fixing the busted cabrio top... let the fun begin!
10-20-2008, 08:29 AM
#47
Instructor
I just got my first Porsche, a '91 Cab in Guards Red. It was my Anniversary present from my wife!!!! It was in the driveway when I got home from work 3 days ago with a big bow on it.
Tonelux, your picture with the cable, motor diagram, etc. was exactly what I was looking for.
Thanks for the help.
Tonelux, your picture with the cable, motor diagram, etc. was exactly what I was looking for.
Thanks for the help.
I fixed my cables by a somewhat different method, because I found one side was not driving the transmission. Same deal, the "speedometer cable" was not extending far enough into the drive motor and was dissengaging or slipping while driving the top up.
So you have a great wife too? There is now at least two in the world! My wife surprised me last year with my'91 Cab on my 50th birthday. We were dining outside at a nice resturant when she had someone pull it up to our table. She said do you like it? Knowing that I would say of course I do, It is a Porsche.
Then she said "Happy Birthday!" WOW.Amazing feeling, huh?
10-27-2008, 05:57 PM
#48
No kidding. Having the car or your dreams given to you as a gift? Unbelievable!
I found out more this weekend about my cab top. I connected my drill to the motor end of the drive cables and found that the passenger side tranny never turned. The driver side turned for a bit, then stopped. Apparently, the drive cables are both too short on both ends. I did check the nuts/bolts/screws on both trannies and ensured they were all tight. Also, looking through the parts breakdown, I noticed that there are spring clips used to keep the cables attached to the motors. These are both missing. So I have to do the cable lengthening trick on both cables AND find a place to buy 2 spring clips. Any idea where to find them? No luck on pelican or google.
Or, I can just keep opening and closing it manually.
I found out more this weekend about my cab top. I connected my drill to the motor end of the drive cables and found that the passenger side tranny never turned. The driver side turned for a bit, then stopped. Apparently, the drive cables are both too short on both ends. I did check the nuts/bolts/screws on both trannies and ensured they were all tight. Also, looking through the parts breakdown, I noticed that there are spring clips used to keep the cables attached to the motors. These are both missing. So I have to do the cable lengthening trick on both cables AND find a place to buy 2 spring clips. Any idea where to find them? No luck on pelican or google.
Or, I can just keep opening and closing it manually.
10-28-2008, 05:59 AM
#49
Before you start replacing stuff, make sure that you haven't disengaged the tranny quadrant gears when using the drill on the drive cables. The raise/lower arms are connected to a gear quadrant and excessive turning of the drive cable can cause them to travel out of mesh. Its relatively simple but messy job to dismantle them and realign the teeth ensuring that both sides are positioned the same.
11-04-2009, 05:34 AM
#50
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Oh, one more important thing that I figured out yesterday when everything was said and done. Before you close up the canvas on the side of the broken strut and tighten the bolts, don't tighten all four allen bolts yet - you need to check the top alignment in the closed position. Be sure to CLOSE the convertible top and make sure it's aligned properly. The strut has some movement that's permitted for adjustment of the alignment when the bolts are loose. I had bolted everything together without thinking about if it needed to be aligned. When I went to shut the top after hooking up all the motors and stuff, it was closing too far to the left. But by loosening the 4 hex head bolts that hold the base of the strut, you can aim the top better to get it to shut correctly. I actually loosened the bolts, let the top shut so the top aligned the strut, then tightened it all back together.
Just a heads up!! Learn from my mistakes! Especially because you have to take off the weather stripping, and then the canvas, to access those bolts again!! Dang! Backtracking!
Just a heads up!! Learn from my mistakes! Especially because you have to take off the weather stripping, and then the canvas, to access those bolts again!! Dang! Backtracking!
I tried to loosen the bolts of the posts but I can not quite hit the pins.
What is the setting that you see below in the winder belt? Perhaps I should also record that?
09-11-2011, 01:50 PM
#55
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Part number and price
Hi,
I had the same sad experience with the broken drivers side bow. I have removed all components and have the broken part. I am going to go to a welder tomorrow to ask if it can be welded. I would like to know the part number for the drivers side part. Also how much did it cost you at the dealer? The stamped part number on mine (which is very hard to read) appears to be 911.661.116.66. Your input has been invaluable, thanks for the time and effort.
