refresh my memory on dropping convert top corner...

[rsfeller]

I've had my entire convertible top frame off before to repair bent parts and got a good understanding of the cables, transmissions and internals.

Wife has been driving the car lately and she noted the latch now hits the wind screen when the top goes up and down and while inspecting the concern I noted that the driver side of the frame/canvas barely clears the rollbar hoop and is an inch or more lower then the other side.

My brain is a but rusty before I start getting into this...what do you think at work?

Transmission out of sink?

Stretched cable?

Something else (since that is the side I had to repair a pivot cam on).

thanks.

Shawn

[1schoir]

I've had my entire convertible top frame off before to repair bent parts and got a good understanding of the cables, transmissions and internals.

Wife has been driving the car lately and she noted the latch now hits the wind screen when the top goes up and down and while inspecting the concern I noted that the driver side of the frame/canvas barely clears the rollbar hoop and is an inch or more lower then the other side.

My brain is a but rusty before I start getting into this...what do you think at work?

Transmission out of sink?

Stretched cable?

Something else (since that is the side I had to repair a pivot cam on).

thanks.

Shawn

Shawn:

I think that it is probably none of the possible causes that you list.

Try loosening all six big bolts that hold the convertible top frame to the chassis, after you remove any of the phillips head screws in that area (sometimes 1, sometimes 2 or none on each side).

Then, have someone pull forward on one side of the frame where it is attached with the three bolts and then tighten one of the bolts while the frame is pushed forward as much as possible on that side.

Repeat the same process for the other side.

Then tighten the remaining two bolts on each side and reinstall any of the phillips head screws.

That little bit of forward adjustment should give you the clearance over the windscreen by the latch hook.

The fact that you noticed the right side being a little closer to the roll bar may just be that that side is the one that will yield more of a forward adjustment.

Regards, Maurice.

[rsfeller]

Thanks Maurice, will research tonight.

My only concern with your idea is that the latch was not hitting before, so although something may be sagging I don't think my reattachment of the frame assembly (two summers) ago has change. But we'll see!!

Also, refresh my memory but I though there was no "play" in those three bolts? No slots to slide the frame forward/back for such an adjustment. I remember being really relieved when I took the top off thinking I didn't need to "mark" the old location as the bolts put it "right where it needed to be".

Was you experience different on that last point?

Shawn

[1schoir]

Shawn:

Even though you did this two summers ago, that one side may have loosened up enough to cause the problem. Even when everything is adjusted properly, the latch only clears the windscreen by about 1/4 of an inch, and sometimes even less than that.

You're correct that there are no "slots" but it makes enough of a difference if you stress the frame forward before locking down the first bolt and then do the other side.

There is some play in the hole, even though it's definitely not a slot.

I had this experience recently when I helped my friend "Boxtaboy" install a glass-window OEM top from a 2003 Boxster onto his 2000 Boxster, and we experienced the same problem twice.

The first time, after completing the installation the latch hook would just nick the windscreen and we pulled the frame forward and then the latch hook would barely clear the windscreen, almost brushing it. After a few weeks, the latch started to barely touch the windscreen and we did it again, using the method I described and it's been perfect since.

BTW, his 2000 had no phillips head screws, my '97 has two on each side. I'm going to do the conversion to a 2004 glass windowed top, as soon as I can figure out what to do with the extra brown and black wire (there are two on the early Boxsters and only one on the later ones) that comes out of the electric motor. I know that one goes to the relay and the other goes to the central alarm control unit but I have to figure out which is which, maybe with an ohmeter.

Regards, Maurice.

[rsfeller]

Shawn:

Even though you did this two summers ago, that one side may have loosened up enough to cause the problem. Even when everything is adjusted properly, the latch only clears the windscreen by about 1/4 of an inch, and sometimes even less than that.

You're correct that there are no "slots" but it makes enough of a difference if you stress the frame forward before locking down the first bolt and then do the other side.

There is some play in the hole, even though it's definitely not a slot.

I had this experience recently when I helped my friend "Boxtaboy" install a glass-window OEM top from a 2003 Boxster onto his 2000 Boxster, and we experienced the same problem twice.

The first time, after completing the installation the latch hook would just nick the windscreen and we pulled the frame forward and then the latch hook would barely clear the windscreen, almost brushing it. After a few weeks, the latch started to barely touch the windscreen and we did it again, using the method I described and it's been perfect since.

BTW, his 2000 had no phillips head screws, my '97 has two on each side. I'm going to do the conversion to a 2004 glass windowed top, as soon as I can figure out what to do with the extra brown and black wire (there are two on the early Boxsters and only one on the later ones) that comes out of the electric motor. I know that one goes to the relay and the other goes to the central alarm control unit but I have to figure out which is which, maybe with an ohmeter.

