Convertible Top opens unevenly

[mikey99n]

Weird problem that just started occuring.

Top was working fine with no problems, then all of a sudden this problem starts.

When I close my top, it closes fine..the motors spin evenly at the same time, etc. It closes great and evenly.

However, when I open, the passenger side goes up when it should, but the driver side lags. But not only does it lag, it is PUSHING on the back of the B rod of the driver side. I think it's lagging because it's stuck against the B rod and trying to go up. When I reach back, I can release the front part away from the driver side B rod, then it goes up normally with the other side.

So my question is, is there some sort of adjustment that somehow loosened up? For instance, is there some sort of bar or string that's supposed to keep the front part of the convertible top from rubbing against the B rod? Because it is definately getting stuck on the B rod...so I figure there's some sort of part that keeps tension so that the front part of the convertible top is constantly pulled back a nudge.

Further, putzing around, I found a nut on top of the drain..but I have no clue where that nut goes. I'm assuming this nut belongs to this adjustment piece....any ideas? I've taken a flashlight and looked all over for where this nut could go, but I didn't see any loose ends...maybe I missed it somehow?

Thanks for any help.

Regards,

Mike

Edited June 30, 2007 by mikey99n

[mikey99n]

Weird problem that just started occuring.

Top was working fine with no problems, then all of a sudden this problem starts.

When I close my top, it closes fine..the motors spin evenly at the same time, etc. It closes great and evenly.

However, when I open, the passenger side goes up when it should, but the driver side lags. But not only does it lag, it is PUSHING on the back of the B rod of the driver side. I think it's lagging because it's stuck against the B rod and trying to go up. When I reach back, I can release the front part away from the driver side B rod, then it goes up normally with the other side.

So my question is, is there some sort of adjustment that somehow loosened up? For instance, is there some sort of bar or string that's supposed to keep the front part of the convertible top from rubbing against the B rod? Because it is definately getting stuck on the B rod...so I figure there's some sort of part that keeps tension so that the front part of the convertible top is constantly pulled back a nudge.

Further, putzing around, I found a nut on top of the drain..but I have no clue where that nut goes. I'm assuming this nut belongs to this adjustment piece....any ideas? I've taken a flashlight and looked all over for where this nut could go, but I didn't see any loose ends...maybe I missed it somehow?

Thanks for any help.

Regards,

Mike

P.S. I don't think it's the transmission cycle being out of sync because as soon as I reach back and release the area that's rubbing against/stuck on the B rode, the top closes normally.

[Chris_in_NH]

what is a 'B-rod'?

the convertible top parts are:

- the conv top push rods (has a red or white cap on the end). this piece moves the conv top open/closed and attaches to the V-lever.

- the V-lever: attached to the conv top transmission(s). connects conv top push rods and clamshell push rods.

- the clamshell push rods: opens/closes the clamshell and is attached to the V-lever. it is a black canister arm (looks like a mini-shock absorber)

there are a couple places that your 'extra' nut could come from. in the middle of the conv top push rod, there is a slider which adjusts the length of the push rods. there is a screw that this nut attaches to. if the nut came off, the screw might have popped out as well. this would explain why your top rises unevenly. the push rod lengthens until the point where it can no longer extend, and then begins to rise. the fix is to replace the screw and the nut and tighten it at the same position as the other side's push rod's screw/nut.

the other place the screw could come from is the conv top slider rail. there is an arm (painted piece with a waffle pattern) on the clamshell that attaches to a slider that slides in the rail. there is a screw that holds it on to the slider. maybe it came from there.

[mikey99n]

what is a 'B-rod'?

the convertible top parts are:

- the conv top push rods (has a red or white cap on the end). this piece moves the conv top open/closed and attaches to the V-lever.

- the V-lever: attached to the conv top transmission(s). connects conv top push rods and clamshell push rods.

- the clamshell push rods: opens/closes the clamshell and is attached to the V-lever. it is a black canister arm (looks like a mini-shock absorber)

there are a couple places that your 'extra' nut could come from. in the middle of the conv top push rod, there is a slider which adjusts the length of the push rods. there is a screw that this nut attaches to. if the nut came off, the screw might have popped out as well. this would explain why your top rises unevenly. the push rod lengthens until the point where it can no longer extend, and then begins to rise. the fix is to replace the screw and the nut and tighten it at the same position as the other side's push rod's screw/nut.

the other place the screw could come from is the conv top slider rail. there is an arm (painted piece with a waffle pattern) on the clamshell that attaches to a slider that slides in the rail. there is a screw that holds it on to the slider. maybe it came from there.

