit points......guess what the side effect is??..the car gets sucked downward at the rear..more stability...

With the e-Golf having NO exhaust...it would be better to remove the lower half of the rear bumper & angle the undertray upwards like a real diffuser...this will make the underbody air exit higher up the car......this making the "hole" the car leaves in the air smaller...think teardrop shape cars, & wing sections....also estate cars with a longer sloped roofline....mines more aerodynamic than a hatch...!!

 

[Kushdaiin]

@golfdave, thank you! I was able to install the front LCA covers, RS3 Brake Duct Coolers, Rear LCA aero covers and the long exhaust tunnel front cover on my MK7 Golf R because of your tutorial. Everything went relatively smoothly except for the installation of Tunnel reinforcement brace (5Q0 804 421 B) for the long exhaust tunnel front cover. It was apparent during the installation that this brace would be forced up against my exhaust but I went ahead and installed it anyway. After reluctantly driving around with it installed this way, I found that it reverberated the exhaust in the cabin at low RPM (duh!). Anyway, I slept on this and decided that since the cover fit so well, I really wanted to make it work. So I did what made sense to me; cutting the brace to clear the exhaust I ended up cutting the brace just inside of the mounting holes for the cover and now no cabin exhaust reverberation. Just an FYI. Oh and no issues with the cardan shaft bracket and the mounting bolts. Thanks again!

 

[golfdave]

@golfdave, thank you! I was able to install the front LCA covers, RS3 Brake Duct Coolers, Rear LCA aero covers and the long exhaust tunnel front cover on my MK7 Golf R because of your tutorial. Everything went relatively smoothly except for the installation of Tunnel reinforcement brace (5Q0 804 421 B) for the long exhaust tunnel front cover. It was apparent during the installation that this brace would be forced up against my exhaust but I went ahead and installed it anyway. After reluctantly driving around with it installed this way, I found that it reverberated the exhaust in the cabin at low RPM (duh!). Anyway, I slept on this and decided that since the cover fit so well, I really wanted to make it work. So I did what made sense to me; cutting the brace to clear the exhaust I ended up cutting the brace just inside of the mounting holes for the cover and now no cabin exhaust reverberation. Just an FYI. Oh and no issues with the cardan shaft bracket and the mounting bolts. Thanks again!

Thanks for the clarity on the AWD cardan shaft...I did think it would be worth doing, but might cause a few minor "problems"...

 

[Kushdaiin]

@golfdave just wanted to report back on my gas mileage after installing the front LCA covers, RS3 Brake Duct Coolers, Rear LCA aero covers and the long exhaust cover on my MK7 Golf R. Yesterday, I travelled roughly 360 miles round trip from eastern Connecticut to northern New Jersey (through NYC and Merritt Pkwy stop and go traffic for roughly a total of 25 miles) with the A/C on as it was 80-95°F most of the way. My calculated average was 33.3 mpg for the whole trip (vs. a computer avg of 34.0 mpg). I used ACC set at 73 mph for most of the trip. My previous best was 31.5 mpg with ACC also set at 73 mph. I have a hard time not contributing at least some of that improvement to those modifications. I know that there are other factors involved, but I've had this car for roughly 50,000 miles and have never come close to those stats with my relatively conservative driving. Thank you again!

 

[FooDogg]

Another shout-out and kudos to golfdave for his dedicated collation and updated edits on this highly useful thread...
My guess is there will be more mk7 owners looking to squeeze more mpg out of their daily drivers and long haul biz driving...

My use-case on rear LCA protection is for gravel protection....as per OEM German Rough Country factory option.
Anyone installed these on their Alltrack?

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...one-guards-to-a-mk7-golf.320687/#post-6659751

This is newer more updated info on using mk8 parts if you cant find mk7 as above...

"How to retro-fit the Mk8 rear suspension aero covers or stone guards to a Mk7 Golf.'
https://golfmk7.com/forums/index.ph...tone-guards-to-a-mk7-golf.375175/post-7453115

So, my question to the cognoscenti here:

Any problems with getting pulled off backing up on ruff roads?
Updates on availability? (Not expecting much help from US VW dealer parts dept but willing to try: just need correct P/N to ask after they tell me "not found on your (US) VIN lookup...

 

[neoupa2002]

Another shout-out and kudos to golfdave for his dedicated collation and updated edits on this highly useful thread...
My guess is there will be more mk7 owners looking to squeeze more mpg out of their daily drivers and long haul biz driving...

My use-case on rear LCA protection is for gravel protection....as per OEM German Rough Country factory option.
Anyone installed these on their Alltrack?

