[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 😂

[yonutMIC]

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.

Nice job. I am thinking of doing something similar to my E61. F31 struts with E70 module. Could you help me with some details about coding the module?

[nibbtastic]

It would be deeply appreciated if you could share pictures of pretty much everything you modified, a parts list including a link to the Chinese kick sensor you added, and any cad/blueprints/measurements/process photos from when you made your housings.

I plan to do this as well and it would be awesome to stand on your shoulders.

[Andystobbs]

Originally Posted by yonutMIC

Nice job. I am thinking of doing something similar to my E61. F31 struts with E70 module. Could you help me with some details about coding the module?

For an E61, I would buy the original hydraulic kit.

Originally Posted by nibbtastic

It would be deeply appreciated if you could share pictures of pretty much everything you modified, a parts list including a link to the Chinese kick sensor you added, and any cad/blueprints/measurements/process photos from when you made your housings.

I plan to do this as well and it would be awesome to stand on your shoulders

I have to strip down a drive in the next few weeks as one of mine has developed a fault. I'll get some pictures.

[tlow98]

Amazing! Nice work

[yonutMIC]

Originally Posted by Andystobbs

For an E61, I would buy the original hydraulic kit.

I have to strip down a drive in the next few weeks as one of mine has developed a fault. I'll get some pictures.

The original E61 hydraulic kit is an option, bit I believe it's an outdated mechanism. Also it's not very reliable and spare parts for it are very expensive. I am considering to install the F31 struts because they are aprox same length as the E61, so no modifications are required. As for the control module, I am thinking to install the E70 module because it would be possible to code it in the E61, but I'm not sure. This is why I've asked you for some details, to see if it's possible to code the E70 module in other E series BMW

[Andystobbs]

Almost without exception (and even then its only a few millimetres - 1/8") the stroke length of all the power rise BMW spindles is 150mm. That is the main factor to check when retrofitting to another car.

I bought quite a few different struts before hitting on the F31 type as most suited to modifications. The stroke length on my E91 for instance is closer to 180mm. You should check the E61 before forging ahead with any plans.

The E70 HKL works OK on my E91 but the E61 has different architecture electronically including a ZGM if I'm not mistaken which isn't directly comparable to the E70 (or E9x) JBE module.

The essential signal that the HKL must see on the CAN is the request for tailgate opening.
Read up on the E61 tailgate mechanism on TIS to see if the KCAN does handle this task.
Then you have only to hope that the frame is the same between the two cars.

Buy an X5 (or X6) HKL and wire it up and monitor live data as step one.

[nibbtastic]

Originally Posted by Andystobbs

I have to strip down a drive in the next few weeks as one of mine has developed a fault. I'll get some pictures.

Ah, mechanical fault?

[Andystobbs]

Originally Posted by nibbtastic

Ah, mechanical fault?

Bit of both. I've refused to pay the money out for brand new spindles thus far. Of course during the initial build I had no idea if I'd really be able to make it work.

So I'm beset by the used (and already quite old) donor parts failing.

So far I've had a set of motor brushes wear out on one drive.
A hall sensor failure on another.

Most recently one of my tailgate brackets suffered a failure in that the pivot ball was ripped out of the bracket itself. This has now been addressed and improved. But the sudden uncontrolled extension of the spindle seems to have damaged it mechanically and its now very lazy.

[nibbtastic]

Hi Andy, were you able to find any pics of the changes you made and a specific parts list for this modification?