Tailgate tribulations - Can anyone help please?

[Borris]

Having spent several weeks plucking up the courage, I've just spent today hard wiring a Nextbase 522GW dash cam and rear camera. The dash cam was no problem at all however routing the wiring to the rear camera above the windows on the N/S of our Beach was quite a challenge. Anyway that's another story as its now done. Thanks to my new kit of trim tools, nothing got broken either. Result!



It's all now up and running but alas there is still one element of this fit that I have still to resolve. So far, I have run the rear camera cable back down the upper nearside and through the rubber umbilical tube between the body and the tailgate. All the trim in the van is now back in position. However it's the tailgate that I'm still having issues with. Accordingly, the cable and rear camera are now temporarily fixed to the interior trim above the boot opening with the rear most end of the umbilical still not re-fitted.

It was my intention to route the cable with its female jack plug end, from the rubber umbilical tube and then into the inside of the tailgate frame pressing to a point above the centre of the rear window. The end of the cable would then out thought a suitable grommeted opening in this internal metal tailgate pressing where it would mate with the male jack plug of the rear camera cable. This camera cable would then pop out from under the lower edge of the tailgate upper trim where the attached camera would be stuck to the middle top of the rear window.

I have two problems:
1. I need to remove the upper internal tailgate trim and so far it has resisted all my attempts to remove it. I have a diagram of said trim detailing the fixings. Is there something I'm missing?

2. Even with the trim removed I'm not certain that the tailgate frame pressing has a suitable opening to bring the cable through. I have seen a photo of the top internal pressing of a standard Transporter van tailgate and there didn't seem to be any suitable openings. Can anyone advise? I may have to drill a hole in my nice shiny new van.

If someone has fitted a rear camera in this manner I would appreciate any advice you could offer.
Many thanks
Paul

 

[Louis II]

On my 2015 SE to remove the upper tailgate trim you have to remove the hook that holds the blind open as the screws go right through the trim and attach to the tailgate it's self.
The trim should then just prise off but from memory it's quite tight and needs some carefully applied force close to the retaining clips. Hope that helps.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Rather than place the camera at the top centre position, I placed at bottom centre slightly to the right of the wiper. This allowed me to keep the upper trim panel in situ.

I simply drill a 13 mm hole which I passed the camera cable though with suitable rubber grommet. And I used the permanent sticky pad to attach to the inside window, as I know from experience that in extreme temperatures the standard fixing does tend to drop off.

The position of the camera was determined with the vw rear bike rack fitted, so that when loaded, the camera still operates without obstruction.

Let me know if you would appreciate a photo of camera in position.

 

[Ting Tong]

I gave up. I managed to get the cable and the plug through the rubber gaiter by pulling a loop of cable through with hook formed of coat hanger wire and lots of wd40. However the cable then has to enter a void in the tailgate and I couldn’t get the upper trim off either. The arms of the trim appear to need pulling inwards but they are trapped by the thickness of the double glazed window. I don’t think the void has any exit points large enough for the cable until it opens into the lower tailgate: which involves removal of the zipped holder and lower trim. I’ve now run the cable across the gap in the top centre of the tailgate and tucked it under the trim to a point near the wiper where my camera is.

 

[Borris]

On my 2015 SE to remove the upper tailgate trim you have to remove the hook that holds the blind open as the screws go right through the trim and attach to the tailgate it's self.
The trim should then just prise off but from memory it's quite tight and needs some carefully applied force close to the retaining clips. Hope that helps.

Thanks Louis ll,
I removed the rear blind hook and tried hard to get the trim off. I'm just going to have to try a bit harder I suppose.

The trouble is I don't want to break anything and it's dificult to be sure if I'm pulling in the right place. I read some intructions from another member (I can't locate them at present), saying that with the tailgate open and above you, first pull hard vertically downwards on the middle of each of the side legs of the upper tail gate trim. When they are free, pull horizontally towards the rear of the vehicle to release the clips at the top of the trim. He said he used a small breaker bar to free the trim!

I also found this diagram of the trim showing the fixings:

This diagram does seem to bear out what the above instructions say. The 4 clips along the top appear to be of the metal spring variety whilst the 6 down the sides look like they are plastic and therefore highly likely to break.

I used trim tools to try to free the trim but despite going beyond the point that I felt happy with nothing budged. At that point the plastic trim was all distorted and grinning at me in defiance.

I'll have another go today but if that doesn't do the trick I might go a see a local VW/Audi repair centre who do this sort of thing all the time.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Borris]

Rather than place the camera at the top centre position, I placed at bottom centre slightly to the right of the wiper. This allowed me to keep the upper trim panel in situ.

I simply drill a 13 mm hole which I passed the camera cable though with suitable rubber grommet. And I used the permanent sticky pad to attach to the inside window, as I know from experience that in extreme temperatures the standard fixing does tend to drop off.

