02 Cab roof missing the guides...

[grahamtwatson]

For some reason my roof keeps on missing the channels at the sides when I put it up. See the pics below... It's easy enough to gently guide either side into place with a finger, but I can't reach both sides at once, and of course putting the top up whilst in the car is a real pain!

The roof does close all the way - it just looks bad and also whistles a lot at speed.

I found a TSB for the same problem for a Boxster, but the 996 roof doesn't seem to have the same bits to tweak.

Any ideas on how to fix this would be much appreciated!

[victor]

Hello:

If I'm not mistaken there's/are some thin steel cable/s underneath the canvas that helps to keep the top aligned.

In your case they have either broken or come loose.

I had my top replaced once by the dealer and when I went to pick my car up (supposedly it was ready) I saw the same thing!

When I asked, the service manager told me that it was the steel cable that it was a quick fix and in fact they did not take a long time to return my car in the same day.

[grahamtwatson]

Thanks Victor - which cables are you refering to? Do you mean the cables that are hidden in the beading at the edge of the top which should be in the frame channel, or are there some other cables? The cables that hold the top into the frame channels look to be about right, as they hold the top into the frame nicely when guided into the channels.

Graham

Edited April 10, 2007 by grahamtwatson

[victor]

Hi Graham,

All I remember (this was almost 2 years ago) is that the cables ran from side to side underneath the canvas making it snug.

Hopefully somebody else with more experience will see your post in the forum and reply, before you endup in the dealer.

What I did not tell you last night is that the reason for my top going bad it is because I had taken my car for a SIMPLE detailing job. (Porsche Dealer in Coral Gables, Florida). After 4 days, they call telling me that my car was ready.

When I went to pick it up, somebody had ripped my canvas top.

The manager appologized for it, promissing me that they would get it replaced wich they did.

Twenty three days later I got my car back with a new top and I swear to you that until this day I still find small screws that have loosened up from my top inside the cab.

What can I say. Welcome to Miami, Florida!!

Anyways good luck with yours, I know it's a small issue you will resolve soon!

Victor

[grahamtwatson]

Got it!

Thanks for the pointer Victor - it turns out that there is a length of what we Brits would call "knicker elastic" going between the sides of the top at the midpoint, which should pull the sides in as the roof closes. One side has ripped off on my car. Half an hour with a needle and thread should fix it. :-)

[mpikounis]

I have a similar problem. I noticed though that the steel cable victor is referring to is a bit looser on the side that has the problem. Is there any adjustment I can do, or is it a matter of replacing the cable altogether? If so, is it a DIY job or do I have to visit my local Porsche dealer?

[mpikounis]

After some further investigation, I suspect the cable the runs across the roof lining has become loose from the top end. I couldn't find a way to get to it though because is seems like I need to free the fabric part of the top and I wasn't sure I could put everything back together. I guess I am off to a Porsche dealer to get this fixed. <_<

[mpikounis]

I ended up fixing the problem myself. After carefully dissamblying the top part of the roof I reached the point where the steel cable is attached and realised the end was broken.