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Side Case Mechanism Broke - Case Stuck on Bike

H

HolgerCaban

Beemerjoy
I took the bike (2007 R1200RT) out for some early season commutes to work last week. As I was attempting to open the left side case, there was a snapping sound as I pulled on the lever. Case is not opening now. The lever pops up when I push on the keyhole button, but then nothing happens. I also can't use the key to remove the case: the key turns, but the mechanism does not respond. So, at this point the case is stuck on the bike.
My mechanic has not encountered this issue and, anyway, is on coronavirus self-isolation, so he won't see me right now.
Has anyone encountered this? How can I get the case off the bike?
If I need to cut the case off, does anyone have a source for a used case where the mechanism works - even if the lid is damaged?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.
 
Somewhere I read of a similar situation that was resolved by drilling a hole in the case at the proper spot to manipulate the mechanism. Unfortunately, I cannot find the thread and I do not recall exactly where that hole needs to be. Perhaps you could disassemble your other case and examine the latching system to see how it works? This link showing how to take a side case apart might help: https://www.bmwsporttouring.com/topic/22471-bungee-buddy-install-on-r1200rt-cases/?do=findComment&comment=234196. The hole was later sealed with a rubber plug.

The part of the case holding the latch system is not sealed against moisture and road dirt. Over time, the dirt creates so much friction that the levers cannot handle the load. When the parts are clean and lubricated, the case will open easily with one pinkie finger.

Replacement parts are available from a dealer, if you can get the case off and open.

Check our Marketplace for used bags (there is a left side there now). You might also place a WTB request over in the Marketplace. Maybe someone has replaced a case for cosmetic damage and has the old one sitting in the garage.

I usually recommend Beemer Boneyard for used parts. (10% discount with code BMWMOA) Strangely, I don't see that they have ever sold just the back half of a case. Complete cases, and painted lids, but not the part with the mechanism. Might be worth a call to ask anyway.
 
I just went through this, though my problem was opening the bag itself.

Essentially, there's a tab that slides out of the bottom the bag that pins it in place, under where the passenger grab handles are. You may be able to "open" the bag and if there's slack in the bag mounting mechanism, you might be able to push it up so you can get the bag off.

Once off, you may be able to start getting the lid off by removing the screws holding the bag lid to the inside portion of the bag.

The internal locks work by using a slider attached to the flap. On my bike the pin on the flap broke as I was opening the bag, so it wasn't necessarily locked shut and I could get into it and get the guts exposed. As you lift the flap, two sliders inside the bag retract to center and it allows the cover to open. It's locked by the two hooks that capture the bag cover's pins.

Where would you drill it? I dunno. I wound up unlocking the bag so it could potentially open, then used a right angle probe to get in and manipulate the latching mechanism to open.

There are about a million screws inside, holding the inside of the bag in place over the huge mechanism in there. If worse comes to worst, I'd remove the other bag, take the screws out (use a diagram drawn on cardboard so you know where the screws go, just plunk in the appropriate hole in the cardboard diagram) and from there, maybe take a look at where to drill the other one.

The complete internal mechanism is about $300. I was fortunate and just needed the flap you lift, which was $90.

It's probably a good idea to open up the other bag and clean all the various sliding bits. They lubed them with white lithium grease at the factory and mine was full of grit when I disassembled it, which lead to its demise. The latching mechanism, which is where yours has failed, was especially gnarly. There's a gap where the bag locking tab sticks out of the bag on extension and it's not particularly well sealed. If you ride on dusty roads or gravel roads, I bet the sliding mechanism is completely covered with crud. Has it been getting harder to open over time?

The LT guys have a good thread about it here, including a bunch of pictures that I used to identify the parts inside of my bag and how they went back together.

https://www.bmwlt.com/forums/rt-series/165017-pannier-handle-will-not-latch-down.html

Look for the PDF doc in the thread and pull it down. It was helpful. There are also some little wire gizmos that work off the lock and make things open and close, so pay particular attention to them. There's a long gizmo with a spring on it that's pretty evident, but there's also a short piece of what looks like wire that opens the bag release. Either of those only go on one way, so take pictures the moment you get the inside of the bag off.

Here's some advice you didn't ask for, but it helped me. Go slowly. Pay particular attention to how everything works so you understand how it works, so you can get it back together. If you have to replace the flap, the instructions talk about marking a geared bit to align with the flap, which is hugely confusing. There's a metal bit you'll see attached to the flap. The plastic part behind it has a little dent in the top, which serves as the index mark. Mark the little metal bit to show where it aligns with the flap's little dent and you'll save yourself some frustration on assembly.

The part that holds it onto the bike is a flexible metal slider, which will be covered with crud. The bottom portion is where the action takes place and it has a couple locating dowels and this crazy metal linkage thing on it. Part particular attention to how it goes together. It's only secured by the inner bag shell, so once expose the whole thing can just flop right out of there. Take pictures, then set the parts aside for later on assembly.

