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Happy Trails Pannier Falling off.

dougfollett

New member
I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem. Coming home last Summer one of my Happy Trails paniers fell off and went tumbeling down the road. Fortunately I was on a back road going fairly slow but it still sustained quite a bit of damage. I hammered it out and remounted it only to discover the next month that the other one was also working loose. Fortunately I caught it before it was damaged as well. What is happening is that the top bolts that secure the mounting pucks are vibrating loose. The clamp or puck that holds the case to the upper part of the mounting frame comes loose and the case falls off. Any one have a fix for this? I'm thinking some sort of lock washer and teflon tape but I don't want to reinvent the wheel. Thanks
 
Vibration loosening nuts and bolts

On my Airheads, I've been replacing nuts and bolts that are prone to vibrating loose with stainless bolts with lock nuts - those nuts with the nylon insert stops them from vibrating off.

Mike
76 R90/6
93 R100R Legend:bikes
 
That's a thought but the mounting piece is threaded and acts as the nut so there is nohing to put a lock nut on. I'm thinking maybe teflon tape or some sort of LockTite product with a lock washer. Only problem is that I take them on and off all the time.
 
I put split lock washers on mine and never had one work loose.
 

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I put a roll pin in the top aluminum tabs, drilled a hole in the panier for the roll pin to go through. Behind the plastic knob I have a washer with a small hole in it too.

This keeps the AL mount from rotating.

It won't stop the plastic knob from rotating loose, but I think the problem has been rotation of the AL mount.
 
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I put a roll pin in the top aluminum tabs, drilled a hole in the panier for the roll pin to go through. Behind the plastic knob I have a washer with a small hole in it too.

This keeps the AL mount from rotating.

It won't stop the plastic knob from rotating loose, but I think the problem has been rotation of the AL mount.

That sounds like what I need to do, I'm just not sure what a roll pin is. Can you explain that a bit more? That and a lock washer should do it.
 
I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem. Coming home last Summer one of my Happy Trails paniers fell off and went tumbeling down the road. Fortunately I was on a back road going fairly slow but it still sustained quite a bit of damage. I hammered it out and remounted it only to discover the next month that the other one was also working loose. Fortunately I caught it before it was damaged as well. What is happening is that the top bolts that secure the mounting pucks are vibrating loose. The clamp or puck that holds the case to the upper part of the mounting frame comes loose and the case falls off. Any one have a fix for this? I'm thinking some sort of lock washer and teflon tape but I don't want to reinvent the wheel. Thanks

Did you get a hold of Tim at Happy Trails about this and give him a chance to help you?
 
I spoke with one of the people in the HT shop and he said that he had never herd of anyone having that issue and suggested teflon tape. I think the tape would help but not if you are taking your cases on and off a lot like I am. I think the suggestions for a lock washer and the one for some sort of a pin to keep the mounting pucks from rotating should work. It was actually the rotation of the two top mounting blocks that caused the case to fall off in the first place. The bolt would have eventually fallen out though.
 
I spoke with one of the people in the HT shop and he said that he had never herd of anyone having that issue and suggested teflon tape. I think the tape would help but not if you are taking your cases on and off a lot like I am. I think the suggestions for a lock washer and the one for some sort of a pin to keep the mounting pucks from rotating should work. It was actually the rotation of the two top mounting blocks that caused the case to fall off in the first place. The bolt would have eventually fallen out though.

I asked because I know Tim and he takes great pride in his products, and I'm sure he would do what ever to make it right by you if you felt such was needed. He might also use your case as an opportunity to improve his product.
 
I used a 1/8" roll pin ( a hollow rod made of spring steel w/ a slit in it, try Lowe's or any hardware store), length not to important as you will be cutting it down. The hard part is getting it's location right.

Do one mount at a time. Drill the mounting block to accept the roll pin and drift it into place. Once fully seated cut the roll pin so that 3/16" is exposed. Put tape around the bag mounting hole, mount the pannier tighten the mounts, then remove. Drill 1/8"hole in pannier where the tape has been marked by the roll pin. Do the other three.

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I had tried using a flat washer but decided to put rivet a 1"x1/8" flat stock of AL, as the washers were a pain to get located as I had holes for the roll pins in them too. The AL flat stock stays in the right location.

IMG_1041.jpg
 
You da man Richard! That and a healthy lock washer should do it. It was the rotation of the mounting puck that was the main issue. Thanks for the excelent photos. Some of us need pictures.
 
I had a flat washer before the AL flat stock. The washer with a 1/8" hole was to much of a pain to get lined up w/ the roll pin.
 
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