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...one-guards-to-a-mk7-golf.320687/#post-6659751

This is newer more updated info on using mk8 parts if you cant find mk7 as above...

"How to retro-fit the Mk8 rear suspension aero covers or stone guards to a Mk7 Golf.'
https://golfmk7.com/forums/index.ph...tone-guards-to-a-mk7-golf.375175/post-7453115

So, my question to the cognoscenti here:

Any problems with getting pulled off backing up on ruff roads?
Updates on availability? (Not expecting much help from US VW dealer parts dept but willing to try: just need correct P/N to ask after they tell me "not found on your (US) VIN lookup...

From what I gather the Mk8 rear covers come factory on the NAR Tiguan, so they're available on this side of the pond

 

[FooDogg]

From what I gather the Mk8 rear covers come factory on the NAR Tiguan, so they're available on this side of the pond

Thanks. I'll check it out, using the mk8 p/ns cited by golfdave.

 

[El_bigote_AJ]

Yeah, my 2021 Tiguan r line has the covers on the car oem.

 

[golfdave]

So, my question to the cognoscenti here:

Any problems with getting pulled off backing up on ruff roads?

I reckon you should be ok...VW being VW obviously decided against it as the MK8 aero covers will also "hold" gravel due to the trailing edge, besides the fact they could dig in & rip of, if you reverse & are deep in gravel/rocks etc...

If you are careful & aware of them you should be ok....maybe install with the plastic rivets so the rip off easy..ie the rivets break before the trim does?...

Mind you if they are fitted as standard to the Tiguan "R"..& that car/SUV is designed for rough roads more than the Golf Alltrack...then they should be ok...!!

 

[FooDogg]

I reckon you should be ok...VW being VW obviously decided against it as the MK8 aero covers will also "hold" gravel due to the trailing edge, besides the fact they could dig in & rip of, if you reverse & are deep in gravel/rocks etc...

If you are careful & aware of them you should be ok....maybe install with the plastic rivets so the rip off easy..ie the rivets break before the trim does?...

Mind you if they are fitted as standard to the Tiguan "R"..& that car/SUV is designed for rough roads more than the Golf Alltrack...then they should be ok...!!

Thanks Dave.

 

[Undutched]

Hi all,

I have a Leon Cupra R ST (Wagon) MY 2020 with GPF

attached picutres:
added: MK8 aero covers + RS3 brake ducts
rest is stock

MK8 aero covers helped with fuel consumption, but I can't comment on it as its statistically not a relevant distance thus far. On first 60 miles trip (100km) consumption decreased from 9l to about 8l on my usual route. It could be good traffic and backwind that helped. Important here, thats with roof box installed
I will comment again, once I have put down a longer highway distance.

Car has long engine cover from factory, but contemplating the short extension ahead of the GPFs, but not sure how long the short cover extends over the GPFs? Haven't found anyone in this thread commenting on cars with GPF or didn't look properly.

 

[RaySkodaTSI]

Hi all,

I have a Leon Cupra R ST (Wagon) MY 2020 with GPF

attached picutres:
added: MK8 aero covers + RS3 brake ducts
rest is stock

MK8 aero covers helped with fuel consumption, but I can't comment on it as its statistically not a relevant distance thus far. On first 60 miles trip (100km) consumption decreased from 9l to about 8l on my usual route. It could be good traffic and backwind that helped. Important here, thats with roof box installed
I will comment again, once I have put down a longer highway distance.

Car has long engine cover from factory, but contemplating the short extension ahead of the GPFs, but not sure how long the short cover extends over the GPFs? Haven't found anyone in this thread commenting on cars with GPF or didn't look properly.

I have the GPF car, which came with the short cover. replaced it with the mk8 metal cover, but you will need longer bolts and nuts to space it out over the gpf. Works well and no touching till date.

 

[Undutched]

I have the GPF car, which came with the short cover. replaced it with the mk8 metal cover, but you will need longer bolts and nuts to space it out over the gpf. Works well and no touching till date.

Does the MK8 have the GPFs below this metal cover? I wonder about the heat on my car. Since it's not factory installed I don't think I'll risk heat soak or braking the GPFs sensors

 

[golfdave]

Does the MK8 have the GPFs below this metal cover? I wonder about the heat on my car. Since it's not factory installed I don't think I'll risk heat soak or braking the GPFs sensors

You'll only get heat soak if you cover the whole of the exhaust tunnel up....as one forum member discovered after making up a whole length cover..

If you really are risk adverse...just get the short lip which I mention which is for the AWD....as it helps direct/guide the air flow at the front of the exhaust tunnel...