Hardtop Question: Installation
 

For those who have hardtops or hardtop experience...

I just bought a hardtop off someone locally for a pretty decent price. he helped me install it and it seems to fit pretty good. However, the rear (under the window) just doesn't sit flush with the car (top of soft-top cover) and sits about 1/2 inch off of it.

I asked the guy if this was normal and he said it sat the same way on his old boxster because of the spongy seal/trim that goes all the way around.

Is there a way to get a tighter seal or get the rear all the way down ? I can totally see water getting in once I decide to wash the car. I just don't think it's a tight enough seal.

The noise level is very minimal, however, when I'm driving.

I'm starting to think I don't have the spin locks installed. I did remove the caps and saw that there were two small holes for the rear mounts, but when I use the levers to lock it down, it just seems to turn and not lock and pull the rear all the way down. When I google the spinlocks, it seems like this is what i need.

I've attached a poor pic, but look on the passenger side of the hardtop. You can see how it is lifting about 1/2 inch off the car.

Thoughts ?

spin locks
 

You should definitely feel the spin locks pulling the hardtop down securely in place.

Porsche TSB for spin lock install:
spin lock install

Part numbers (check to make sure they fit your model)
Left Guide 986 563 713 02
Right Guide 986 563 714 02
Bolts (qty. 2) 999 219 041 00

Take the hardtop off and check for the spin locks/parts. If you are not sure or can't tell that spin locks are installed, take it to the dealer or your mechanic. If they are missing order some, install them, then remount the top. I personally would not drive the car with the hardtop on and nothing holding it securely in place....

The hardtop will sit flush and should not leak. If you do a search here there is a good thread that has some pictures comparing 2 hardtops; 1 with the gap and the other which is correctly fitted.

Here is a good thread showing where the spin locks go:
http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/4704-spin-lock-question.html

Hope this helps get you started.

Sounds like you don't have the spinlocks installed. They really clamp down the top and will bring the back down to where you want it. Don't drive with the hardtop on until you get the spinlocks installed.
That Porsche TSB makes it look really easy....it's not. They fail to mention that you can't really SEE the place where the bolt goes in to secure the spinlock. It's very easy to drop the bolt or an allen wrench down into the body of the car...be careful.
Remove the trim panels and take your time. Don't remove the screw on the top of the trim panel, just loosen it,then you can slide the panel up and out.
Do a search, there is a good post somewhere here with good photos that you can follow.Print it and take it into your garage and follow it.
Good luck...

http://boxster.wikia.com/wiki/Hard_Tops

This install is quite a bit easier to follow, has nice images and some helpful tools and tips... especially to help prevent the bolt from falling into the car.

If you popped plastic covers off and there was a hole there, it sounds like the spinlocks are installed. Altho I do not know why they would be unless your car came with Speedster humps or a hardtop. And I am not sure what it looks like w/o the locks.

The rear top levers should engage when you rotate them all the way back toward the centerline of the car. As pschaub said you should definitely feel the engagement.

Then you lock the front down after the rear is secure. Your rear locks might just require adjustment. Let's hope.

Couple of things going on here. If your driving the car without spinlocks, the hardtop can simply fly off.
The spinlocks look like a quarter sized plate with a hole in it. The whole has a circle with a notch cut out. If the spin locks aren't installed, there could be a plastic cover on the hole -- or just a hole. If you don't have spinlocks you really need to get them & install them. I'd remove the hardtop right away if they aren't installed.



If your spinlocks ARE INSTALLED -- then you simply need to adjust your hardtop. Its a two person job. On each side of the hardtop on the inside behind the door (near your ear when your sitting) there is a panel. Remove the plastic cover. There are three bolts in side. Use a rachet and loosen the bolts. Have a helper push the hardtop down so that it fits like you want it to fit. Then tighten the bots. You have to mess with it a little, but best bet is to keep the front latch open while you do it. Your not looking for super tight fit when you do this (say a "pinky" width off the car) because when you latch the front it will pull it tight.

Good luck with it.

Thanks for everyone's reply. After closer inspection in the daylight, I'm pretty sure I don't have the spinlocks in there. I see a lot of metal shavings in that hole due to the turning of the levers in the whole which has no notches or threading for the pin to connect with.

I bought the hardtop in the late evening and when I popped the caps off and saw a hole, I figured I must have the spin locks already....wrong !

I got the seller to order me a set of spinlocks and bolts since his wife works for porsche so I'll get them at cost.

Wow, that tops the beer distributor's daughter I dated in high school. :cheers:

Spinlock bolt installation tip!
 

I jsut installed the spinlocks and bolts for a hardtop installation on my 97 Boxster (black/red). I tried the "baggie" trick, but it seemed that the baggies were too fragile; i.e. my tests had the hex tool penetrating the baggie with any force...so I used the old stand in....DUCT TAPE!!! I cut a little "x" in the center of a 16" long strip of duct tape, inserted the bolt into it (from the sticky side, them hooked on my 5mm T handle tool, and ran the tape onto the shaft of the tool. The bolt will never come off with this setup. I ran the bolt in, tightened it, then "ripped" the tool out, along with most of the duct tape. There was a little duct tape around the head of the bolyts, I simply trimmed it off with an exacto knife.