Automatic Roof - One Touch Mods - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

DrCactus · 08-30-2013, 09:50 AM

Fellow members, looking for some options that will allow me to lower my roof by one touch of the button and not have to hold down the roof button - so far the only thing I can find online is the SmartTop which costs $300+ and the Robo Top which is currently out of stock with no ETA on new stock. Can anyone provide any other affordable options ?

Thanks
DrCactus

DrCactus · 08-30-2013, 10:01 AM

Note: I own a 2001 Boxster S - orient red

sb01box · 08-30-2013, 06:13 PM

I have 01 2.7L. I have to be careful. the plastic window does not fold down the middle all the time.
i'll get the top halfway down to where the plastic window starts to fold and see if the window needs the "boxster chop".
so one button for lowering is not good. one button to bring the top up is OK

Guvs · 08-30-2013, 06:59 PM

I have had a "Robo Top" and it has severed me well for 3 years there are a few on our (UK) forum that are looking for the one touch option so if you do get hold of a Robo Top give us over the pond a heads up please, as that’s where I got mine from, but was informed that they were no longer making them.

Just seeing if this link works; (just click on photo) it shows my switch in action on my (03) 986 also I've done the relay mod so I can drop it on the move and I don’t have to put the handbrake on. Sweet.
Guvs.

coolbreeze551 · 09-01-2013, 12:03 AM

There is still lots of interest in the Boxster community for this mod to make a come back. I should of purchased one when I had the chance. I'll be keeping my ear to the ground.

thstone · 09-01-2013, 08:14 AM

Hi guys! I am the owner of RoboTop and I can confirm that we'll have units available in ~3 weeks.

The delay in getting new units ready for sale is caused by finishing up the testing for the Version 2.0 unit which will feature the ability to automatically put the top into Service Mode - that's right, no more screwing around trying to get the top into the right position. You'll be able to easily command the top to go straight to the perfect position for accessing the engine area.

As many of you are aware, my 986 was totalled earlier this year and then I bought a 996 coupe and had the 986 turned into a Spec Boxster race car which uses a roll cage and hard top, thus I had to find someone else with a standard soft top to help me with the testing.

Feel free to PM me here anytime or email using the address on the RoboTop website if you have any questions. And yes, we will resume shipping to international customers when the 2.0 units are ready.

Again, sorry for the delay and thanks for your continued interest and support!

BoxsterSteve · 09-01-2013, 09:56 AM

Being the cheapskate I am, I'm OK with not having one-touch operation, but I had to have the ability to move the roof without ratcheting the handbrake. It really bothered me to drag the parking brake shoes while the car was rolling. This way, I don't have to.

Many thanks to Guvs on this forum, and dominouk on Boxa.net for pointing me to this relay hack. Guvs had done this on his ride, and pointed me to the necessary info to pull it off.

I've had this mod for over a year now, with no issues.

Although I still have to chop when putting the roof down; this mod lets me put up the top while rolling along slowly, say in traffic as it starts to rain. Whirrrr, just put up the roof as the rain starts, no stopping or handbrake needed.

With this mod, you can operate the top at any speed, so you've got to watch the speedo when the top is in motion. Yes, it is possible to lower or raise the roof at highway speeds, and do major damage to the top & actuating mechanisms. All safeties are disabled by doing this hack.

If you have a 2000+ Boxster with this relay,

you can perform this hack.

Bend over pin 15 & pin 18 as shown. There is no contact with other relays doing this.

Open the relay by gently and evenly prying near the centre of the long sides with 2 small screwdrivers. You will have to tin both ends of a a wire and then solder it to the rear of the circuit board as shown.

The solder job must be as flat as possible, because there's not much room as the curcuit board slides in a channel as you close the relay back up.

This mod took under 20 minutes to do, including searcing for an appropriately small gauge wire.

Guvs · 09-01-2013, 11:21 AM

Hi all.
What a lovely pleasure reading this thread knowing that others will have the same system up and running like I have had for the last three trouble free years.
Thumbs up for Robo Top i will post this info on our UK forum if thats ok with you.
And what a very good and detailed post from Boxster Steve, very precise and informative write up and with photos, cant ask for more, well done.
Guvs.

thstone · 09-02-2013, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxsterSteve

Being the cheapskate I am, I'm OK with not having one-touch operation, but I had to have the ability to move the roof without ratcheting the handbrake. It really bothered me to drag the parking brake shoes while the car was rolling. This way, I don't have to.

Many thanks to Guvs on this forum, and dominouk on Boxa.net for pointing me to this relay hack. Guvs had done this on his ride, and pointed me to the necessary info to pull it off.

I've had this mod for over a year now, with no issues.

Although I still have to chop when putting the roof down; this mod lets me put up the top while rolling along slowly, say in traffic as it starts to rain. Whirrrr, just put up the roof as the rain starts, no stopping or handbrake needed.

With this mod, you can operate the top at any speed, so you've got to watch the speedo when the top is in motion. Yes, it is possible to lower or raise the roof at highway speeds, and do major damage to the top & actuating mechanisms. All safeties are disabled by doing this hack.

If you have a 2000+ Boxster with this relay,

you can perform this hack.

Bend over pin 15 & pin 18 as shown. There is no contact with other relays doing this.

Open the relay by gently and evenly prying near the centre of the long sides with 2 small screwdrivers. You will have to tin both ends of a a wire and then solder it to the rear of the circuit board as shown.

The solder job must be as flat as possible, because there's not much room as the curcuit board slides in a channel as you close the relay back up.

This mod took under 20 minutes to do, including searcing for an appropriately small gauge wire.

An easy way to achieve the same result without soldering and permanently changing (or risking damaging) the relay is to simply connect a wire to the bent over Pin 15 and connect it to a ground. Done.

thstone · 09-02-2013, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guvs

Thumbs up for Robo Top i will post this info on our UK forum if thats ok with you.

Yes, no problem posting this info anywhere. Thanks!

heliguy · 09-02-2013, 10:26 PM

Its so tough to hold that button for 12 seconds.

jeffm · 09-03-2013, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heliguy

Its so tough to hold that button for 12 seconds.

My father says the same thing about using a crank to roll up the window versus electric windows.....
One touch seems a pretty cool convenience.

tonycarreon · 09-03-2013, 06:24 AM

i have the original robotop. it is a "convenience," yes. and yes you can live with holding the button down for 12 seconds.

but it is very nice to get in the car, start it and open the roof while you're getting situated and putting on the seat belt. by the time you're ready to go, the top's down. saves you 12 seconds.

if you drive your car 4 days a week, and put the top up/down an average of 3 times per day, over the course of a 9 month driving year, that's nearly 3 hours you're holding that button instead of driving...

986_inquiry · 09-08-2013, 12:29 PM

the 987's top works up to 35mph, however if it detects too much movement (like sharp turns, acceleration/de-acceleration, etc) it will stop and display on the dash that the top is not closed, even if user is holding down the switch. User then has to release the switch and hold it down again for it to start again.

Because of that stopping I don't think the 987 can have a auto-down feature, I have to hold it down.

I usually just get the car to 2nd and put the top down then. 2nd goes from ~6mph to 73mph so that covers everything and 1st is too jerky and will probably cause the top to stop opening.