Loose luggage (pannier, side box)

[barrymc]

Hello,

I'm on a 2004 model FJR.

A few months ago I felt that one of the side boxes (factory supplied) was a bit loose. I bought the bike second hand and the boxes were very secure. It was only after I removed them and put them back on that I subsequently noticed that one of them was a bit loose.

I had a look at the box myself but couldn't get it any more secure. I brought it to a local yamaha dealer and he said it was perfectly normal.

A few days later the box came off at speed on the motorway. I retrieved the box but it was destroyed.

I just bought a new one - I just fitted both boxes (one new, one old) back on the bike. BOTH are very very lose. I'm convinced I'm doing something wrong.

Both of the upper clips are sitting into the fairing holes - the box is sitting correctly on the bracket and when I put the handle down, the lower pannier clip is fitting up into the hole on the bottom of the fairing. The handle is closing nicely - sitting flush - but the fairings are both extremely loose. They seem especially lose at the two top fairing holes - the whole box moves horizontally within the fairing holes and can also be lifted up a few milimetres....

What am I doing wrong here ?! Is there a knack to fitting these ?

Thanks for any advice.

Also - I noticed the other threads about fitting the hitch pins to the panniers - I will do that - but first I need to get the panniers secured properly.

 

[Lee B.]

you are fitting it over the bottom bracket, right? If it is w/in the two top slots and over the bottom bracket and has the handle down (lock engaged) add the hitch pin for added security. when you drill for the hitch pin make sure you the top is securely engaged and not riding up any. You may need to have someone else push down a bit on the cases while you drill the holes for the hitch pins. You want to have the hitch pin holding it in the most secure position.

 

[Geezer]

The two hooks on the top of the box need to go down into the pockets in the black pieces below the silver fairing. The fairing itself won't hold it.

Also, does the lower mount point have the rubber piece on it?

You should not be able to force the bags off if they are hooked on and locked correctly.

Some folks have drilled the lower mounts and inserted a hitch pin to ensure that can't come off. Search this forum and you'll find several posts and some pictures describing that.

 

[barrymc]

you are fitting it over the bottom bracket, right? If it is w/in the two top slots and over the bottom bracket and has the handle down (lock engaged) add the hitch pin for added security. when you drill for the hitch pin make sure you the top is securely engaged and not riding up any. You may need to have someone else push down a bit on the cases while you drill the holes for the hitch pins. You want to have the hitch pin holding it in the most secure position.

Thanks.

Yes I have it over the bottom bracket - but the pannier just doesn't feel secure at all. it feels like it would not take much effort to pull it off the bike (i dont want to try and burst the fairing).

 

[barrymc]

The two hooks on the top of the box need to go down into the pockets in the black pieces below the silver fairing. The fairing itself won't hold it.
Also, does the lower mount point have the rubber piece on it?

You should not be able to force the bags off if they are hooked on and locked correctly.

Some folks have drilled the lower mounts and inserted a hitch pin to ensure that can't come off. Search this forum and you'll find several posts and some pictures describing that.

Yeah I have the two hooks down into the little pockets as you say. The lower mount point does indeed have a rubber piece on it. I think the main problem is the ttwo upper hooks - they just dont seem very secure. I wonder would it be necessary to wrap some masking tape around the hooks, to thicken them up a bit so they really wedge into the fairing holes ??

 

[SacramentoMike]

The first thing I did when I read your post was look to see where you were. I figured what you need is for one of us to take a look at how your boxes are mounted and see how they compare to our own. But you don't give your location. So this is a chance for me to repeat my rant (to EVERYONE) about filling in the info on your personal profile--there's a reason for it. Go to your profile and put your location down under your "Personal Info" (same with your bike info, for those who haven't done it).

After you do this, maybe somebody near you will offer to come by or meet you and see what the problem is. My two Gen I FJRs have both had perfectly-fitting side cases; hard to believe yours can't be made to fit right too. I was going to suggest the retaining pins Toecutter posted about some time back too, but it's good you found it. I've never felt the need for it, personally, since the bags are secure anyway, but it can't hurt.

And welcome to the forum from foggy Sacramento, wherever you are.

 

[TheAxeman]

You may want to read through this thread also....

