Spoiler lubrication/service

[stanigu]

Hello

Just bought a 1998 Boxster as a weekend fun car/project! I've been lurking here for a while...a wealth of information! And such a fun car...I've never driven a car that handles as well as the Boxster!

My Boxster has a number of issues which I plan on taking care of one at a time (ignition coil, O2 sensor, Seatbelt Buckle, Horn, etc. etc.). But one thing I noticed (and not discussed much) is the rear spoiler.

On my car, when raising and retracting, it sounds horrid! Like there's absolutely no lubrication (probably true, considering it's nearly 20 years old). How does one go about servicing the spoiler so it operates smoothly...

Thanks for your input.

[alex.rhodes]

Mine had some issues when I first got it. I sprayed some wd40 and it went away for a bit. When it came back I used white lithium grease and haven't had any issues. I put the spoiler up and sprayed the arms. I ran it up and down a few times and no problems. Mine had a grinding sound and would bind tripping the spoiler light.

Alex

[Gelbster]

There is plenty in Search on this.
The short version is that it needs to be removed,dismantled ,drains cleared, and inspected. There is a metal gear that drives a plastic rack .The metal strips the plastic teeth on the rack. The basic problem is corrosion of the cable in the tubes or bent spoiler. The motor is so powerful that it will keep forcing the rack until the teeth strip. Don't use it.Pull the fuse. If you catch it in time ,clean everything and relube with the correct grease . It is a fiddly job to do correctly on the bench

[stanigu]

Thanks for the inputs!

Pulling the fuse sounds like the way to go. 2.5 motor with slushbox means I won't be pulling 75+MPH too often anyway.

[stanigu]

Just as an update:

since I did go over 75mph and got the error light on my dash, I decided to re-enable the spoiler. I sprayed the arms with this stuff:

Wurth HHS-K High Pressure Lubricanting Oil - 893106050

Now works very smoothly. Hopefully it'll be long lasting.