golfdave
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Scotland (U.K.)
- Car(s)
- Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Disclaimer:- This info is for community usage. I am NOT affiliated to, or sponsored by, any company/individual to promote them or their products. Companies/individuals may NOT use my name, photos, or threads/technical guides, for financial or personal gain (fraudulent misrepresentation).
Part 1 of 4
Vehicle used in this guide
UK spec, 2014yr model, Mk7 Golf Estate (GSW), GT (Highline) trim, 1.4lt TSI (140PS) CHPA petrol engine, MQ250 6speed manual gearbox, multi-link rear suspension.
Vehicles that this guide is applicable to
Any VAG (Audi/Seat/Skoda/VW) car with the MQB pressed steel front subframe.
Introduction
As you may know I have a “thing” for fitting aerodynamic undertrays to my car to make it as streamline as possible, & also to provide maximum protection to the car from grit/salt/snow/mud etc., that comes off the roads that I drive. One area which has annoyed me is the front subframe, which has loads of large holes in it which also expose the electric motor & cables for the power steering rack.
Earlier this year whilst doing some “Google-fu” I found a photo of the current (2016 ->), MQB platform, VW Tiguan which had been involved in a crash & was on its roof. I noticed that the whole underside was very well covered in plastic undertrays, including the front subframe!
Research
EDIT Feb 2020:- I have photos of the underside of a standard MQB platform Mk8 Golf & it does NOT have a full cover, or a longer skid tray. The exposed front subframe is our steel Mk7/Mk7.5 one, & it has no more mounting points etc.! However, the "Eco" version of the Mk8 does use a much longer aero undertray (covering the subframe), but it has the Audi aluminium front subframe. This has different fixing points at the rear which make the fitment of this tray to the steel subframe difficult. Also this tray has NO air ducts in it to cool the gearbox or engine!
I have never seen anything like this tray in the Mk7 Golf ETKA parts diagrams, or on the previous Tiguan or any other VAG cars. The nearest is the one piece metal (aluminium) skid tray which goes from the front bumper to the rear of the front subframe on the Audi Cabriolets (convertibles), or the similar plastic aero tray which is fitted to the new 2019-> VW Polo.
This Tiguan subframe undertray has a wavy edge (on the leading edge) which contours around the lower engine/gearbox mount bush. On the Tiguan, the thin plastic aero tray (diesel engine noise insulation) & optional reinforced skid tray have a matching wavy rear edge to join upto this subframe tray. The current Tiguan is the same MQB platform as the MK7 Golf, however due to it being an SUV, there has to be more ground clearance etc. Therefore, the front bumper assembly & crash rails appear to be higher off the ground & further away from the cars floor pan & front sub frame. The front subframe has taller legs which connect it to the crash rails, & the front skid tray is deeper & more angled at the front section. Therefore, you cannot use the Tiguan skid tray on the MK7 Golf!
To fit this subframe tray with a full cover engine bay tray, you either have to use the MK7 Golf thin plastic aero tray which has the wavy rear edge, or cut your reinforced skid tray which as the straight rear edge! Realising that I would be required to drill three new holes in the subframe, & cut my VW skid tray, I put this modification on hold. However, I decided to revisit this modification a few months ago & found that somebody on a forum in Romania had actually done it! However, this person only had the full aero tray which has the wavy rear edge, & they had just fitted the Tiguan subframe tray as VW does to the Tiguan with NO modification.
https://vwforum.ro/topic/135866-gol...inamice-si-nvh-noise-vibration-and-harshness/
Part 1 of 4
Vehicle used in this guide
UK spec, 2014yr model, Mk7 Golf Estate (GSW), GT (Highline) trim, 1.4lt TSI (140PS) CHPA petrol engine, MQ250 6speed manual gearbox, multi-link rear suspension.
Vehicles that this guide is applicable to
Any VAG (Audi/Seat/Skoda/VW) car with the MQB pressed steel front subframe.
Introduction
As you may know I have a “thing” for fitting aerodynamic undertrays to my car to make it as streamline as possible, & also to provide maximum protection to the car from grit/salt/snow/mud etc., that comes off the roads that I drive. One area which has annoyed me is the front subframe, which has loads of large holes in it which also expose the electric motor & cables for the power steering rack.
Earlier this year whilst doing some “Google-fu” I found a photo of the current (2016 ->), MQB platform, VW Tiguan which had been involved in a crash & was on its roof. I noticed that the whole underside was very well covered in plastic undertrays, including the front subframe!
Research
EDIT Feb 2020:- I have photos of the underside of a standard MQB platform Mk8 Golf & it does NOT have a full cover, or a longer skid tray. The exposed front subframe is our steel Mk7/Mk7.5 one, & it has no more mounting points etc.! However, the "Eco" version of the Mk8 does use a much longer aero undertray (covering the subframe), but it has the Audi aluminium front subframe. This has different fixing points at the rear which make the fitment of this tray to the steel subframe difficult. Also this tray has NO air ducts in it to cool the gearbox or engine!
I have never seen anything like this tray in the Mk7 Golf ETKA parts diagrams, or on the previous Tiguan or any other VAG cars. The nearest is the one piece metal (aluminium) skid tray which goes from the front bumper to the rear of the front subframe on the Audi Cabriolets (convertibles), or the similar plastic aero tray which is fitted to the new 2019-> VW Polo.
This Tiguan subframe undertray has a wavy edge (on the leading edge) which contours around the lower engine/gearbox mount bush. On the Tiguan, the thin plastic aero tray (diesel engine noise insulation) & optional reinforced skid tray have a matching wavy rear edge to join upto this subframe tray. The current Tiguan is the same MQB platform as the MK7 Golf, however due to it being an SUV, there has to be more ground clearance etc. Therefore, the front bumper assembly & crash rails appear to be higher off the ground & further away from the cars floor pan & front sub frame. The front subframe has taller legs which connect it to the crash rails, & the front skid tray is deeper & more angled at the front section. Therefore, you cannot use the Tiguan skid tray on the MK7 Golf!
To fit this subframe tray with a full cover engine bay tray, you either have to use the MK7 Golf thin plastic aero tray which has the wavy rear edge, or cut your reinforced skid tray which as the straight rear edge! Realising that I would be required to drill three new holes in the subframe, & cut my VW skid tray, I put this modification on hold. However, I decided to revisit this modification a few months ago & found that somebody on a forum in Romania had actually done it! However, this person only had the full aero tray which has the wavy rear edge, & they had just fitted the Tiguan subframe tray as VW does to the Tiguan with NO modification.
https://vwforum.ro/topic/135866-gol...inamice-si-nvh-noise-vibration-and-harshness/
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