Lost Sidebag

 

[Fairlaner]

Mike i think he is in Eire......See HERE

R

 

[barrymc]

The first thing I did when I read your post was look to see where you were. I figured what you need is for one of us to take a look at how your boxes are mounted and see how they compare to our own. But you don't give your location. So this is a chance for me to repeat my rant (to EVERYONE) about filling in the info on your personal profile--there's a reason for it. Go to your profile and put your location down under your "Personal Info" (same with your bike info, for those who haven't done it).
After you do this, maybe somebody near you will offer to come by or meet you and see what the problem is. My two Gen I FJRs have both had perfectly-fitting side cases; hard to believe yours can't be made to fit right too. I was going to suggest the retaining pins Toecutter posted about some time back too, but it's good you found it. I've never felt the need for it, personally, since the bags are secure anyway, but it can't hurt.

And welcome to the forum from foggy Sacramento, wherever you are.

Ok thanks - I'm in Ireland so I doubt there's too many near me - I've updated that.

You may want to read through this thread also....

Lost Sidebag

[/quote

Thanks - I read that full thread before posting this one. Youre pannier was 'secure' before it fell off. My panniers are most definately not secure at the moment.

 

[chrisflock]

If you are worried about busting the fairing by wiggling or even yanking on the bags, they aren't on right.

If you look into the holes in the fairing, they are just holes. Further inside are slots in the rear subframe...

Here's a pic I just found online:

(thanks to whoever I'm stealing this from)

You can see the aluminum just inside the actual fairing panels in this pic. That's where the bags should be, when hooked on properly, they aren't touching the plastic fairing at all. It takes some practice to be able to line the bags up without looking and thinking, so my suggestion is to take the bags off, then get the bottom lined up, then hook the bags over the top. Once sitting on the bike, they shouldn't wiggle side to side much, the only direction they should be able to move is UP. Pushing down the handle makes the locking lug move UP into place on the underside of the rear subframe, effectively keeping the bag from moving UP.

Putting pins through the lower support is a measure intended to protect against unlatched bags or bags that become unlatched, but if your bags are clipped to the fairing on top instead of the subframe, those pins probably won't help.

 

[barrymc]

If you are worried about busting the fairing by wiggling or even yanking on the bags, they aren't on right.
If you look into the holes in the fairing, they are just holes. Further inside are slots in the rear subframe...

Here's a pic I just found online:

(thanks to whoever I'm stealing this from)

You can see the aluminum just inside the actual fairing panels in this pic. That's where the bags should be, when hooked on properly, they aren't touching the plastic fairing at all. It takes some practice to be able to line the bags up without looking and thinking, so my suggestion is to take the bags off, then get the bottom lined up, then hook the bags over the top. Once sitting on the bike, they shouldn't wiggle side to side much, the only direction they should be able to move is UP. Pushing down the handle makes the locking lug move UP into place on the underside of the rear subframe, effectively keeping the bag from moving UP.

Putting pins through the lower support is a measure intended to protect against unlatched bags or bags that become unlatched, but if your bags are clipped to the fairing on top instead of the subframe, those pins probably won't help.

yes thanks for that - i'm aware that there are little pockets for the hooks within the fairing holes. however, maybe thats where i'm going wrong - perhaps they are not wedged in enough. i'll investigate further

 

[mcatrophy]

If you look up into the slot the bag's rectangular pin (for want of a better description) goes into when you put the handle down, you should see a rubber seat glued to the top of the hole (you'll have to grovel a bit with a torch (or flashlight if you speak American). It is this that provides the pressure to hold both mounting pegs and the lower forked bit down.

In the past I've changed bag (not because I dropped the bag but because I dropped the bike

).

(Click on image for larger view)



And I had to adjust the thickness of this rubber to make the bag seat properly.

 

[wfooshee]

It's also been pointed out that the mechanism operated by lowering the handle has been suspected of slipping a tooth, reducing the extension of that bottom-side piece that goes in under the bike's subframe. Lower the handle with the bag off the bike, measure how far up the thing comes from the bag, and let us know.

