soft top rattling noise

[krypt]

Hello, I own a 2001 Boxster.

Ever since I got my car I've been hearing rattling noise coming from the convertible top whenever I am going over bumps or other imperfections in the road, even very small ones.

The noise is usually more pronounced on cold days, and after long driving sessions.

Is there any solutions to that without having to get the whole top replaced?

The top is still in a very good condition and I have never had any problems with it.

Any input is welcome...

[Glyn]

Krypt, The Boxster is full of rattles and a real pain to track them all down, but with persistance you can get rid of them.

Doors clicking sound - Adjust the door lock striker

Windows creak - adjust the amount of pressure the glass pushes against the rubber seal (done from bottom of door)

Wind deflector rattles - Use felt pads or hot melt glue the deflector in

Honeycombs within the hoops rattle - Fit Felt pads to the three locating lugs

Sun visors creak - Felt pad on the rubber bump stop

Passenger seat creaks - Push it back as far as you can and adjust the recline with the switch to just apply a little pressure against the back panel

Lubricate the door rubbers - I used "Son of a Gun" (STP product)

Lubricate the roof to windscreen rubber

Vaseline the clamshell locating lugs - these creak and rattle as the car flexes over uneven ground

Silicon spray the roof mecanism with the roof halfway up or down (easy access to the bits that move)

Tighten the locating lugs for the roof to windscreen joint (there are two Torx screws and this part secures the sun visors too)

Put a large felt pad over the roof lug - this prevents creak within the roof to locating lug joint as the body flexes over rough ground

Have fun

Edited May 4, 2009 by Glyn

[krypt]

Glyn, thank you for your detailed reply!

I still have a couple of questions regarding some of the fixes. Questions are in blue...

Please do not feel obliged to answer all the questions, you guys already helped a lot...

(I am sorry, I am not a native English speaker)

Honeycombs within the hoops rattle - Fit Felt pads to the three locating lugs

What are "honeycombs" and "hoops"?

Vaseline the clamshell locating lugs - these creak and rattle as the car flexes over uneven ground

What is the clamshell? My car suffers from this a lot

Silicon spray the roof mechanism with the roof halfway up or down (easy access to the bits that move)

Is this the regular oil spray you use for squeaking doors? Won't it cause stain on both sides of the canvas?

Tighten the locating lugs for the roof to windscreen joint (there are two Torx screws and this part secures the sun visors too)

Are these only visible when the top is down?

Put a large felt pad over the roof lug - this prevents creak within the roof to locating lug joint as the body flexes over rough ground

While the top is halfway down? Any instructions for that?

I would really appreciate detailed instructions to any of the above...

Windows creak - adjust the amount of pressure the glass pushes against the rubber seal (done from bottom of door)

--> no problem with that, the rattles don't go when the windows are down.

Wind deflector rattles - Use felt pads or hot melt glue the deflector in

--> I have none

Passenger seat creaks - Push it back as far as you can and adjust the recline with the switch to just apply a little pressure against the back panel

--> Works!

Lubricate the door rubbers - I used "Son of a Gun" (STP product)

--> Will do

Lubricate the roof to windscreen rubber

--> Will do

Sun visors creak - Felt pad on the rubber bump stop

--> I don't have this issue

Doors clicking sound - Adjust the door lock striker

--> Will do

Thanks again everyone!

[geoff]

Hello, I own a 2001 Boxster.

Ever since I got my car I've been hearing rattling noise coming from the convertible top whenever I am going over bumps or other imperfections in the road, even very small ones.

The noise is usually more pronounced on cold days, and after long driving sessions.

Is there any solutions to that without having to get the whole top replaced?

The top is still in a very good condition and I have never had any problems with it.

Any input is welcome...

I helped a friend replace a broken piece on his 996 cab, and while researching, found a TSB for creaks/groans that applied to my 2001 Boxster. Boxster TSB 3/03 6110 dated 5-23-03 discussed new part number 986 561 605 01 A09, centering peg, that supersedes the old part. Most of the groans/rattles on my car are gone now. The parts from Sunset in Oregon weren't very expensive. Definitely try this before replacing your top. Several others here have reported that a little bit of Krytox in strategic locations eliminates the last few noises

My original post on the topic was here

[Glyn]

Glyn, thank you for your detailed reply!