Hi Chris, Thanks for your response. The B rode is the bar located right behind the seats (well, it looks like a B lying on its side)...

I recently replaced the "top push rods" and its def not it, I checked those nuts/screws. The system is intacted in all 3 of those places you described, allowing the top to rise at the same time. The problem lies in that the front part of the convertible top lags out while rising on the driver side and rubs against those bars behind the seat (b rods), which prevents it from rising as easily as the passenger's side.

I tried looking underneath the convertible top for any loose screws etc, but it is difficult to assess since it's complete sealed off for exterior access...

anyone else have any ideas?

- Mike

[Chris_in_NH]

LOL, the B-rod is the roll bar! :lol: it took me a minute...

i don't think there are any loose screws in the conv top itself that would cause this. any problems that you're having are probably contained within the parts we talked about above. and maybe the conv top cables. have you checked them for length? they attach to the conv top cable drive motor which is a black box right in front of the 3rd brake light. there is a black cable that attaches on each side. unclip the brass clip and pull the cables out and check to see if you have 3/4" of drive cable sticking out the end of the black cable.

you're sure that the screws in the middle of the push rods are in the same place on both sides of the car, right?

i suppose it could be a problem with the conv top motor. you may be able to switch the conv top cables left to right if they are long enough (you will need to unclip them from the plastic clips along the interior of the clamshell area to get the added length). if you can put the left cable into the right side of the motor, and the right cable into the left side of the motor, then run the conv top, you can see if the problem follows the conv top motor. doing this won't harm anything. but i'm not even sure the cables are long enough to do this.

there are also some cables (thin silver wire) that run along the window seals at the top of the window. when you go to put the top down about 1/2 way, these cables (covered in black rubber) separate a little from the back edge of the window frame and you can see where they attach (with a screw and a brass washer) just about an inch below the body line of the car. maybe that cable has stretched/broken is not providing the proper tension for that side of the top.

this is a tricky one. ;)

[CJ_Boxster]

The nut more than likely goes to the ball-pin that the push rod attachs to. Mine loosened up and fell into the drain and rested inside the mudflap near the tire until i removed it one day, thats likely the answer to your uneven top closing.

Open the top only 1/4 of the way and look at the push rod on the side thats lagging, your going to see that it's not pulling the top back anymore, you'll have to get the screw threaded part of the ball-pin back into the hole and from the inside of the passenger compartment you'll have to screw that nut back on the ball-pin....

If you look at the nut, is it sorta flat slightly wide? if so, thats the ball pin nut.

Edited July 20, 2007 by CJ_Boxster

[Streetstyle]

I just started having problems with my 968 Cabrio top as well. It started making a grinding sound while opening. And the top would open unevenly. I opened up the motor housing and disconnected the cables from the two motors and discovered that the inner cable drives that spin the transmission were NOT long enough to go into the motor far enough. So it was stripping itself out inside the motor.

Any ideas on why this happens??? And how should I fix it?

[Chris_in_NH]

I just started having problems with my 968 Cabrio top as well. It started making a grinding sound while opening. And the top would open unevenly. I opened up the motor housing and disconnected the cables from the two motors and discovered that the inner cable drives that spin the transmission were NOT long enough to go into the motor far enough. So it was stripping itself out inside the motor.

Any ideas on why this happens??? And how should I fix it?

this link should explain it all. you need to repair or replace your cables. you should also start a new thread for your specific issues. btw, 95% of the posts in this forum are due to the same problem that you are having.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=68

[1schoir]

I just started having problems with my 968 Cabrio top as well. It started making a grinding sound while opening. And the top would open unevenly. I opened up the motor housing and disconnected the cables from the two motors and discovered that the inner cable drives that spin the transmission were NOT long enough to go into the motor far enough. So it was stripping itself out inside the motor.

Any ideas on why this happens??? And how should I fix it?

From what you describe, it sounds exactly like what happens to the early (MY97-99) Boxster cables. Although the Boxsters have only one motor (as opposed to the two on your car), the outer black plastic sheaths on the driver's side and passenger's side cables would stretch to the point where the inner (speedometer-type) cables appeared to have "retracted" into the outer sheath and, as in your case, were no longer sticking out enough to be driven by the motor. These early cables were later replaced by Porsche by "reinforced" cables which purportedly did not stretch like the old ones.

Take a look at this post by Tool Pants, with photos, and see if this is what your cables look like and perhaps the same repair procedure can be applied to your 968. I did it on my early Boxster and the fix worked great and only took about 30 minutes. You will want to end up with about 3/4 of an inch sticking out if your problem is like the Boxster's problem.

Here's the link: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...pic=68&st=0

Regards, Maurice.