 

[DJB]

One of the things that no one has asked is have you checked the structure under the fairing. Long ago I had noticed that my hard saddle bag was loose. When I started to investigate I found that some of the bolts holding the frame together had fallen out and the rest were loose. I removed the rear fairing and went through all of the bolts with a torque wrench and some loctite. My suggestion is to get acquainted with you machine. Remove the bags, remove the seat and all the fairings from the tank back. Check every bolt and nut for tightness and while you have it apart clean it real well and wax the fairings. Than put it back together per the manual with the correct torque settings. Than if the bags are still loose you go get help. Just a suggestion. PM me if you need help taking it apart.

 

[barrymc]

If you are worried about busting the fairing by wiggling or even yanking on the bags, they aren't on right.
If you look into the holes in the fairing, they are just holes. Further inside are slots in the rear subframe...

Here's a pic I just found online:

(thanks to whoever I'm stealing this from)

You can see the aluminum just inside the actual fairing panels in this pic. That's where the bags should be, when hooked on properly, they aren't touching the plastic fairing at all. It takes some practice to be able to line the bags up without looking and thinking, so my suggestion is to take the bags off, then get the bottom lined up, then hook the bags over the top. Once sitting on the bike, they shouldn't wiggle side to side much, the only direction they should be able to move is UP. Pushing down the handle makes the locking lug move UP into place on the underside of the rear subframe, effectively keeping the bag from moving UP.

Putting pins through the lower support is a measure intended to protect against unlatched bags or bags that become unlatched, but if your bags are clipped to the fairing on top instead of the subframe, those pins probably won't help.

Chris - is that the first or second generation bike ?

Mine is the first generation. The 'holes' in the fairing are not a metal finish like those in the picture above. It is just a hole surrounded by hard, black plastic. When I put the two top hooks in (and sit the pannier on the mount) it will move from left to right (within the fairing holes). When I put the bottom clip up into the sub-frame - it will still move left and right, and will move slightly away from the bike too.

 

[na1g]

I found the bags on my '09 loose enough to be a concern after only a few thousand miles. The top hooks did not fit snugly enough in their rectangular pockets and there was a bit of in-out play, but not much up-down play. I cut rectangles of bicycle innertube and glued them into the pockets with weatherstrip cement - on the outermost vertical face of each pocket (sorry, no pix - the digicam has crapped out and Santa didn't bring me a new one) The plastic hooks now fit snugly and the bags feel secure. I think I'm going to install the security pins anyway, just for peace of mind (I lost a bag from my ST1300 somewhere along a 100 mile stretch of US 6 in PA and never found it, so I'm a little paranoid about this)

pete :cold:

 

[barrymc]

I found the bags on my '09 loose enough to be a concern after only a few thousand miles. The top hooks did not fit snugly enough in their rectangular pockets and there was a bit of in-out play, but not much up-down play. I cut rectangles of bicycle innertube and glued them into the pockets with weatherstrip cement - on the outermost vertical face of each pocket (sorry, no pix - the digicam has crapped out and Santa didn't bring me a new one) The plastic hooks now fit snugly and the bags feel secure. I think I'm going to install the security pins anyway, just for peace of mind (I lost a bag from my ST1300 somewhere along a 100 mile stretch of US 6 in PA and never found it, so I'm a little paranoid about this)
pete :cold:

thats interesting. thanks for that. i was also thinking of doing something similar.

 

[Skippy]

I found the bags on my '09 loose enough to be a concern after only a few thousand miles. The top hooks did not fit snugly enough in their rectangular pockets and there was a bit of in-out play, but not much up-down play. I cut rectangles of bicycle innertube and glued them into the pockets with weatherstrip cement - on the outermost vertical face of each pocket (sorry, no pix - the digicam has crapped out and Santa didn't bring me a new one) The plastic hooks now fit snugly and the bags feel secure. I think I'm going to install the security pins anyway, just for peace of mind (I lost a bag from my ST1300 somewhere along a 100 mile stretch of US 6 in PA and never found it, so I'm a little paranoid about this)
pete :cold:

thats interesting. thanks for that. i was also thinking of doing something similar.

Barry, could you take a picture from behind your bike with both bags on and post it here, I would like to see the angle they are sitting at in relation to the bike?

Thanks,

Skippy

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

I just purchased a new 08 AE and noticed the bags were loose enough to cause me concern. I will have to investigate before the ice pack leaves the frozen North and allows a fellow to get out on his new bike.