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The Master Cylinder Porsche Boxster Tips:
Index
I have a Boxster S and my rear tires are wearing our really fast
I lowered my Boxster and my rear tires are wearing out way too fast
Convertible top failure and maintenance
I'm at the track and my front tires are getting destroyed on the outside edges |
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Q -
I have a Boxster S
and my rear tires are wearing our really fast. I had the springs
replaced with lowering springs and when the shop was done, they tried to align the car. They were
unable to get the rear toe adjustment within the normal range. There is no way to adjust the
original rear toe adjusters any further than they did without hacking up my car. I didn’t want to
drive it that way but I had to and my new tires were toast in 2,000 miles! What can I do?
Chuck
A - Wow, what a coincidence, I ran into this too! Calling Techart was the obvious first step but
they were unaware of the problem. Since this did not work and modifying the car is not an option,
what you are left with is the need for adjustable rear tie rods that have a lot more room to adjust
than the factory allowed. Since the front tie rods have exactly the same taper as the rear toe
links, replicating the inner bushing and mating it to a pair or front tie rods works just fine. Now
you can have the lowest Boxster around and your tires will last a lot longer too.
MC |
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Q - I have a 99 Boxster and I have been reading about the convertible top failure
and the huge cost involved. Is there any way to prevent this?
A - Interestingly, the factory does not specify ANY maintenance for the top but the dealer
will gladly repair it if it breaks or sell you the parts to fix it for a princely sum. No thanks!
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I have found that parts of the top vibrate loose.
When they do, the mechanism can get out of index, bind, and bingo, the game is over (and you lose).
I suggest an annual inspection of the top to check for loose parts and a lubrication to keep things
moving freely. Incidentally, when the top fails, the body sometimes bends. You can tell this has
happened when the “clam shell” no longer fits flat. Autometric is the source we recommend for
straightening the inner flanks of the car if this has happened to you.
The youngest Boxster that I have seen with this problem was only two years old. I was stunned
at such an early failure until the client told me that he had left a two liter bottle of pop in the
back when he put the top down. Oops! $2,500 later, it was back to normal.
MC |
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Q - I take my Boxster to the track and my front tires are getting destroyed on the outside
edges. I took it to the shop for an alignment (twice) and I was told that the alignment is already
set at maximum negative camber. I know I could invest in camber plates or other parts to accomplish
the goal but is there any other way that is less expensive?
A - Sure, I too like a challenge, and I tend to be thrifty.
This task requires some creativity and engineering but it is not difficult. The range of
adjustment is limited by the three studs on the top of the strut cap and the slots in the body.
There is plenty of clearance between the inside of the spring and the body.
You either need to move the studs on the strut cap or elongate the slotted holes on the body. The
studs are the way to go on this project. Compress the springs with the proper tool, remove the tops
and take them to a competent welder. The studs can be moved about 13 mm and this will give you the
necessary adjustment. You cannot simply move them without building more strength into the spring perch
that was removed during the modification. If your welder thinks like me, the strength added will be
overkill. The only affected parts can be easily replaced if you ever want to go back to stock settings.
MC
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