17 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWhat speed can a cab top be opened
Leading reported evidence
Check before cutting, you are looking
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Other years may be a different color wire please check before cutting, you are Looking for the speed sensor wire)
Leading evidence: 'Check before cutting, you are looking' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check before cutting, you are looking' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
The recommended top speed is 25 mph, but I'm usually going much slower than that when moving the top up or down.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
I haven't experimented cause i don't like to repair things i broke being stupid.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
Does installing a SMARTtop controller change any of this?
Use case of operating the convertible top at >0mph
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
People above are questioning the use case of operating the convertible top at >0mph.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
17 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T144324Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
A recent article about the new 911 Cab made a big deal about being able to open the top while driving 30 mph. My 04 996 cab top can be opened or closed at up to 30 mph. Got me thinking. Just what wind speed can a 996 cab top handle? I know Porsche designed in some margin of safety, anyone know what that is? I haven't experimented cause i don't like to repair things i broke being stupid.
There is a speedo sensor connected to the top opening system. So at 29 mph the top will initiate an open or close but not at 35 mph. So what happens if i speed up to 35 mph while the top is in process of opening? Certainly it won't stop in the process of opening/closing position, It must allow completion, or does the car have a "governor" feature to not allow the car to go over a certain speed until the action is completed - that seems hard to design? What happens if the car is parked and a big wind storm comes up, can I close the top in high winds? What is the limit of the open/close capability?
Does installing a SMARTtop controller change any of this?
AZDropTop: I thought all 996.2 could be moving? I know i can be moving with my 04 996.2.
Alex - Any speed? or 30 and below? I think the speedo monitor limits speed.
An accident waiting to happen is all I see. Why would you even want to try opening or closing while moving? I see tourist in rent a cars every day driving back to the agency because they tried to open the top while moving and it's stuck halfway...I just laugh!
See 808Bill, that's why you need a cab over there. So you can show up the tourists. The 996.2 can close while moving in slow traffic when it starts to rain again or the volcano ash starts to settle..
Alex, I missed the word "once". Hopefully more than once if going slow enough. Or else I've used up my allowance. Part of the equation has to be that it will close again.
SoCal - nice choice of coffee.
Mk-I Cab tops won't open or close while moving unless you do a fairly simple mod. I did the mod after getting stuck in a sudden rain shower in slow-moving traffic, on a road where construction work blocked off the shoulders.
You just have to cut the speed sensor connection to the top. You still have to move the handbrake up one click. The recommended top speed is 25 mph, but I'm usually going much slower than that when moving the top up or down. I might operate the top while stopped at a traffic light and don't have to wait for the it to complete the cycle when the light changes.
So where did you see the 25 mph recommendation? The owners manual for the Mk I only says the car must be stopped with ebrake on. The Mk II owners manual (and other references such as The Essential Companion) describe a 30 mph limit for operation.
I haven't been able to find any source that describes the design limits of the top opening system or how it operates if the 30 mph limit is attained.
Maybe someone with a Mk II will go test that and report back so I don't risk screwing up my top to find out
Yes, this is a very handy mod. I pull the handbrake one click, and I can operate the top when rolling thru a parking lot, down my driveway, or whatever. I usually keep it under 15 mph.
Here's the rough DIY for MK1 996's: (takes about 5 minutes)
1. Place the top in "service position". Unclip the back part of the top and flip it out of the way.
(photos)
2. remove the rear carpet
3. find the control box for the cab system. It's the black box on the left side.
4. Snip the pink and grey wire. (At least on the 1999. Other years may be a different color wire please check before cutting, you are Looking for the speed sensor wire)
5. tape the off end of the wire and put everything back together.
Click the hand break up one click and you can operate the cab top while moving.
People above are questioning the use case of operating the convertible top at >0mph. Personally I find this useful when driving my wife�s 987.2 boxster. The top operates up to something like 35mph. Very convenient when turning the corner on the way home so the top is closed when pulling into the driveway. Also nice when pulling away from home on the way to the corner. All low speed and no safety risk of not seeing anything through the rear view. Very convenient!
I remember being amused by the label on a turbo cab many years ago "Do not retract top above 75MPH,, "
There were also some really fancy tire chains that said "Do not exceed 120KPH while using these traction devices"
And the label on the spare, "front use only do not use in excess of 150 KPH"
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