I still have a couple of questions regarding some of the fixes. Questions are in blue...

Please do not feel obliged to answer all the questions, you guys already helped a lot...

(I am sorry, I am not a native English speaker)

Honeycombs within the hoops rattle - Fit Felt pads to the three locating lugs

What are "honeycombs" and "hoops"?

Vaseline the clamshell locating lugs - these creak and rattle as the car flexes over uneven ground

What is the clamshell? My car suffers from this a lot

Silicon spray the roof mechanism with the roof halfway up or down (easy access to the bits that move)

Is this the regular oil spray you use for squeaking doors? Won't it cause stain on both sides of the canvas?

Tighten the locating lugs for the roof to windscreen joint (there are two Torx screws and this part secures the sun visors too)

Are these only visible when the top is down?

Put a large felt pad over the roof lug - this prevents creak within the roof to locating lug joint as the body flexes over rough ground

While the top is halfway down? Any instructions for that?

I would really appreciate detailed instructions to any of the above...

Windows creak - adjust the amount of pressure the glass pushes against the rubber seal (done from bottom of door)

--> no problem with that, the rattles don't go when the windows are down.

Wind deflector rattles - Use felt pads or hot melt glue the deflector in

--> I have none

Passenger seat creaks - Push it back as far as you can and adjust the recline with the switch to just apply a little pressure against the back panel

--> Works!

Lubricate the door rubbers - I used "Son of a Gun" (STP product)

--> Will do

Lubricate the roof to windscreen rubber

--> Will do

Sun visors creak - Felt pad on the rubber bump stop

--> I don't have this issue

Doors clicking sound - Adjust the door lock striker

--> Will do

Thanks again everyone!

Honeycombes and hoops - The hoops are the roll over hoops above the rear of the seats - the wind deflector sits between the two hoops - the honeycombes are the plastic inserts which sit in the middle of each hoop - plastic and full of holes like a honeycombe - this reduces draughts to the back of your neck - They are pushed into place and held by three plastic springy clips - put a felt pad on each of the three plastic clips so it forms a filler between the honeycombe and the hoop frame

The clamshell is the part to the rear of the rear window and in front of the rear boot lid - this part goes up when you raise or lower the roof - with the roof just halfway open you will see the clamshell sticking up as high as it can - look on the underside of it and you will see two male locating lugs that fit into a female lug, just a bit of vaseline in the female lug will do it

Silicon spray - no its not just a lubricating oil - ask for silicon spray, and dont spray it wildly - certainly i have not noticed any stains though i am carefull to just give a quick squib on the moving parts of the roof

Roof to windscreen joint, Look at the sun visors - towards the outer side - you will see the A pillar plastic trim and the horizontal roof trim come together - there are two torx screws as you look upwards, with the roof open you will see this part has a female locating lug - this is the part to check the two screws are tight.

The male projection lugs that locate into the females are the one to fit the felt pads to - i used one large round one on each and simply wrapped it over the male lug then trimmed the excess off with scissors - If you get the pads in black you will never notice the pad is fitted

Edited May 5, 2009 by Glyn

[atta]

Tighten the locating lugs for the roof to windscreen joint (there are two Torx screws and this part secures the sun visors too)

Be careful to don't over tighten. The nuts in the window frame are made of brass and easily destroyed.

A.

[atta]

I just read the TSB titled "Noises in the convertible top". It has tons of fixes for a lot of different sources of noises related to the top. 13 to be exact. The TSB is located under the "DIY Menu" and is accessible to contributing members. If the ratteling is from the front, be sure to also take a look at TSB "Rattling noises from the cabriolet top".

Atle

Edited May 7, 2009 by atta

[krypt]

I am sorry for the delay in my reply but some motorcycle scratched my rear bumper and I had to get it resprayed.

Regarding the silicon spray in order to lubricate the moving parts of the soft top, I have searched in over 20+ utility shops and I can't find any, all they have is the regular lubricating oil and certainly no Krytox : (

(also I can't order any from the internet since they can't ship aerosol products via airmail)

Do you think I can use the regular aerosol lube oil?

I will be reading the TSBs as soon as I donate/become contributing member...

Thanks again everyone,

Krypt

[vkostakos]

Thanks, this helped!