The position of the camera was determined with the vw rear bike rack fitted, so that when loaded, the camera still operates without obstruction.

Let me know if you would appreciate a photo of camera in position.

Thanks Alan
There's lateral thinking for you. Did you have to remove the lower camping chair trim to do that?

 

[Borris]

I gave up. I managed to get the cable and the plug through the rubber gaiter by pulling a loop of cable through with hook formed of coat hanger wire and lots of wd40. However the cable then has to enter a void in the tailgate and I couldn’t get the upper trim off either. The arms of the trim appear to need pulling inwards but they are trapped by the thickness of the double glazed window. I don’t think the void has any exit points large enough for the cable until it opens into the lower tailgate: which involves removal of the zipped holder and lower trim. I’ve now run the cable across the gap in the top centre of the tailgate and tucked it under the trim to a point near the wiper where my camera is.

Thanks Wiggly Woo,
There doesn't seem to be a neat and easy solution to this issue.

IF I can get the aforementioned trim off the next issue is, will there be enough internal clearance between the inner and outer tailgate pressings to work the cable with it's female jack plug end to the middle of the top of the tailgate? IF I can get it to that point then I've resigned myself to drilling a hole in the inner pressing to retrieve the cable. I'll use one of those conical shaped progressively stepped hole enlargement tools to open out the hole to suit a protective grommet. Having then rust proofed the new hole's unprotected metal edge and sucked out the swarf and metal drillings, the cable can then be pulled through the grommet and the grommet fitted in place.

IF I can get that far then the only other tricky bit should be refitting the upper trim. If I can't get the upper trim off then I will go and see a local company called AB Crush to see if they can give me any tips on the trim removal issue. I may even pay them to remove it for me. They are one of Britain's main VW/Audi repair specialists who have been doing a lot of the the roof repair work on Californias, so if they can't help it's going to have to be plan B.

Plan B may involve going down your route with the cable being re-routed to within the interior trim above the rear door opening and then emerging to jump the gap to the rear tailgate window. I am extremely reluctant to remove the lower picnic seat carrier/door card as I've read that it will open a whole new can of worms so should be avoided at all costs.

We shall see.
Once again many thanks,
Paul

 

[Alan Andrews]

Thanks Alan
There's lateral thinking for you. Did you have to remove the lower camping chair trim to do that?

Yes, in order to run cables through.

The first time I did this was to install the VW OEM rear view camera. So was a lot easier second time round...i.e. you know where all the fixings are and how best to remove them.

 

[Borris]

Here is a photo I found online of what looks like a stardard van tailgate to illustrate the issue. Whilst it may be slightly different from that used on a California T6, I expect the cable run issues are almost if not identical.

It should be possible to run the cable from the umbilical hole at the top N/S corner and up inside of the tunnel formed by the inner and outer pressings and out through a new hole somewhere in the centre of the upper tailgate window frame. From that point onwards the rest of the job should be easy peasy. The only major "fly in the ointment" is the removal of that bl##dy upper trim!

 

[willwander]

Removing the tail gate trim is a bit tricky, you have to pull on it really, really hard. In my case It involved quite a bit of swearing.
Something like tent pegs can help.
Have a look at some of the threads for replacing the rear light, they go into detail on removing this trim.

Replace tailgate light

 

[Borris]

Removing the tail gate trim is a bit tricky, you have to pull on it really, really hard. In my case It involved quite a bit of swearing.
Something like tent pegs can help.
Have a look at some of the threads for replacing the rear light, they go into detail on removing this trim.

Replace tailgate light

The swearing is a standard part of the job I would imagine.

 

[Ting Tong]

That photo confirms my suspicion that you won’t get the plug out of the void unless you run it to the lower section where the void opens: then you have the next problem of the lower trim.

Here’s what I did:

 

[Borris]

That photo confirms my suspicion that you won’t get the plug out of the void unless you run it to the lower section where the void opens: then you have the next problem of the lower trim.

Here’s what I did:

View attachment 53260

View attachment 53261

Yes, it's looking very much like that's what I shall end up doing. Thanks for posting the snaps.

 

[Borris]

IF the trim can be removed I think the rest will be "plain sailing" although I have just thought of another potential issue. The gap between the inner and outer pressings adjacent to the umbilical hole might be too tight to get the jack through and into the tunnel.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Here is a photo I found online of what looks like a stardard van tailgate to illustrate the issue. Whilst it may be slightly different from that used on a California T6, I expect the cable run issues are almost if not identical.
View attachment 53258
It should be possible to run the cable from the umbilical hole at the top N/S corner and up inside of the tunnel formed by the inner and outer pressings and out through a new hole somewhere in the centre of the upper tailgate window frame. From that point onwards the rest of the job should be easy peasy. The only major "fly in the ointment" is the removal of that bl##dy upper trim!

Yes, make sure you pull the rubber cable grommet out of the hole in the door frame.