I had the same sad experience with the broken drivers side bow. I have removed all components and have the broken part. I am going to go to a welder tomorrow to ask if it can be welded. I would like to know the part number for the drivers side part. Also how much did it cost you at the dealer? The stamped part number on mine (which is very hard to read) appears to be 911.661.116.66. Your input has been invaluable, thanks for the time and effort.
06-01-2012, 11:59 PM
#56
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Well, I fixed it, and it all came down to the Germans trying to save a 1/4" of cable. The 1996 has a single motor (not like the dual motor, which most likely makes the top go up a lot faster)
The drive cable was not engauging with the motor drive on the passenger side. This would make the raising and lowering out of sync, which, as you can see from other posts, causes missed dates, cracked arms and broken posts.
I removed the motor (not required) to see the way it worked. The "speedometer" cable goes from the worm drive in the gear assy through a 2' cable to the motor. the squared end was only sticking out (best case) 1/4". The problem was that it could even move in further, so it would not turn.
I will not allow my car to beat me, so, I removed both cables (be careful, the whole rear area is held together with 3M 77 glue...everywhere) Slid the ends off (a little force) and then carefully bent flush the barbs that dig into the cable to hold it secure at the end, then I removed a little more than 1/4" from the plastic cable jacket, then replaced the end cap as shown below, remembering to re-secure the cap with a sharp tool to insert the barbs into the cable.
They now stick out more than 1/2" and went in perfectly. Aligning was a bit of a pain, a mix of listeneing to strain and adjusting the assy's by eye.
If you do this before the front motor recall, they have to re-align the roof...
Thanks for the hints and pix, it did the trick.
The drive cable was not engauging with the motor drive on the passenger side. This would make the raising and lowering out of sync, which, as you can see from other posts, causes missed dates, cracked arms and broken posts.
I removed the motor (not required) to see the way it worked. The "speedometer" cable goes from the worm drive in the gear assy through a 2' cable to the motor. the squared end was only sticking out (best case) 1/4". The problem was that it could even move in further, so it would not turn.
I will not allow my car to beat me, so, I removed both cables (be careful, the whole rear area is held together with 3M 77 glue...everywhere) Slid the ends off (a little force) and then carefully bent flush the barbs that dig into the cable to hold it secure at the end, then I removed a little more than 1/4" from the plastic cable jacket, then replaced the end cap as shown below, remembering to re-secure the cap with a sharp tool to insert the barbs into the cable.
They now stick out more than 1/2" and went in perfectly. Aligning was a bit of a pain, a mix of listeneing to strain and adjusting the assy's by eye.
If you do this before the front motor recall, they have to re-align the roof...
Thanks for the hints and pix, it did the trick.
06-02-2012, 12:01 AM
#57
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No kidding. Having the car or your dreams given to you as a gift? Unbelievable!
I found out more this weekend about my cab top. I connected my drill to the motor end of the drive cables and found that the passenger side tranny never turned. The driver side turned for a bit, then stopped. Apparently, the drive cables are both too short on both ends. I did check the nuts/bolts/screws on both trannies and ensured they were all tight. Also, looking through the parts breakdown, I noticed that there are spring clips used to keep the cables attached to the motors. These are both missing. So I have to do the cable lengthening trick on both cables AND find a place to buy 2 spring clips. Any idea where to find them? No luck on pelican or google.
Or, I can just keep opening and closing it manually.
I found out more this weekend about my cab top. I connected my drill to the motor end of the drive cables and found that the passenger side tranny never turned. The driver side turned for a bit, then stopped. Apparently, the drive cables are both too short on both ends. I did check the nuts/bolts/screws on both trannies and ensured they were all tight. Also, looking through the parts breakdown, I noticed that there are spring clips used to keep the cables attached to the motors. These are both missing. So I have to do the cable lengthening trick on both cables AND find a place to buy 2 spring clips. Any idea where to find them? No luck on pelican or google.
Or, I can just keep opening and closing it manually.
