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@MidEngineRules did you take off the covers preemptively? If so, could you share how you took off without breaking the existing posts? I only have one post missing on my driver's side but if it's possible to take off the covers without damaging further I'd be interested in doing a tether solution like you have.
Adding to the thread... was made aware of the issue by a friend who also has a Spyder. Lost one panel and the replacement only comes unpainted and costs $300 USD! Yesterday saw this little pin and connector between the passenger seat and door and thought HMMMMM.... Left it in the side pocket for future thinking. Then this morning decided to check the panels as I had just spoken to my friend on this issue a few days before. To my surprise one missing pin and connector -- on the passenger side! Pull out the unknown piece in the side pocket and it was a perfect match. Nuts! Definitely a weak link. Will review in more detail the different options proposed here.
My friend suggested a white mastic for boats or tile seals (Sika brand), or double sided tape.
Not sure it is all about speed -- more like vibration causing the plastic to break given that it is hollow. From the photo, you can see the break is not at the metal connector -- it is higher up, possibly indicating that other forces are in play.
One thought I had without examining further is finding a rod (metal or plastic) matching the diameter of the hole and gluing that in to provide more strength. Will follow up when I get further into the project.
UPDATE : I just examined further and found that the break is at the connection point of the pin to the body of panel. Not sure if adding just glue or a rod + glue will help -- maybe.
Part I found between the passenger seat and door. The missing pin (lower left in photo)
Where the pin broke --at the attachment point
Last edited by will007; 01-22-2023 at 03:38 PM.
Reason: adding more details and photos
With that one pin removed you can gentle lift the panel on the outside. So at any high speed, will separate and put more strain on the other pins.
I think the gap is just enough to apply some glue to hold the panel in place. The pin that broke is at the top leading edge (forward and inward point). I wonder if that pin is the first pin that broke for anyone else with the problem.
Tomorrow with get some fresh RTV glue and apply it that section.
Checked the other side that has all pins intact and cannot lift the panel enough to add glue.
Last edited by will007; 01-24-2023 at 12:36 AM.
Reason: grammar
That exact pin is broken on both sides of the car on nearly every 987.2 Spyder that I’ve seen.
By Jove, my dear Dr. Watson, that is the selfsame pin that broke on mine, so far only on the passenger’s side. That must be the most stressed position, and after it lets go, the remaining pins zipper off into the blue if no repair is undertaken. A design defect that has taken a decade to reveal itself.
After reading this thread I went out to the garage and checked mine. Sure enough, two of the clips on the driver's side were gone (found them in the trunk).
I repaired them by grinding down the head of a couple of bolts of the right size to form a mini click bond. After sanding down the area where the old stud was I super glued the stud in place. Finally, the holder was bolted in place using blue loctite. Time will tell but it feels pretty secure.
I checked and all my pins are still in place and appear to be good. My 2011 car only has 9000 miles on it though. The E6000 glue on the tab/pin as a preventative is probably a good idea.
11-15-2022, 12:26 PM
