[Andystobbs]

After 13 months of chipping away at this project I've finally got all the wrinkles ironed out and a reliable system!

The noise at the end is the soft close relaxing.

[ppointer]

How cool is that!!

[TyroneShoelaces]

Cool! did you retro fit something out of an X5 kinda thing?

[eljay]

Such a tease!! We need INFORMATION!

Well done!

[Andystobbs]

Its an X5 HKL module with modified early F31 drives. The drives are too long and needed new enclosures making to shorten them. The spring length has been reduced also.
F31 soft close tailgate latch.
New brackets on tailgate and new mounting hole location for the spindle on the body.

Also installed a Chinese kick sensor as I have CA, that really finishes it off nicely.

[TyroneShoelaces]

Originally Posted by Andystobbs

Also installed a Chinese kick sensor as I have CA, that really finishes it off nicely.

OK that's the tipping point for making it worth it. Because I'm a basic b*tch auto opening hatches aren't a huge deal for me but that makes it way more functionally valuable. I've always been of the mindset that if I have to dig my keys out of my pocket I can lift the hatch. We've rented a couple fords that have the foot thing and it's pretty useful, especially when snowboarding where I'm all geared up. Very cool that you added it to the wagon.

[eljay]

Originally Posted by Andystobbs

Its an X5 HKL module with modified early F31 drives. The drives are too long and needed new enclosures making to shorten them. The spring length has been reduced also.
F31 soft close tailgate latch.
New brackets on tailgate and new mounting hole location for the spindle on the body.

Also installed a Chinese kick sensor as I have CA, that really finishes it off nicely.

That's great. Are the enclosures from the BMW parts bin or did you have to manufacture them?

[Andystobbs]

I had to make them. The originals are plastic, and for an accomplished person with a 3D printer would likely not be too challenging to make. I don't have a 3D printer but I do have (and understand, how to use) a machine shop, so I made them in metal.

[Runnin'Rich]

Wow this is next level retrofit!
I looked into this a while ago but when I saw the size of the e61 soft close mech I deemed it impossible! Never thought to look at a newer 3 series.

Well done!

Do you have any more photos? Did you have to cut any body metal?

[Andystobbs]

I started out looking at an E61 myself but its all backwards for the 3 series. No way to get that part installed in the rear.

I can get some photos. What in particular do you want to see?

I cut the tailgate to make the soft close fit. But infact, if you could live with the slam (which seems to be very much standard on X5/X6 of all years, including newer) then you could easily get the tailgate to latch on the original part.

I'd already cut the tailgate for F31 reverse camera handle so it wasn't worrying me too much.

Nb. I coded out the slam as others have done.

[M-technik-3]

https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/r...-sa316.864827/

this link has a pdf from someone that did it to their f10

[Serf27]

Amazing! I’ve thought about this but didn’t know where to start.
Feel free to make a DIY

[Andystobbs]

I think the necessity of machining custom parts puts it beyond the reach of the average owner. Although I now have all the sizes and processes figured out, a machine shop taking the job on for two items is going to be prohibitively expensive. For a car thats now been superceded twice 😂