Mauler13

Pretty much every component of my new to me 996 cabriolet soft top had to be rebuilt. However, there is one piece that I can't find any information on. It's a spring a little bit forward of the side flap. The spring is only present on one side on my car and the end of the spring is just hanging out without connecting to anything. I can't seem to figure out how to connect this spring to anything useful and not sure what it's purpose is. Does anyone know? I could leave it as it is, but I worry it might catch on my brand new soft top, so thinking about removing it completely. Figured I'll ask the group though before I do anything drastic.

996-CAB

My cab is in storage so I couldn't look at mine and see, but I do have the service manual and I didn't see that spring identified in it anywhere. Since there isn't one on the other side, I'd be tempted to remove it as well.

allcool

Is this the spring in question. Got 1 on both sides, part of the side rear flap..?

Mauler13

No, it's not the spring on the side flap. My side flaps do have that spring also, but the spring I'm worried about is a little bit in front and below the side flaps. There are two prongs on the clamp shell that this spring assembly fits into. The prongs are on the other side of the clam shell as well but that side is missing the spring assembly. Should mention it is a pretty early 996 with a build date of Feb 1998, not sure if that matters or not. If nobody else has this spring, and since it doesn't seem to have a purpose that I can figure out, I'll probably just take it off or cut the spring so it doesn't catch on anything.

frisbee91

My early '99 doesn't have anything that looks like that.

Mauler13

On those two prongs is where this spring assembly is mounted. It looks like someone took off the spring on the other side because the prongs are mangled and bent out of shape (or it was torn off). It must have been for something, just not sure what...I'll go ahead and cut that spring off. Thanks for your help everyone!