Good luck. I'd work on it for ten minutes, go back in the house and think about it for a while. Then come back out, test my understanding and then, if I understood how it worked, move onto the next stage of repair.
 
Progress

Thanks for your ideas, Larry. I made some progress. For some reason, when I tried to lift off the broken case today, it did come off. So at least it's off the bike on the work table.
Took the good case apart to study the mechanism, clean it and lube the moving parts. Haven't gone to the point of drilling the hole to access the mechanism, but I can certainly appreciate that that may be a useful way to go. I'm at the point of measuring exactly where the hole would need to go to be effective. I'll post some pictures if/when I have the hole drilled and the case open. Hopefully this weekend.
Thanks also for the link to the side case for sale. Unfortunately, the search feature does not seem work too great. I didn't get any useful results. Beemer Boneyard doesn't list any side cases (may also be an inadequate search engine).
Holger
 
The Case is Off

Well, further progress. Based on reading some of the posts you guys pointed out, including one who had the same misfortune but at a dealership where they accessed the case by taking off the hinges, I followed that idea. It allowed me to pop the bottom of the lid out of the tracks, and then I just used a little bit of banging on the lid to move it out of the latches. No drilling required, thank goodnes. So, the lid is off and the crud cleaned out of the mechanism.
As it turns out, the problem appears to be the "flap" (sounds like the same as in kbasa's experience). It seems the flap, when you lift it, catches a metal plate with teeth which then in turn moves the closing mechanism. When the resistance from the closing mechanism is too great, the prong on the flap is the weakest link and prone to breaking.
I ordered a new flap (comes as a kit with the spring and another, unneeded piece of plastic) for about $100 incl taxes.
So, now it's just a matter of waiting for the parts to arrive, and then putting it back together - hoping that I can do so and make it all function again.
 
I fixed a couple of these already.
WAAAAAAAY too complicated and weak plastic parts

System cases from the earlier generation were rockcrusher (except for the cast latch when the bike was dropped)
 
HolgerCaban said:
Well, further progress. Based on reading some of the posts you guys pointed out, including one who had the same misfortune but at a dealership where they accessed the case by taking off the hinges, I followed that idea. It allowed me to pop the bottom of the lid out of the tracks, and then I just used a little bit of banging on the lid to move it out of the latches. No drilling required, thank goodnes. So, the lid is off and the crud cleaned out of the mechanism.
As it turns out, the problem appears to be the "flap" (sounds like the same as in kbasa's experience). It seems the flap, when you lift it, catches a metal plate with teeth which then in turn moves the closing mechanism. When the resistance from the closing mechanism is too great, the prong on the flap is the weakest link and prone to breaking.
I ordered a new flap (comes as a kit with the spring and another, unneeded piece of plastic) for about $100 incl taxes.
So, now it's just a matter of waiting for the parts to arrive, and then putting it back together - hoping that I can do so and make it all function again.
Click to expand...

If you look at the shaft coming out through the gear, it has an index mark on the plastic, a tiny notch. Transfer that to the metal part with a sharpie or something.

When you put it back together, it'll be aligned properly. It took me a half dozen tries because I missed that bit.

Woops.
 
Re-assembly

Thanks for pointing out the notch piece, Dave. I had not known about it when I took the latch off and had to force it off. Not very pretty! I had seen it subsequently when I looked for the part on the MaxBMW website. When you find the part, it has a link to a pdf file that gives detailed instructions with good pictures on how to take the flap off and how to put it back together. Quite useful! Here is that document: View attachment Flap Installation & Removal.pdf
 
What is the best way to clean and lube this mechanism to prevent this from happening? I've worked on the older style system cases but I just purchased a 2007 R1200RT. Love the bike and am planning to my own maintenance as I have done with my other bikes. The free information on these forums is greatly appreciated.
 
burnbender said:
What is the best way to clean and lube this mechanism to prevent this from happening? I've worked on the older style system cases but I just purchased a 2007 R1200RT. Love the bike and am planning to my own maintenance as I have done with my other bikes. The free information on these forums is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

I'd start by saving the pdf that HolgerCaban linked. Then use the tips listed in the first part of the thread to take one side apart, taking lots of pictures. Wipe out all the old grease, apply fresh grease to all the sliding surfaces and re-assemble. Use your pictures and the pdf to figure out how everything fits. Then when the latches don't work, open up the other bag to see where all the little bits belong. When the first bag is working properly, you can finish the second bag. The grease I found on the mechanism looked like common white lithium grease ($5 for 8 ounces), though BMW sells it as MP3 Paste, at about $35 per 3.5 ounces. I used SilGlyde silicone grease ($7.50 for 4 ounces) as I already had it on hand. Be patient, work carefully, it's a Rube Goldberg sort of mechanism whose operation is not readily apparent.
 
Silicone grease is best on nylon and glass filled fibre parts as well as rubber.

I have add issues with petroleum based greases affecting those items on the long term.

YRMV
 
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