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

[parapraxis24]

Finally got a good drive in yesterday after installing the panels, and wow what a difference. The car feels so much more stable at highway speeds, it isn’t affected by wind turbulence from leading cars/trucks like it was before. Sometimes I’d feel like the wind would push it side to side, that didn’t happen at all yesterday in my 60+ highway mile trip.

Any wind noise I was hearing from below the belt line, seems to have mostly vanished. Blizzaks are really loud at highway speeds lol.

My roof rack is also definitely not as quiet as I thought it was! Now that nearly all wind noise from the lower half has been eliminated/reduced, it’s really obvious now. I guess before it would blend together into one breeze, so I gotta figure out something with that, or just live with it maybe.

Thanks Dave!

 

[geokilla]

Sorry for another dumb question, but will the long front exhaust cover reduce performance at the track? Anyone who did these mods and track notice anything? I saw heat soak mentioned on here a couple times.

 

[scrllock]

Sorry for another dumb question, but will the long front exhaust cover reduce performance at the track? Anyone who did these mods and track notice anything? I saw heat soak mentioned on here a couple times.

My previous long front cover after a track day (cover had absolutely nothing to do with the failure):

If anything it will be an improvement in drag/lift, due to not having a pocket of air pushing up into the engine. I would get one of the parts with the transmission ducting since they're there, but the tray does nothing to keep the engine warm once air is moving through your heat exchangers. The factory racecars run a big aluminum skidplate all the way to the subframe.

 

[geokilla]

My previous long front cover after a track day (cover had absolutely nothing to do with the failure):

If anything it will be an improvement in drag/lift, due to not having a pocket of air pushing up into the engine. I would get one of the parts with the transmission ducting since they're there, but the tray does nothing to keep the engine warm once air is moving through your heat exchangers. The factory racecars run a big aluminum skidplate all the way to the subframe.

View attachment 274720

That's the exhaust cover? Damn what happened. You must have freaked out seeing all that metal.

 

[scrllock]

That's the exhaust cover? Damn what happened. You must have freaked out seeing all that metal.

Sorry, no, just the tray. I have a front exhaust cover somewhere but I didn't see the point.

 

[golfdave]

Sorry for another dumb question, but will the long front exhaust cover reduce performance at the track? Anyone who did these mods and track notice anything? I saw heat soak mentioned on here a couple times.

The only people who saw heat problems was a UK member who made up his own full length exhaust tunnel cover.....the OEM one only covers the front half of the exhaust tunnel....There is also the rear exhaust tunnel cover, with sits to the side of the fuel tank...again its factory designed & no heat soak issues have ever been reported by members who track their cars...

 

[Group N]

https://youtube.com/shorts/FSIuHp4g0IA?feature=share

Do you also have a tray / guard fixed between the two guards?

 

[yakboyslim]

Sorry for another dumb question, but will the long front exhaust cover reduce performance at the track? Anyone who did these mods and track notice anything? I saw heat soak mentioned on here a couple times.

I run the ECS skid plate and full length exhaust tunnel, and the OEM rear exhaust cover. Have run that setup at the track with absolutely no issues. Nothing got hot, nothing melted and there is absolutely no way that impacted oil temps in anyway.
I also run the same setup in stop and go city traffic. No issues there either.

 

[parapraxis24]

I tried to do the rear axle cover last weekend, but ran into some fitment issues with the short cover (1K0 501 713D) on my 2018. The edge that rests along the underside of the gas tank doesn't quite fit. I couldn't get the plastic nut to thread onto the new stud/bracket without really forcing it. Since the nut is plastic it would pop out since I could only get a few threads started.

I'll need to trim it down and try again when it stops raining.

 

[gte718h]

Thanks for the thread. It's been really helpful so far. I installed the front exhaust tunnel cover listed in the thread as well as MK8 rear spring/suspension covers.

I own a 2015 GTI North American spec. Can some other MK7 GTI owners confirm whether these parts will fit based on your experience please? I apologize if I missed the information within the thread but I kind of lost steam after going through about 30 pages.

