simpateko

i was planning to swap the seats in my boxster today but discovered the bolts holding the rails to the floor were unlike any i have seen.

anyone know what these are called.
anyone know where to buy the socket or tool i need?

thanks
jeff

arenared

Ahhh! Finally some action on the Boxster forum. They are external Torx, size E12. I just snapped this for you. I would recommend a socket since they can be torqued down pretty tight. The socket can be hard to find except in a set. I bought two sets since I loaned one to some guy that never gave it back Some people have used a 12-point hex socket, but some people have buggered-up the head using the same.

racer

Yup.. Torx.. Ended up getting a small socket set and "driver" set at Sears. Seems new cars like them buggers. Standard sizes or you can pick up just individual sizes.. I figured if the seats need one size, something else will need another size. I think both "kits" had 5-6 of the more commonly used sizes.

ace37

Ten year old thread but this helped me today. I used a universal socket to remove the seats. Worked fine for the driver's side but the passenger seat took more torque to loosen than my universal socket could deliver through the contact area so I stripped not one but two of the bolts.

Bought an E12 torx socket and hammered it on each bolt to get the bolt more or less back into shape - they both came off like a charm with the proper socket.

Now I just need to order new seat bolts.

Byprodriver

My 10mm Snap-On 6-point socket works fine.

JayG

Harbor Freight has a good set for low $

Porsche-Eh

mikefocke

The PET has part numbers and explosions showing the locations of parts.

https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessor...originalparts/ and page down and select Boxster (986) and 97 thru 04 and you'll get an offer to view or download

Beware in the future Porsche moves things around on their site so you may have to poke around but the PET is generally somewhere in the service area.

Brian in Tucson

See next post.

Brian in Tucson

+1

You can get replacement bolts at ACE, inexpensive and with standard or allen heads.

steved0x

This wrench is very handy for getting them started and tightening them down if you get into a situation where you can't use a socket, for example if you are floor mounting race seats:


The smallest wrench from this Harbor Freight set also fits, I use it for final tightening of the seat bolts when I can't get a socket on them:

https://www.harborfreight.com/7-pc-m...set-69329.html

I have the same socket set, probably the same one that JayG refers to above:

https://www.harborfreight.com/17-pie...set-67930.html

I have used socket cap bolts from Fastenal but the OEM bolts have a tapered nose and they start more easily, non tapered bolts have to be *exactly* right to start. Turning them backwards until you feel a click can help with that.