Retrofitting powered Tailgate
Hey Fish,
Im in the middle of another conversion. I've converted from a barn door to tailgate and added power lift and soft close. Not working yet but this one has the correct tailgate with extra room for rams.
Ill update when done.
Cheers
Edd
Volksfit
As I already said I will share with all of my experience(cost, part list, wiring, coding). I was trying to avoid modification of the tailgate but eventually I had to implement small modification(at least in my opinion) and make my own new bottom brackets. Full details to follow later on. Total cost, in my case, of all parts delivered was approximately €960 = £825 
but now I think it could be done cheaper.
but now I think it could be done cheaper.
Disgusting!.In the meantime, full show off
jealous.
My part list including my purchase prices:
1 x Tailgate switch 7E0959831WHS 16,36 EUR
1 x Control Unit 7E0959107A 154,44 EUR or any similar i.e. 7N0959107G (whichever is cheaper)
2 x Electric Drive 7E5827851C 533,52 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827302 28,24 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827301 28,24 EUR
2 x Stud 7E5827439 2,70 EUR
1 x Alarm/Beeper 8E0919279 18,74 EUR
1 x Drivers door switch 7E5959831CREH 16,36 EUR
1 x Trim for drivers door switch 7E59595279B9 9,36 EUR
1 x Wiring loom by Kufatec 160,00 EUR
4 x Hex Socket Countersunk bolt 10.9 M8 x 16mm 0,90 EUR
Total of €968 = £850
plus home made
2 x bottom bracket (2 x steel flat bar & 2 x M8 nut & 2 x existing tailgate stud)
Also tailgate power latching and 3 button key fob are required (I had both already).
Before you consider to upgrade your key fob check this out
1 x Tailgate switch 7E0959831WHS 16,36 EUR
1 x Control Unit 7E0959107A 154,44 EUR or any similar i.e. 7N0959107G (whichever is cheaper)
2 x Electric Drive 7E5827851C 533,52 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827302 28,24 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827301 28,24 EUR
2 x Stud 7E5827439 2,70 EUR
1 x Alarm/Beeper 8E0919279 18,74 EUR
1 x Drivers door switch 7E5959831CREH 16,36 EUR
1 x Trim for drivers door switch 7E59595279B9 9,36 EUR
1 x Wiring loom by Kufatec 160,00 EUR
4 x Hex Socket Countersunk bolt 10.9 M8 x 16mm 0,90 EUR
Total of €968 = £850
plus home made
2 x bottom bracket (2 x steel flat bar & 2 x M8 nut & 2 x existing tailgate stud)
Also tailgate power latching and 3 button key fob are required (I had both already).
Before you consider to upgrade your key fob check this out
For those who want to upgrade their T5(2010-2015) to T6 with electric tailgate, the part list is as follows:
1 x Tailgate 7E5827025C or 7E5827025F or 7E5827025G 820,00 EUR
1 x Tailgate switch 7E0959831WHS 16,36 EUR
1 x Control Unit 7E0959107A or 7N0959107G 154,44 EUR
2 x Electric Drive 7E5827851C 533,52 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827302 28,24 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827301 28,24 EUR
2 x Stud 7E5827439 2,70 EUR
1 x Alarm/Beeper 8E0919279 18,74 EUR
1 x Drivers door switch 7E5959831CREH 16,36 EUR
1 x Trim for drivers door switch 7E59595279B9 9,36 EUR
1 x Wiring loom by Kufatec 160,00 EUR
1 x Bracket 7E5827436B 7,72 EUR
1 x Bracket 7E5827435B 7,72 EUR
4 x Screw N10548902 2,28 EUR
Obviously most of these parts can be found second hand and the cost is then much lower
And to be clear, electric tailgate retrofit can also be implemented on T5(2010-2015) with original T5 tailgate.
Home made bottom brackets are required instead of (7E5827436B, 7E5827435B) and there is absolutely no need for any modification to the T5 tailgate itself.
1 x Tailgate 7E5827025C or 7E5827025F or 7E5827025G 820,00 EUR
1 x Tailgate switch 7E0959831WHS 16,36 EUR
1 x Control Unit 7E0959107A or 7N0959107G 154,44 EUR
2 x Electric Drive 7E5827851C 533,52 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827302 28,24 EUR
1 x Hinge 7E5827301 28,24 EUR
2 x Stud 7E5827439 2,70 EUR
1 x Alarm/Beeper 8E0919279 18,74 EUR
1 x Drivers door switch 7E5959831CREH 16,36 EUR
1 x Trim for drivers door switch 7E59595279B9 9,36 EUR
1 x Wiring loom by Kufatec 160,00 EUR
1 x Bracket 7E5827436B 7,72 EUR
1 x Bracket 7E5827435B 7,72 EUR
4 x Screw N10548902 2,28 EUR
Obviously most of these parts can be found second hand and the cost is then much lower
And to be clear, electric tailgate retrofit can also be implemented on T5(2010-2015) with original T5 tailgate.