1. I am interested in installing a full length front belly pan. I see that 5Q0825236N is the latest revision and I saw one member state the part fits on his R so I assume it will work with the GTI. Can anyone let me know if a similar part 3Q0825236C will fit please? 3Q0... is about $40 less expensive than 5Q0... and I would appreciate a confirmation from another NA spec GTI or R owner before I pull the trigger on this massive part.
2. Can someone confirm whether the part golfdave calls rear exhaust tunnel cover 5Q0825206J will fit my GTI please? I have an aftermarket exhaust but I think the part in question is supposed to be on the driver side (US, left hand side) and my exhaust runs along the passenger side (US, right hand side) so I am guessing it shouldn't be a problem. Can someone confirm please?
3. I ordered the MK8 rear rear subframe/exhaust cover 5WA501713 but couldn't get it to fit initially so abandoned it after about 10 minutes. Does anyone know whether it will fit with some gentle mechanical persuasion?

Thank you.

J

 

[FamilieTrukvagen]

Adding my long term input, having some years ago added the insulated/diesel/unvented front panel, the 'short' front tunnel panel (I wanted the long foil lined one, but this is what showed up from ECS(?)), exhaust tray cover, the rear axle cover, and the rear windshield spoilers.

Improvements in mpg and noise are noticeable. Installs easy all around. All worthwhile bang for buck. No overheating under our use.

Those new MK8 rear arm covers are next I think, and possibly another try at sourcing the longer tunnel cover, even with the cat in place there.

FWIW I've also used Dave's guides for the rear subframe damper and the intake block off plate.

Thanks for your efforts, Dave.

 

[parapraxis24]

Thanks for the thread. It's been really helpful so far. I installed the front exhaust tunnel cover listed in the thread as well as MK8 rear spring/suspension covers.

I own a 2015 GTI North American spec. Can some other MK7 GTI owners confirm whether these parts will fit based on your experience please? I apologize if I missed the information within the thread but I kind of lost steam after going through about 30 pages.

1. I am interested in installing a full length front belly pan. I see that 5Q0825236N is the latest revision and I saw one member state the part fits on his R so I assume it will work with the GTI. Can anyone let me know if a similar part 3Q0825236C will fit please? 3Q0... is about $40 less expensive than 5Q0... and I would appreciate a confirmation from another NA spec GTI or R owner before I pull the trigger on this massive part.
2. Can someone confirm whether the part golfdave calls rear exhaust tunnel cover 5Q0825206J will fit my GTI please? I have an aftermarket exhaust but I think the part in question is supposed to be on the driver side (US, left hand side) and my exhaust runs along the passenger side (US, right hand side) so I am guessing it shouldn't be a problem. Can someone confirm please?
3. I ordered the MK8 rear rear subframe/exhaust cover 5WA501713 but couldn't get it to fit initially so abandoned it after about 10 minutes. Does anyone know whether it will fit with some gentle mechanical persuasion?

Thank you.

J

I went with 5Q0825206K for the rear exhaust tunnel, and it fits my 2018 US spec perfectly. I also did 5Q0825236N for the belly pan, the cheaper models probably don’t come with the sound insulation, that one does.

I did the belly pan, front exhaust cover and rear exhaust cover plus hardware for all under $200 shipped. I bought only from myvwpart, they’re a vw dealer out of Wisconsin.

 

[DerHase]

Just want to say thanks @golfdave for putting this all together. Need to read over some of it closer as I think cleaning up the aerodynamically dirty underside some will be my next move to gain a few mph on straights on track instead of bigger turbo/etc, because people SEVERELY under-estimate how much drag affects top end speed. It's something like a 5mph advantage on the back straight at VIR in a C5 base model over the C5 Z06 or FRC body due to aero drag (very important if you race Spec Corvette, one of the front runners scrapped a $80k build to re-start with a coupe body after wind tunnel testing was done).

I've got some aero changes I need to base-line test at VIR later this month first, but assuming no issues and cooling is completely under control, I intend to start adding undertrays etc based on this thread.

I know this wasn't available when he last replied here, but to substantiate @yakboyslim 's post about no problems with heat on track... his car is one of the coolest running cars I've received on-track logs from (primarily coolant and oil-wise):

Compared to others for reference:

 

[geokilla]

Did a long weekend trip to Montreal and these aero covers work wonders. I got under 7L/100km throughout the whole trip and that's with 5-10% slow, city driving and AC on. Definitely a 5-10% increase in fuel economy. Don't understand why Volkswagen had to cost cut like this when these covers have a huge effect on fuel economy. Certainly huge impact on corporate CAFE numbers in USA.

I think they're useful at the track as well since it smooths out the airflow under the car.

 

[daujin_mk7]

Anyone successfully able to put 5Q0825206K (rear exhaust tunnel cover) with an AWE touring exhaust? The location of the muffler isn't allowing me to put the cover on.