Boxster roof not seating correctly

First question: was that gap there before you did the ‘roof elastics’ repair? If so, maybe the elastic is too tight. I did the same fix on my top with the sagging elastic, but it only needs to be a modest amount of tension on the elastic. Or else, which I can’t tell from the pics, is that the plastic rail that holds the back edge of the convertible top to the underside of the body has come unfastened somehow. This is the piece that you unfasten when putting the top into engine access mode. If that is not pulling down properly that may be causing the gap to open up. The entire geometry of the convertible top has many rods, bars and pivot points that all must work in concert to ensure the top seats itself properly either when raising or lowering. Anything out of whack will most likely result in a misalignment of all these crucial mechanisms. Check out any of the videos on putting the top into engine access mode and you will see what I mean.

Nick7602 said:

Hi Hoster

Thank you I have fixed the elastic on both sides of the vehicle, I do know that the cord with tab on the end shown in your pic is not fitted on the drivers side within my vehicle, but what also is interesting, over the weekend I checked the push rods, and when I open the convertible roof fully, and the rear deck closes, there is a crunching sound right at the bottom of the closing movement, so checking the pushrods both sides, the UK drivers side pushrod the white cup is showing roughly 15mm of exposed adjustment thread at its base, the passengers side only 5mm, uneven height push rods?.....could this be the problem???

Click to expand...

Didn't notice the flag and didn't realize you guys drive on the wrong side. Plus hope you are not a gunners fan

Can you post some pictures of those push rods? 15mm sounds too exact to be "rough" ;-)

What I found out as I try to adjust / fix:
1. Youtube is too easy as I am struggling
2. The "OEM" length / tightness of the elastics didn't work for me so had to take a "trial-and-error" with the "new elastics" with multiple holes / positions
3. When I set the driver side elastic too tight, the roof fabric on the side didn't flatten out completely
4. Plus, there is a tension wire going across the roof (see pic, #17) and the wire seems to "adjust" left and right balance (of the roof fabric) as the elastic strength may vary left / right over time (I may had the US driver side too tight initially, and I had to compensate - e.g., ensure the tightness of both sides are somewhat equal / "close enough")
5. In addition, there is another elastic band (see a picture with my finger) at the bottom of the frame - you may want to check that - this elastic may function "opposite" of what we are trying to fix as this should "release" to close the gap in your picture, perhaps??

The crunch sound may be (based on my VERY SHORT experience - I just got my boxster 3 weeks ago and getting to know the car day-by-day ): 1) the fabric cover clip coming loose and/or 2) this "protective cover" coming loose (see #23) which was initially loose / sitting in by the rain drain, and/or 3) the rain guard in the stowage compartment was loose / not seated properly (and the glass window is squeezing??




What started as a 10 min fix, is taking too long for me

I'll just comment - the pushrods (part #9 below in the red box) have two adjustments - one is toward the rear of the car and is a T30 bolt that holds the rod part of the assembly in the part that mounts to the pivoting arm on the gearbox, the other rod length adjustment is the plastic sockets at the ends, the threaded part of the rod. From end to end the rods should be equal in length. These rods are what move the frame of the top back and forward. You want both sides to move the same distance at the same time and remain aligned with each other.



The alignment is fairly simple (did it one night last week actually when one of the Torx bolts came loose..)

You want the front of the top to just contact the header over the windshield EQUALLY on both sides when the motor stops. If one side isn't going as far as it should it will be difficult to latch the top closed, and on mine - it protests by making a big bang/clack sort of noise as I try to latch it. To adjust it - I used the T30 bolt, and this time I put some blue Loctite(tm) on the threads - medium strength - in the hope that it won't loosen up again.

You do the adjustment/alignment with the top open about 10-12 inches. Measure the distance of the pin on the top leading edge, to the socket on the windshield header. Measure the distance on the side that's closing correctly. Measure FROM the pin to the socket. Measure the other side and adjust it so the distances are equal. If you use the bolt to adjust it - I'd suggest Loctite(tm) - blue.

Easy peasy really, but bet Porsche charges a fortune for it.

The lid assembly is interesting - the things that look like little shock absorbers are actually springs.

The rod going to the top extends OUT of that shock-absorber-looking thing (part #11, green box above), putting spring extension tension on the rod so it pulls the lid closed tightly. Opening it - the spring simply bottoms out (being compressed) and pushes the top up. Clever design IMHO. No alignment is necessary. If one of the springs fails the lid won't close evenly, but that's a very rare failure (I've only heard of one or two of them..)

As far as all the elastics and stuff on the top - that's where Rube Goldberg was doing the engineering.. most of it baffles me and I'm not thinking any more about it until it misbehaves..

Hi Deilenberger & Hoster

I am very fortunate and I cant thank all you guys across the pond in the USA enough for all this very kind help.

Reading Deilenberger's post above, I re visited the Boxster today and looked tat the alignment of the front leading edge of the roof to the top of the windshield, measuring the gap before fully closing by hand the latch, I noticed that the drivers side UK, is showing 20mm gap and the passenger side 15mm gap, so perhaps the drivers side push rod needs adjusting forward 5 mm? I then measured the gap Im having issues with and this is 5mm to 8mm out of the channel?

I don't know guys if the fabric-of the roof should be flush with the windshield creating a really good seal, so I have included a couple of pics hopefully one of you can tell me Yes its Fine or NO its to far away from the windshield?

That's a bit far, but not awful. A very small adjustment will make a big difference at the top edge, since the rod/ball connects to the bottom of the frame assembly, and you have a large arm that is being pushed - from the bottom.

Enough to be concerned about? Probably not. If the top is seated correctly on both sides in the window channel the difference isn't caused by that (and that WILL cause a difference.) If it isn't an effort to latch the top, I wouldn't be concerned. But - if you hear the snap sort of noise from the latch mechanism when you close the top - then it's time to get both edges the same distance from the windshield header. For that small an adjustment I'd probably try 3-4 turns out of the ball-socket on the end of the rod (you obviously have to remove it from the connection to the top). The tricky bit is - with the top fully closed you can't reach the pushrods to adjust them. You need the lid open, and that means the open edge has to be about 8-10 inches from the windshield header. That's why I suggested measuring it at that point since you can adjust it while it's partly open, then check it when you close it.

I concur with Don....and he is the master. I do have another, continuing issue (again, not a big deal yet but I want to resolve this as well). Not sure but this also may be affecting your top.

1. After the elastic fix, the US passenger side ("RIGHT") works / not work 50% - I will likely "re-fix" based on Don's method
2. Also, I am getting this (see pic below) even if the roof is close / pulled in perfectly (which I didn't have previously)


3. While investigating, this "tension rope" (987 561 773 01, and #17 in the diagram I attached earlier) was basically "loose" - e.g., no tension at all and just flapping around. Also, Suncoast indicates this also affects the top closure.



4. And I am not sure this tension rope is somehow secured / connected to this cut string / elastic in rear


@deilenberger Do you have any insights on how that Tension Rope (#17) works, by any chance? While I have not been able to dedicate too much time, but one simple "fix" is "unfixing" another, and the saga continues.... ;-)