Fitting BMW Pannier Rack - Advice Needed

[RemusHowl]

A plee for help!!

I'm picking up a second hand set of BMW Vario panniers and the standard pannier rack at the weekend and will need to fit on site in order to ride home. If anyone has fitted these themselves and can give me any tips, including what tools i'll need, I will be very grateful. Setting off tomorrow (Fri) around 4pm, so any prompt advice would be gratefully received!

I have searched the site for help, but cannot find any relevant posts.

Cheers

Ian

 

[colint]

A plee for help!!

I'm picking up a second hand set of BMW Vario panniers and the standard pannier rack at the weekend and will need to fit on site in order to ride home. If anyone has fitted these themselves and can give me any tips, including what tools i'll need, I will be very grateful. Setting off tomorrow (Fri) around 4pm, so any prompt advice would be gratefully received!

I have searched the site for help, but cannot find any relevant posts.

Cheers

Ian

I am assuming F800GS
The rails fit in place of the current grab rails so you will need tools to remove your current grab rail and central silencer mounting bolt
also you have to make a hole in the mudguard by knocking out some rubber bungs under the seat
It is fairly straight forward but it does need carefull manoevering past the silencer.
I am not sure what type of bolt secures the frame to the subframe whether it is torx or socket cap.
Make sure you get a key or remove the locks with the sellers key do you can key them alike

look at this thread for removing locks
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300753

These pictures in post number 9 of this thread show the lower rails also
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146379

 

[RemusHowl]

Thanks for your speedy response. It was really useful. Yes, it is for a f800gs. The key locks have already been removed and taped up by when the pannier frame was removed by a BMW dealer so hopefully I will be able to set them to my key using the thread you pointed out.

I'll go armed with a socket set including torx fittings and hope for the best.

Cheers Again.

Ian

 

[GunZenBomZ]

Here's a link I created over same issue.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201483

 

[RemusHowl]

Thanks Gunz. I think the frame for the alu panniers muxt be different to the ones for the plastic varios. I have hopefully atached some pics of what i've bought. There is a bar that attaches under the seat and one that goes above the exhaust.

 

[thomo57]

Ian
When you recode the locks to your key, watch out for the tiny springs, that sit behind the tumblers, they are very easy to lose, drop etc, your lock will jam without them.
I spent over two hour's pulling our sofa apart, retrieving two i misplaced.

 

[v8legend]

A plee for help!!

I'm picking up a second hand set of BMW Vario panniers and the standard pannier rack at the weekend and will need to fit on site in order to ride home. If anyone has fitted these themselves and can give me any tips, including what tools i'll need, I will be very grateful. Setting off tomorrow (Fri) around 4pm, so any prompt advice would be gratefully received!

I have searched the site for help, but cannot find any relevant posts.

Cheers

Ian

Where are you collecting them from? If it's anywhere near Leighton Buzzard, then you are welcome to look at mine on the way. Mine came with Vario's fitted.

 

[RemusHowl]

Many thanks for the offer V8. Heading down to London tonight and then collecting from nr Oxford, so not so far away from you really. Unfortunately on a very tight schedule as need to get back to London to pick up girlfriend and head back up to west yorks otherwise I would have taken you up on your offer.

I reckon from what I've read and looking at the pics, it sould be a fairly straightforward job.

My biggest concern is explaing to the girlfriend where a set of panniers have mysteriously appeared from when i pick her back up!!!

 

[RemusHowl]

Panniers now purchased and fitted. I would like to ask others who have BMW vario panniers fitted to their 800's whether the exhaust is slightly loose once pannier racks are fitted. There appears to be some movement as the bolt supplied does not tighten up completely against the bracket?

Also one of the bolts holding the bracket on underneath the bike on the exhaust side cross-threaded and is now unremoveable (by me). The socket it goes into appears to be turning when I attempt to undo the bolt. Any suggestions how I might remedy this, without a trip to the dealers?

It seems like with the one bolt underneath and the exhaust bolt, the frame is perfectly solid for use, but I am more concerned about the bolt working loose and drooping into the wheel when I'm moving.

Any suggestions / comments welcome.

cheers

remushowl.

 

[thomo57]

Panniers now purchased and fitted. I would like to ask others who have BMW vario panniers fitted to their 800's whether the exhaust is slightly loose once pannier racks are fitted. There appears to be some movement as the bolt supplied does not tighten up completely against the bracket?

