Glass window top will not close

[monterey]

Hello there,

I just finished installation a GAHH replacement top for my 97 Boxster with a glass window. All went reasonably smoothly, thanks to the links from Mike Focke's page, until I went to close it. It is extremely tight. In fact, even using the two finer plates on the roof frame I cannot pull the top forward far enough to engage the catch. I have searched through the various articles on Renntech looking for similar questions and have not been able to find any. All of the posters that have made a similar replacement seemed to be able to close the top allow it too stretch into shape.

GAHH now ships their top with an elastic strap to help guide the tension rope in the channel on the roof frame. I had originally routed this strap under the control arm (986 561 039 00) in order to ensure that the guide rope stayed in the channel. That appeared to put a lot of tension on the elastic strap which I thought might have been keeping the top from moving forward, so I went back and simply ran the strap directly to where the original belt meets the main folding top bow. That reduced the tension, while still routing the tension rope in the correct channel. I was hoping that the reduced tension would allow the roof to move forward enough to close. It did not.

I then released the top from the rear bow to see if there was too much tension on the front end. The top closed easily with the rear portion released.

I then went back on put the back of the top in the channel and inserted the top and the seal into the upper groove of the tension bow and tried again. Still now luck. So I pulled the seal out of the groove and reset it with the canvas pulled as far out of the seal as possible. GAHH has sewn a rubber strip along the fabric that goes into the upper groove that I assume is there to provide extra purchase and increase the hold at that area. Even with the additional few milimeters that I gained, the top still will not come forward enough.

I am pretty certain that the front portion is in the right position as the side holes lined up with the aluminum plates and attachment points. I have not tried to loosen the front where the canvas wraps over the roof frame and is secured by the retaining strip. I figure that if I loosen the material here it will create wrinkles in the top and will flap at speed when the top is up.

If anyone has any suggestions, or knows of a previous post in this forum I would appreciate the help.

Tony

[Peter Serbanica]

I have installed many of these tops in New Jersey. You need a helper to close top. Keep it closed for at least a week. Eventually it will stretch. Oem tops on all German tops are very tight. This is due to their driving excessive speeds on the Autobahn and avoiding flopping of top.

[monterey]

Thanks Peter.

I removed the retaining strip yesterday and peeled the top free from the double sided tape. That loosened it enough to engage the latch. I let it sit in the sun today with the leading edge sitting free. After work today I opened the top and reattached the leading edge and retaining strip. I was able to close the top after that was completed. It is supposed to be warm here for the next week so I will take your advice and drive around with the top closed to let it stretch.

It sure is nice to be able to see out the rear window again. Never realized how dirty that plastic window really was.

Tony

I have installed many of these tops in New Jersey. You need a helper to close top. Keep it closed for at least a week. Eventually it will stretch. Oem tops on all German tops are very tight. This is due to their driving excessive speeds on the Autobahn and avoiding flopping of top.