Regards, Maurice.

All makes sense. Just did a wheel bearing on my Passat Tdi with none adjustable stuts (no slots for adjustment)...funny thing is I could make that car drive down the road like a 3 legged dog just by pushing on three bolts that should have had no play...same theory as yours and it is true it will move.

My 1997 didn't have the phillips head screws either if I recall. I remember looking at the p-tech manual and going, why don't I have those? I just have the big bolts.

I'm thinking glass top too. It's a shame my canvas is 100% OK and the plastic is ripped. How did you rate the procedure?

Also, I'm not familiar with the wires you mentioned and how they would interfere with a glass window?!?!? Electric motor to what and how would this interfere?

[1schoir]

Shawn:

Even though you did this two summers ago, that one side may have loosened up enough to cause the problem. Even when everything is adjusted properly, the latch only clears the windscreen by about 1/4 of an inch, and sometimes even less than that.

You're correct that there are no "slots" but it makes enough of a difference if you stress the frame forward before locking down the first bolt and then do the other side.

There is some play in the hole, even though it's definitely not a slot.

I had this experience recently when I helped my friend "Boxtaboy" install a glass-window OEM top from a 2003 Boxster onto his 2000 Boxster, and we experienced the same problem twice.

The first time, after completing the installation the latch hook would just nick the windscreen and we pulled the frame forward and then the latch hook would barely clear the windscreen, almost brushing it. After a few weeks, the latch started to barely touch the windscreen and we did it again, using the method I described and it's been perfect since.

BTW, his 2000 had no phillips head screws, my '97 has two on each side. I'm going to do the conversion to a 2004 glass windowed top, as soon as I can figure out what to do with the extra brown and black wire (there are two on the early Boxsters and only one on the later ones) that comes out of the electric motor. I know that one goes to the relay and the other goes to the central alarm control unit but I have to figure out which is which, maybe with an ohmeter.

Regards, Maurice.

All makes sense. Just did a wheel bearing on my Passat Tdi with none adjustable stuts (no slots for adjustment)...funny thing is I could make that car drive down the road like a 3 legged dog just by pushing on three bolts that should have had no play...same theory as yours and it is true it will move.

My 1997 didn't have the phillips head screws either if I recall. I remember looking at the p-tech manual and going, why don't I have those? I just have the big bolts.

I'm thinking glass top too. It's a shame my canvas is 100% OK and the plastic is ripped. How did you rate the procedure?

Also, I'm not familiar with the wires you mentioned and how they would interfere with a glass window?!?!? Electric motor to what and how would this interfere?

Shawn:

Glass top is the way to go. The only consideration for some is that it changes the profile or shape of the top because of the difference between the early 3 bow and the later 4 bow setup. Every other consideration is a positive for the glass top.

The wires and electric motor I mentioned are the wires leading from the electric motor that drives the convertible top cables to the transmissions.

Because of the extra microswitch set-up (which is located under that little arm that sits on top of the electric motor housing), there are additional wires running from the electric motor area which don't exist on the later versions. This is because both the B-pillar microswitch and the microswitch on top of the electric motor have been moved to the inside of the front of the driver's side transmission on the "B" Version transmissions.

The problem is that whereas, on the B version set up, there is ONE black and brown wire leading from the second microswitch (which is now located inside the driver's side transmission), on the old "A" Version set up, there are TWO black and brown wires leading from the electric motor area's second microswitch. I traced the wires on wiring diagrams and found that one of those (on the A Version) leads to the central alarm control unit and the other leads to the double relay.

The relay is also a different part number on the B Version setup, but I have that covered, as well as the different studs that hold and space the B version transmissions correctly to the inner quarter panel.

The wires for the B Pillar microswitch on the A version, and for the first microswitch on the B version (also inside the driver's side transmission) are identical and are easy to deal with. It's that extra brown and black wire that's the question. I'm leaning towards determining which one of the two brown/black wires leads to the central alarm control unit on the A version set up and disregarding that wire, and then connecting the other brown/black (which the diagram shows goes to the relay) to the driver's side transmission plug.

Regards, Maurice.

[ericinboca]

Shawn:

Even though you did this two summers ago, that one side may have loosened up enough to cause the problem. Even when everything is adjusted properly, the latch only clears the windscreen by about 1/4 of an inch, and sometimes even less than that.

You're correct that there are no "slots" but it makes enough of a difference if you stress the frame forward before locking down the first bolt and then do the other side.

There is some play in the hole, even though it's definitely not a slot.

I had this experience recently when I helped my friend "Boxtaboy" install a glass-window OEM top from a 2003 Boxster onto his 2000 Boxster, and we experienced the same problem twice.

