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F800GS Vario Top Case Problems

barnes8083

New member
I see that many riders have had problems with the F800GS Vario Top Case. Problem seems to be that the case is very difficult to expand or collapse. I have completely disassembled mine and found no broken or misaligned parts. I cleaned it well and reassembled it and found that it was still stuck tight. I disassembled it again and tried applying a thin lubricant to the rubber gasket that seals the gap between the top and bottom parts of the case. Even then it was very difficult to operate and I fear breaking it if I try to force it. It's winter and I believe that the plastic cases have contracted making the fit much too tight. My next step would be to remove the rubber gasket and simply use a liner to keep items dry if any small amounts of water were to penetrate the case. Until then the case will remain in the expanded position. I store my helmet in the case and actually have no reason to collapse it.

I would like to know if anyone has any thoughts about a permanent fix for the Vario Top Case. Returning it to the dealer for warranty is still possible, but would it be worth it, or would any replacement case be just as bad as the first. I think it's a faulty design issue anyway.
 
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Welcome to the forum! I take it you have the black Vario cases? I have all three and they are a bit stiff but from time to time I give them a squirt of textile grade silicone spray. I do think it's possible to get them out of sync (left to right) if the expansion bail was lifted other than the center- you might check that.
OM
 
Been there, done that, and I can "assure" you that it is possible to get the gearing out of phase by a tooth which will cause issues
Idiot-boy here has done it ...

I also have used a generous amount of silicon spray on the channel and also light application of silicon grease on the gears....
If I were doing lots of heavy off road that might be a bad idea as it would attract dust that would turn into grinding paste....

Long thread here with commentary: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22003260#post22003260

Jim
 
Thanks for the responses. Jim, I did see your thread with the disassembly and cleaning instructions. That's actually what motivated me to strip down "The Machine" in the first place. I have been able to coax the top case into the collapsed position and then back to expanded. I guess I'll wait until it warms up a bit before I pull it apart again. It feels like the rubber gasket (professionally attached by the manufacturer with staples) is binding. I will give it a good cleaning and try some real silicon. I used Liquid Wrench Silicon spray this last time and now stinks to high heaven.
 
Hmmm...I have the top and side Vario cases. There are times they stick a little, but not often, and they always work. Mine went from being able to survive a hard rain with no water getting in...to water inside after riding in a mild rain. I like them a lot, but it would be nice if they were watertight and made a bit more rugged. Regardless...I will keep mine.
 
You could bring it in the house and see if warming it up helps?

After some years of use I did have some debris in the "slot" of the case so cleaning that out and using the lube fixed things up for me.
One of my cases is a bit warped but they are well out of warranty now.

If you are still in warranty and can't resolve it, I would not hesitate to take it to the dealer over the winter ... while he's bored ... :thumb

I was told there has been a slight re-design of the mechanism, so maybe the warranty swap would net you the newer design.
 
Problem is "Quasi" resolved

Well, we took a trip over the to coast where the temperatures got up into the 60's. When the weather was warm the top case expanded and collapsed with only a little effort. The side cases worked even better. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that when the weather is cold the two parts of the case contract enough to squeeze the case tightly enough to make it difficult to work. I mostly leave the top case expanded so I can store my helmet while at work. Summer is coming and I'll know for sure if it is in fact the cold weather. Thanks again for the responses.
 
Well, we took a trip over the to coast where the temperatures got up into the 60's. When the weather was warm the top case expanded and collapsed with only a little effort. The side cases worked even better. I guess that I've come to the conclusion that when the weather is cold the two parts of the case contract enough to squeeze the case tightly enough to make it difficult to work. I mostly leave the top case expanded so I can store my helmet while at work. Summer is coming and I'll know for sure if it is in fact the cold weather. Thanks again for the responses.
It's always nice to hear the "end result" :thumb
OM
 
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