986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post - How to maintain the mechanics to the convertible top.

RandallNeighbour · 11-08-2005, 06:55 AM

There is a track on both sides of the top that moves the clamshell up and down. Inside that track, there's a plastic piece that moves back and forth, sliding inside the track. Lubricating that really helps. WD40 is too light and will get everywhere. Lithium grease on a cotton swab works great as suggested above.

The other thing to examine is the ball joints and rubber gasket pieces that raise the top and move the clamshell up and down. Open the top half way and you can see these. Insure the nuts are on tight (one of mine had fallen off causing a cracking sound and could have really messed up my top mechanism had the bolt fallen out of the hole!)

I'm as concerned about my top as I am with my engine or transmission. There's lots of parts in it and it just makes sense to open it half way and give it a good eyeball once or twice a year to look for loose bolts, lube moving parts and check to see all is in proper working order.

11-08-2005, 06:55 AM	#5
RandallNeighbour Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 7,243	There is a track on both sides of the top that moves the clamshell up and down. Inside that track, there's a plastic piece that moves back and forth, sliding inside the track. Lubricating that really helps. WD40 is too light and will get everywhere. Lithium grease on a cotton swab works great as suggested above. The other thing to examine is the ball joints and rubber gasket pieces that raise the top and move the clamshell up and down. Open the top half way and you can see these. Insure the nuts are on tight (one of mine had fallen off causing a cracking sound and could have really messed up my top mechanism had the bolt fallen out of the hole!) I'm as concerned about my top as I am with my engine or transmission. There's lots of parts in it and it just makes sense to open it half way and give it a good eyeball once or twice a year to look for loose bolts, lube moving parts and check to see all is in proper working order. Last edited by RandallNeighbour; 11-08-2005 at 07:10 AM.