The first time, after completing the installation the latch hook would just nick the windscreen and we pulled the frame forward and then the latch hook would barely clear the windscreen, almost brushing it. After a few weeks, the latch started to barely touch the windscreen and we did it again, using the method I described and it's been perfect since.

BTW, his 2000 had no phillips head screws, my '97 has two on each side. I'm going to do the conversion to a 2004 glass windowed top, as soon as I can figure out what to do with the extra brown and black wire (there are two on the early Boxsters and only one on the later ones) that comes out of the electric motor. I know that one goes to the relay and the other goes to the central alarm control unit but I have to figure out which is which, maybe with an ohmeter.

Regards, Maurice.

All makes sense. Just did a wheel bearing on my Passat Tdi with none adjustable stuts (no slots for adjustment)...funny thing is I could make that car drive down the road like a 3 legged dog just by pushing on three bolts that should have had no play...same theory as yours and it is true it will move.

My 1997 didn't have the phillips head screws either if I recall. I remember looking at the p-tech manual and going, why don't I have those? I just have the big bolts.

I'm thinking glass top too. It's a shame my canvas is 100% OK and the plastic is ripped. How did you rate the procedure?

Also, I'm not familiar with the wires you mentioned and how they would interfere with a glass window?!?!? Electric motor to what and how would this interfere?

Shawn:

Glass top is the way to go. The only consideration for some is that it changes the profile or shape of the top because of the difference between the early 3 bow and the later 4 bow setup. Every other consideration is a positive for the glass top.

The wires and electric motor I mentioned are the wires leading from the electric motor that drives the convertible top cables to the transmissions.

Because of the extra microswitch set-up (which is located under that little arm that sits on top of the electric motor housing), there are additional wires running from the electric motor area which don't exist on the later versions. This is because both the B-pillar microswitch and the microswitch on top of the electric motor have been moved to the inside of the front of the driver's side transmission on the "B" Version transmissions.

The problem is that whereas, on the B version set up, there is ONE black and brown wire leading from the second microswitch (which is now located inside the driver's side transmission), on the old "A" Version set up, there are TWO black and brown wires leading from the electric motor area's second microswitch. I traced the wires on wiring diagrams and found that one of those (on the A Version) leads to the central alarm control unit and the other leads to the double relay.

The relay is also a different part number on the B Version setup, but I have that covered, as well as the different studs that hold and space the B version transmissions correctly to the inner quarter panel.

The wires for the B Pillar microswitch on the A version, and for the first microswitch on the B version (also inside the driver's side transmission) are identical and are easy to deal with. It's that extra brown and black wire that's the question. I'm leaning towards determining which one of the two brown/black wires leads to the central alarm control unit on the A version set up and disregarding that wire, and then connecting the other brown/black (which the diagram shows goes to the relay) to the driver's side transmission plug.

Regards, Maurice.

I don't completely follow the motor wiring issues, but want to toss out to you guys in case this helps - I've got a motor off of my '04. Maybe replacing the older style motor with a new style?? PM me if that helps.

( yes, i'm still peddling parts off of what is now a race car! :D )

[1schoir]

I don't completely follow the motor wiring issues, but want to toss out to you guys in case this helps - I've got a motor off of my '04. Maybe replacing the older style motor with a new style?? PM me if that helps.

( yes, i'm still peddling parts off of what is now a race car! :D )

The motors and their wiring are the same, regardless of the years, at least on all 986's. What changes is the additional wires that come from/go to that area because of the additional microswitch, which is tripped by the little lever that gets pressed down by the clamshell when it closes, either at the end of the opening cycle or the end of the closing cycle.

Off topic, I'd love to see photos of that race car. After all, my Boxster will soon have a part of that race car plugged into the front of the driver's side convertible top tansmission. :P

Regards, Maurice.

[ericinboca]

I don't completely follow the motor wiring issues, but want to toss out to you guys in case this helps - I've got a motor off of my '04. Maybe replacing the older style motor with a new style?? PM me if that helps.

( yes, i'm still peddling parts off of what is now a race car! :D )

The motors and their wiring are the same, regardless of the years, at least on all 986's. What changes is the additional wires that come from/go to that area because of the additional microswitch, which is tripped by the little lever that gets pressed down by the clamshell when it closes, either at the end of the opening cycle or the end of the closing cycle.

Off topic, I'd love to see photos of that race car. After all, my Boxster will soon have a part of that race car plugged into the front of the driver's side convertible top tansmission. :P

Regards, Maurice.

Soon!

I am waiting on a CD from my visit to Sebring last weekend to arrive. I'm am pretty proud of it! It is a very quick car. Now I have to learn to drive it :D