enthusiast

Do It Yourself Wing Angle Adjustment or Wing Removal


Porsche Models: 2004 - 2005 996 GT3 and GT3 RS

Part Numbers:

996.512.965.00 G2X --- cap, primer, left (in case you damage one)
996.512.966.00 G2X --- cap, primer, right

996.512.821.90 -------- 4 degree wing shim, each, red plastic, about $14 from dealer or vendor, need two

996.512.823.90 -------- 8 degree wing shim, each, red plastic, about $14 from dealer or vendor, need two


Tools:

- cloth or towels to protect the GT3 bodywork; deck lid and bottom side of wing
- masking tape to protect deck lid wing support around the caps
- small thin blade knife(s)
- small flat thin blade screwdriver
- thin hard plastic ‘credit card’ or ‘store gift card’
- T 40 Torx tool
- small flashlight
- rod about ¼ to 3/8 inch in diameter and about eight inches long, such as an inexpensive ink pen or wooden pencil (use to press in the retaining pins during wing removal)


Procedure for Adjusting Wing Angle (both standard and RS wings).

1. Information. Look at the disassembled wing components photographs to better understand how the wing attaches to the engine deck lid wing supports. The wing has curved flat metal slotted mounting blades that fit inside the deck lid wing supports. There is one bolt per support that holds the wing in place as it rests on top of the deck lid wing supports.


Photo. Deck lid and wing disassembled (from unknown)


Photo. RS Carbon Fiber Wing mount shown but it is the same for standard wing (from 'enthusiast')


2. Perform this task with the engine deck lid closed.

3. Information. The angle of attack on the wing is changed by placing a shim on top of each deck lid wing support and then the wing rests on the shims. The wing pivots from the front top edge of deck lid supports.


Photo. Shims (from Carnewal)


4. Information. The wing mounting bolts are accessed by removing body colored (painted) soft plastic caps. The caps are made of a material similar to the bumper covers. Each cap has three locking tabs to keep it in place. The edges of the access hole are somewhat rough so combined with the cap tabs the cap to hole fit can be very tight. Many GT3 owners reported hard to remove caps while a few had no problems with them.


Photo. RS Wing with white painted shim (from unknown)



Photo. Caps after removal and still serviceable, but note the condition of the tabs ( from 'enthusiast')


5. Removing the caps can be the hardest task. Start by protecting the bodywork from you and the tools. You might be surprised how easy it is to unintentionally contact the bodywork with tools. Cover the deck lid and underside of the wing near the wing supports with soft cloths or towels. The deck lid wing supports also need protection and masking tape around the caps works well.

Remove the cap by gently prying the lip of the cap away from the upright. A small thin putty knife or ‘gift card’ piece of hard plastic laid against the bodywork can serve as a base to pry against while you use a thin blade tool to pry the cap lip. Begin from the front of the cap (side towards rear window). Work the cap in several places to get it moving out of the hole. The lip of the cap is thin and flexes hence the paint on it will crack easily. One or more of the three retaining tabs (see photo) on the cap may break as well, but you should be able to use the cap again, it just won’t fit as tightly and the cap lip may not be flush all the way around with the surface of the upright. New caps are not inexpensive and then you have the cost of painting them.

Tool Options:

- use a white nylon pry tool ‘body shop bone’ used to install windshield molding by auto glass installers (member ‘Cupcar’)
- cover metal tools with clear tape to reduce the chance of scratching the paint
- hard thin plastic ‘credit card’ or ‘store gift card’ like material with an edge sharpened may work well
- use fingernail to lift lip enough to get another tool wedged (member ‘rockitman’)
- work fishing line between the cap lip and upright, to get clearance for other tools (member unknown)



Photos. Right side deck lid support without caps and protective masking tape used during removal (from 'enthusiast')


6. With the caps removed you can loosen the bolts securing the wing, but do not remove them. Notice as you loosen the bolt that it is snug, not super tight. If you are removing the wing go to Step #11.

7. Raise and pivot the wing from the rear enough to place a shim on top of each deck lid upright. The shim has a flange that goes around the metal blade of the wing and then the shim rests on top of the deck lid wing support.



Photos. RS carbon fiber wing painted white, shim insertion process (from a member in UK)


8. Allow the wing to rest on the shims.


Photo. Completed job with shims in place (from unknown)


9. Tighten the securing bolts.

10. Replace the caps and note that they are different, a right and a left, as there is a notch in the deck lid support hole. If you plan on further adjustments to the wing in the near future you can make a temporary cover with duct tape. Place the cap on the duct tape and draw the outline, then use scissors to cut the tape pattern. Place duct tape piece over each hole.


Procedure for Removing the Wing (both standard and RS version wings)

11. Remove the securing bolts and washers but be careful not to let them fall inside the deck lid.

12. Information. The wing mounting blades have a slot so the angle can be adjusted with the securing bolt in place (loose). There is also a round notch in each wing mount blade and inside the deck lid support is a spring loaded (cylinder) retaining pin that catches on that notch. The locking pin spring pressure is not that great so if the wing mount blade is not binding on it, the pin can be pressed in easily. The purpose of this design is to keep the wing from coming off the car if the securing bolts are not in place.


Photo. Cap and securing bolt removed (from unknown)


13. I recommend having a helper with this step. Have the helper gently raise and tip the wing forward away from the deck lid supports until meeting resistance of the retaining pins. Through the hole in the deck lid support and using a flashlight you can see the notch in the wing blade and the head of the retaining pin. Press the retaining pin head inwards with a rod (i.e. blunt end of cheap ball point pen or unsharpened wood pencil) and the helper can raise that side of the wing a little so the blade notch is disengaged from the locking pin. Repeat for the other side and then raise the wing free of the deck lid supports and the car.

14. Installing the wing. Again, use a helper to hold and guide the wing. Place each wing mount blade in the deck lid support slots and lower the wing a small distance. The edge of each wing mount blade will contact the retaining pin. Depress the retaining pin so the blade passes over it. Repeat for other side. As you lower the wing the retaining pin will engage the notch in the wing mount blade. Depress the retaining pin so the wing mount blade is free to travel towards its resting place. Repeat for the other side so that the wing can be seated on the deck lid supports.


Photo. Right deck lid wing support, top view without wing (from 'enthusiast')


15. Carefully install the securing bolts with washers. Go to Step #7 if you are using shims or if not Step #9.