I had removed the lower camping chair trim beforehand. There is also a hardboard panel covering the wiper motor and reg plate cables, But this has holes already that you can use to pull the cable though. It is the fixings that hold this hardboard panel in place that can get corroded, and cause a lot of riv-nut issues. But being hardboard only you can easily cut an extra access hole if needed.

Be warned that the lower trim panel is rather awkward to handle, so have an extra pair of hands.

I then used a piece of fairly stiff but flexible cable to push through the cavity first. Then used some duct tape to secure the camera cable and simply pulled through.

I routed past the wiper motor then 13mm hole in the lower trim, to exit the cable to the camera.

 

[Ting Tong]

IF the trim can be removed I think the rest will be "plain sailing" although I have just thought of another potential issue. The gap between the inner and outer pressings adjacent to the umbilical hole might be too tight to get the jack through and into the tunnel.

You won't have a problem with that: I did it easily on my old T5 Kombi and you just need to insert something like a straightened coat hanger first and pull it thorough, which incidentally is exactly what I saw them do in the factory with loom for the tailgate.

 

[andyinluton]

IF the trim can be removed I think the rest will be "plain sailing" although I have just thought of another potential issue. The gap between the inner and outer pressings adjacent to the umbilical hole might be too tight to get the jack through and into the tunnel.

Forget those nice little plastic trim removal tools.
Removing the upper trim on mine to gain access to the brake light involved a 2 ft long steel pry bar . The clips are extremely tight. Not helped by the clips on the “legs “ of the trim requiring pulling at right angles to the ones across the top of the door.

 

[Borris]

Forget those nice little plastic trim removal tools.
Removing the upper trim on mine to gain access to the brake light involved a 2 ft long steel pry bar . The clips are extremely tight. Not helped by the clips on the “legs “ of the trim requiring pulling at right angles to the ones across the top of the door.

Blimey!!! How exactly did you use the pry bar? Was it inline with each leg levering the joint against something like a piece of wood placed at right angles across the lower trim?

 

[andyinluton]

Use the plastic tools to open a small gap, then come in from the side...

 

[MartG]

Borris, it might be easier to let someone smash into the back of the van... Then use the tent pegs for the swearing...

Sorry!

 

[Borris]

Borris, it might be easier to let someone smash into the back of the van... Then use the tent pegs for the swearing...

Sorry!

It's done less than 500 miles so forgive me for not being that keen on the idea.

 

[Perfectos]

Hi Borris

Are you trying to mount the rear view event camera on the flat trim panel between the window And pull up blind ?

With the camping chair panel removed, Can the cable be from the rubber ambilical boot be fed inside the tail gate vertical pressing (feed it downward) to appear in the main panel cavity ( in line with the lower trim panel, where there is acceptable access for hands to access.
Would the rear wiper motor assembly be a suitable position to bring the cable up through , I believe there are some holes already in the pressing ?

 

[Borris]

Hi Borris

Are you trying to mount the rear view event camera on the flat trim panel between the window And pull up blind ?

With the camping chair panel removed, Can the cable be from the rubber ambilical boot be fed inside the tail gate vertical pressing (feed it downward) to appear in the main panel cavity ( in line with the lower trim panel, where there is acceptable access for hands to access.
Would the rear wiper motor assembly be a suitable position to bring the cable up through , I believe there are some holes already in the pressing ?

Hello Perfectos,
I'm attempting to mount the camera at the top, middle of the rear screen. There is plenty or room and it doesn't interfere with the operation if the rear blind either.

Your suggestion is a distinct possibility however I want to exhaust all the avenues of my plan A first. I am determined that the upper trim will not beat me. If it does then I will try your route.

Many thanks
Paul

 

[Borris]

Update:
Today I visited a friend who runs a garage and used his camera probe thingy to have a look inside the upper part of the tailgate. Whilst I found that it wasn't possible to work the cable to the part of the door frame that I originally had in mind, I did discover that it is possible to easily work the camera cable from the rubber umbilical tube along inside the tailgate pressings to where the high level brake light is located. Daft really, I should have realised that!

So I'm now about three feet nearer my goal. If I can find out how to pop the high level brake light out then it should be possible to drill through the metal of the inner pressing located at the back of this cavity. That in turn should enable the cable to be pushed through from the brake light cavity to a point just above the inside of the top of the rear window but inside that dreaded upper tailgate trim. However, the trim will still have to be removed to complete the fit properly.

I did pop into out local VW Commercial dealership to ask how the T6 high level brake light is removed. I was told that some are just prized out and some are bolted in position from the rear. Not very helpful.

So the tribulations continue.

 

[andyinluton]

The reason I’m an expert in getting the door trim off is because I had to replace the high level brake light a number of times.
Whilst you may be able to prise the lens off from the outside, once off it won’t refix properly & you have to replace the whole light unit & you can’t do that without removing the trim.