Also one of the bolts holding the bracket on underneath the bike on the exhaust side cross-threaded and is now unremoveable (by me). The socket it goes into appears to be turning when I attempt to undo the bolt. Any suggestions how I might remedy this, without a trip to the dealers?

It seems like with the one bolt underneath and the exhaust bolt, the frame is perfectly solid for use, but I am more concerned about the bolt working loose and drooping into the wheel when I'm moving.

Any suggestions / comments welcome.

cheers

remushowl.

My exhaust has a very small amount of movement on the upper fixing bush, which is probably rubber lined and designed to provide a flexible support for the exhaust can.

How did you get on with the pannier locks?

 

[colint]

Panniers now purchased and fitted. I would like to ask others who have BMW vario panniers fitted to their 800's whether the exhaust is slightly loose once pannier racks are fitted. There appears to be some movement as the bolt supplied does not tighten up completely against the bracket?

Also one of the bolts holding the bracket on underneath the bike on the exhaust side cross-threaded and is now unremoveable (by me). The socket it goes into appears to be turning when I attempt to undo the bolt. Any suggestions how I might remedy this, without a trip to the dealers?

It seems like with the one bolt underneath and the exhaust bolt, the frame is perfectly solid for use, but I am more concerned about the bolt working loose and drooping into the wheel when I'm moving.

Any suggestions / comments welcome.

cheers

remushowl.

I think the threads in the subframe are captive so if it is spinning could be an issue.
My exhaust is slightly loose but that is OK according to the dealers.
But the loose bolt into the subframe looks like it may need an engineering solution rather than a dealer solution!
If it is only the bolt that is spinning then threads on the bolt will be sh****d and you should be able to drill it out carefully and maybe re tap the thread in the subframe but if it is the captive thread then you will need a good engineer.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Captive bolts are the spawn of the devil. I had to have a new rear subframe on my R1200GS... Fortunately under warranty.

 

[RemusHowl]

Thanks for your responses. Hmmm... Doesn't sound too good then! I have rechecked tonight and it is definately the bolt and captive thread that are turning when I try and loosen the bolt, that said, the pannier frames seem very secure so I may keep running it with the one bolt into the subframe on the exhaust side, and keep an eye on it. Cheers for the reassurance on the exhaust. As for rekeying the locks, it really was straightforward thanks to the guide on advrider that is referenced on here. Ended up with 4 out of 6 plates on each lock working. As for the 4 left over, they are all 3's and I need 4 1's if anyone wants to swap! Bit gutted about that spinning bolt now!!!

 

[colint]

Thanks for your responses. Hmmm... Doesn't sound too good then! I have rechecked tonight and it is definately the bolt and captive thread that are turning when I try and loosen the bolt, that said, the pannier frames seem very secure so I may keep running it with the one bolt into the subframe on the exhaust side, and keep an eye on it. Cheers for the reassurance on the exhaust. As for rekeying the locks, it really was straightforward thanks to the guide on advrider that is referenced on here. Ended up with 4 out of 6 plates on each lock working. As for the 4 left over, they are all 3's and I need 4 1's if anyone wants to swap! Bit gutted about that spinning bolt now!!!

I think that the brackets with two bolts are probably overengineered for normal use and if one bolt is secure I would be happy to use the panniers like that just make sure that her indoors doesn't put too much weight in that pannier.
|If you are not completely happy then if there is enough room you could put a Jubilee clip round the subframe and bracket
but personally I wouldn't bother just run it as is.

 

[RemusHowl]

Cheers for your reply Colint,

that was certainly my thoughts, it feels pretty damn solid to me with just the one bolt in on that side, plus it also has the extra exhaust fixing that the other side does not have. I'll mention your comment to the g/f, i'm sure she'll take it in the spirit it was meant!

Remus

 

[v8legend]

Many thanks for the offer V8. Heading down to London tonight and then collecting from nr Oxford, so not so far away from you really. Unfortunately on a very tight schedule as need to get back to London to pick up girlfriend and head back up to west yorks otherwise I would have taken you up on your offer.

I reckon from what I've read and looking at the pics, it sould be a fairly straightforward job.

My biggest concern is explaing to the girlfriend where a set of panniers have mysteriously appeared from when i pick her back up!!!

I've checked mine. My exhaust moves, but it is all on the rubber mounts. You can even hear it moving. I haven't looked at the mount you are worried about, but it sounds like you've over tightened, and spun the thread. You have 3 options. 1; remove the bolt, and helicoil the spun thread. 2; fit a longer bolt with a nyloc nut behind. 3; remove the bolt and fit a rivetnut.