Home made bottom brackets are required instead of (7E5827436B, 7E5827435B) and there is absolutely no need for any modification to the T5 tailgate itself.
Wiring is very simple if you go with Kufatec loom:
KUFATEC
For VW T6 Multivan Bus etc. Genuine Kufatec Cable Loom Electric Tailgate 4251194896122 | eBay
Everything is plug and play and all you need to do is the following:
- connect permanent power supply, plus 12V DC via 30A fuse and minus anywhere to the chassis.
- CAN L and CAN H wires to BCM convenience CAN bus(orange/green & orange/brown).
NOTE: Electric tailgate won't work with power-train CAN bus(used for LED lights range adjustment, parking, etc.)
- driver door switch: 3 wires(minus locally inside door, illumination directly from BCM & opening/closing signal to BCM)
There is no wiring for parking system by Kufatec as electric tailgate can be retrofitted to T5FL & T6 with no parking sensors.
The only disadvantage of non parking sensors setup is no protection for obstruction detection during remote opening. Tailgate will open remotely but without any detection for obstruction(obvious!).
But if you do have parking sensors you can easily add on that functionality, cause electric tailgate control module produces dedicated 12V DC output which engages a relay(typical automotive will do) which then powers up parking sensor control module. All communications including permission for remote opening goes via CAN bus.
And finally tailgate power latching is also to be done if you don't have it already onboard.
KUFATEC
For VW T6 Multivan Bus etc. Genuine Kufatec Cable Loom Electric Tailgate 4251194896122 | eBay
Everything is plug and play and all you need to do is the following:
- connect permanent power supply, plus 12V DC via 30A fuse and minus anywhere to the chassis.
- CAN L and CAN H wires to BCM convenience CAN bus(orange/green & orange/brown).
NOTE: Electric tailgate won't work with power-train CAN bus(used for LED lights range adjustment, parking, etc.)
- driver door switch: 3 wires(minus locally inside door, illumination directly from BCM & opening/closing signal to BCM)
There is no wiring for parking system by Kufatec as electric tailgate can be retrofitted to T5FL & T6 with no parking sensors.
The only disadvantage of non parking sensors setup is no protection for obstruction detection during remote opening. Tailgate will open remotely but without any detection for obstruction(obvious!).
But if you do have parking sensors you can easily add on that functionality, cause electric tailgate control module produces dedicated 12V DC output which engages a relay(typical automotive will do) which then powers up parking sensor control module. All communications including permission for remote opening goes via CAN bus.
And finally tailgate power latching is also to be done if you don't have it already onboard.
A lot of you who considered this retrofit was convinced that BCM needs to be upgraded
but this is not required as all T6 BCMs and T5FL(2010-2015) are compatible with electric tailgate.
To clarify, BCM is all in one unit(power supply unit, central electronics, CAN gateway & battery regulator).
Up to and including hardware version H80 BCMs don't have 6D - Trunk Electrics on CAN gateway installation list
and BCMs with hardware version H81 and higher do have 6D - Trunk Electrics on CAN gateway installation list.
But regardless of CAN gateway installation list and BCM hardware version, 6D module can be accessed with VCDS and electric tailgate works
but this is not required as all T6 BCMs and T5FL(2010-2015) are compatible with electric tailgate.
To clarify, BCM is all in one unit(power supply unit, central electronics, CAN gateway & battery regulator).
Up to and including hardware version H80 BCMs don't have 6D - Trunk Electrics on CAN gateway installation list
and BCMs with hardware version H81 and higher do have 6D - Trunk Electrics on CAN gateway installation list.
But regardless of CAN gateway installation list and BCM hardware version, 6D module can be accessed with VCDS and electric tailgate works
How's you conversion going?
Let me know if I can help.
While waiting for @Eddcameron 's update, I would like to know what do people think about this kind of add-on?
My daughters can't reach the switch on the tailgate.
My daughters can't reach the switch on the tailgate.
Last edited:
Basically tailgate control unit constantly monitors tailgate position and current drawn by both electric drives and if the tailgate hits anything during opening or closing it will stop immediately and go back.
As you can see at the end of the video above it doesn't require much resistance to activate that safety/protection feature.
As you can see at the end of the video above it doesn't require much resistance to activate that safety/protection feature.
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