03-05-2013, 07:33 PM
#58
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Hi Garrett376,
Fantastic thread. I have an alignment problem that I think may have arisen from a previous owner welding a snapped vertical pillar and then refitting improperly. Would love to get your view on whether this can be fixed by just releasing the four bolts and adjusting as you mention in post 30 above...
On the drivers side, from inside the car, there is about a 5mm gap between the seal on the roof and that on the windscreen pillar. Outside the car, the full length seal along the front of the roof is compressed more on the passenger side than on the drivers side (it makes a seal all along but just less so on the drivers side, and results in the little gap visible from the inside, which lets in water in the rain). It would seem that the roof needs to be adjusted to bring the drivers side forward more, by around 5mm.
Now, I've tried adjusting the vertical bolts behind the back-seat side panels, but this only gives a little movement. Plus, and this is the crunch, if i adjust the roof to move it too far forward, the locking motors on the roof snag on the guide plates on the windscreen and the roof will not close! So, the motors appear to be in the correct alignment, but the roof itself is a few mm too far back. The motors don't appear to be adjustable in their enclosures but I may be mistaken.
I know that the car has previously had the vertical drivers side roof strut repaired (the weld is visible), but this wouldn't explain why the motors are correctly aligned (and cannot be moved further forward without catching on the guide plates) yet the roof appears to be a few mm too far back! Baffling.
Many thanks,
Richard.
Fantastic thread. I have an alignment problem that I think may have arisen from a previous owner welding a snapped vertical pillar and then refitting improperly. Would love to get your view on whether this can be fixed by just releasing the four bolts and adjusting as you mention in post 30 above...
On the drivers side, from inside the car, there is about a 5mm gap between the seal on the roof and that on the windscreen pillar. Outside the car, the full length seal along the front of the roof is compressed more on the passenger side than on the drivers side (it makes a seal all along but just less so on the drivers side, and results in the little gap visible from the inside, which lets in water in the rain). It would seem that the roof needs to be adjusted to bring the drivers side forward more, by around 5mm.
Now, I've tried adjusting the vertical bolts behind the back-seat side panels, but this only gives a little movement. Plus, and this is the crunch, if i adjust the roof to move it too far forward, the locking motors on the roof snag on the guide plates on the windscreen and the roof will not close! So, the motors appear to be in the correct alignment, but the roof itself is a few mm too far back. The motors don't appear to be adjustable in their enclosures but I may be mistaken.
I know that the car has previously had the vertical drivers side roof strut repaired (the weld is visible), but this wouldn't explain why the motors are correctly aligned (and cannot be moved further forward without catching on the guide plates) yet the roof appears to be a few mm too far back! Baffling.
Many thanks,
Richard.
06-29-2015, 06:15 PM
#59
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Fixing the busted top
Hi.
My top just busted and I need to replace the same part!
Hope you don't mind some silly questions?
Do you remember how much the part cost, and where you got it?
I found one at around $1800 which sounds a bit crazy. I also found a complete cab top in LA for $2250, excluding motors or transmissions. I'm in the UK, so shipping will make both prices pretty crazy.
I need to consider all the options, including welding. Any thoughts?
Alan
My top just busted and I need to replace the same part!
Hope you don't mind some silly questions?
Do you remember how much the part cost, and where you got it?
I found one at around $1800 which sounds a bit crazy. I also found a complete cab top in LA for $2250, excluding motors or transmissions. I'm in the UK, so shipping will make both prices pretty crazy.
I need to consider all the options, including welding. Any thoughts?
Alan
06-30-2015, 02:27 AM
#60
Hi,
I had my roof frame welded and then the components if the roof were all adjusted properly. I had this done by RSR Engineering in Grayshott, Hampshire, UK. Total cost from memory was around £700 from memory for the whole repair. Still good after a few years and no more problems so far.
Hope this helps,
Jeremy.
I had my roof frame welded and then the components if the roof were all adjusted properly. I had this done by RSR Engineering in Grayshott, Hampshire, UK. Total cost from memory was around £700 from memory for the whole repair. Still good after a few years and no more problems so far.
Hope this helps,
Jeremy.