Shifter Cables. "IF.... not WHEN" they might fail.

[Gazwaz]

just thought i'd share my recent experience with you all.

So the story is i have a 2010 cayman S with 72k on the clock. I've owned her for 4 years and put 40k miles on her with everyday driving, a few track days inc 2 trips to the Nurburgring where i drove approx 12 laps.

So as a matter of precaution i decided to change the shifter cables just in case (like many horror stories on forums) the fail on me away from home.

I decided on changing for OEM Porsche cables which they now recommend you change 2 brackets they've now modified to eliminate any possible failures. (£680 all in).

so when i brought the old cables home i decided to cut them open to see how they'd worn over the last 10 years & 72k miles.

 

So heres a video on my YT channel to show condition.    

 

please ignore my slippers as i recorded it on a sunday morning while pottering about in my garage.

 

 

 

 

[John333]

Great video.. My 2098 3.4 987.2 has done similar miles so I feel a little less worried that mine might go at any time, but who knows. 
Knowing the issue I do tend to change gear with care but who knows what the ferocity of gear changes have been like in the past by previous owners.

Have seen the Numerics and will probably go that route it they do fail, so I’ve been watching vids on how to change them so I’m ready ha ha.. 
My car is a daily driver so if they fail it would be a bit of a problem sharing other family members cars..

Is there a check that can be done while they are in situ.?

Wonder what the trigger is for some and not others to wear/fatigue and fail..? 
Know the new Porsche brackets smooth the cable run out don’t they?, but looking at your old ones it doesn’t look to be an issue?

 

Cheers

John

 

[Gazwaz]

Yeah theres 2 modified brackets porsche recommend you change with the new cables.. my indy garage managed to get cables and brackets for £600. 

Gear change doesnt feel any different with new cables and set up..

But then again there was nothing wrong with my old ones.. 

He did say that gear changes start to get stiff and notch when old cables are failing. So maybe bare that I'm mind..

[phil27]

How hard were they to change? Nice to know they are done and one less thing to worry about. 

[Gazwaz]

I didnt do them.. I use an indy specialist.  He charges approx 4 hours labour..

[GlosRich]

Thanks interesting to know. Will change mine at some stage. Will probably stick with the OEM ones as they have improved them. The Numerics look great, but are more race orientated and a lot pricier.

 

[Windymiller]

Get yourself a pair of these bad boys, Jack your car up, lie on your back for 10 minutes with occasional use of mild bad language as you wish you had double jointed wrists whilst fitting these over the gear cable/linkage connectors and never worry about being stranded at the roadside with a broken shifter cable and unselectable gears again... 😉👍🏻
 

https://www.design911.co.uk/fu/prod133484/Gear-Shift-Cable-Security-Clamps-PORSCHE-987--Cayman/

 

I think most ‘gear cable failures’ are at the cheap crappy plastic connector end of the cable onto the linkage on the actual box, rather than the cable itself snapping along its length.  
 

these clamps will hold the cable onto the linkage even if the plastic connector piece falls apart. 
 

I fitted a pair last year. 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Windymiller

[Red7]

I’ve just bought a pair of these shifter clamps from Design 911 and will have them fitted over Christmas at the same time as my GT3 shifter, thanks for the heads up 👍🏼