Mounting Aluminium Boxes on Rails-Quick Release

[B Murr]

I am wondering about what is the best way to mount a set of aluminium panniers to tubular rails, in this case to Hepco & Becker rails ( but it could just as easuily be to BMW/TT/Other tubular rails) so that they are secure yet quickly and easily removed without tools. I know touratech do their kit with pucks, but I'm not too sure how secure that system is- it looks like someone with a small hammer of stone could just move the tabs back and lift the panniers off? Metal Mules system looks a bit more robust but I'm not sure if anyone can supply the metal profiles that fit over the tubes. I have a design in my head which involves an extruded rail that fits over the lower part of the rail tubing to take most of the weight, at the top I have in mind a system with a short cylinder welded into corners of rail tubing.This cylinder has a slot into which a bar with a pin going through it can fit, once through the slot you turn the bar 90 degrees so that the bar cannot be pulled back out as the pin will retain it.The cylinder is blanked at the back of it so the bar cannot be acessed from behind. This bar goes through the wall of the pannier and has quick release cam to allow you to put tension on the bar and therefore to firmly grip the pannier against the rail. Does anyone know if such a sytem exists? Those quick release cams come with a variety of kids scooters and bicycles so are easily sourced. There must be some sort of a ready made cylinder already out there that can be easily adapted/blanked off which I'll keep my eye out for and I'll post details if I source it. Of course all this thinking is a bity of a waste if the TT system is secure and robust ( but stupidly expensive for what you get). Let me know your thoughts please peoples

 

[Steptoe]

. I know touratech do their kit with pucks, but I'm not too sure how secure that system is- it looks like someone with a small hammer of stone could just move the tabs back and lift the panniers off?

No.

The tabs lock into a recess, and need pushing out before they turn. And they can't be pulled out because they are held in place inside by a knurled ring and lock nut.

 

[abrasion]

mumfy was telling me he had seen a new locking system with a lock that operated a cable release.

 

[bowser]

have a look at the mounting on the stalkoffer panniers, its all mounted on the outside of the box so there is nothing that intrudes into the load space, its simple to operate and as secure and any system can be, more imortant if the worst should happen easily fixable.

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

it would take a mell hammer and a cold chisel to get my TT zega's off without removing the lids.

 

[B Murr]

Well with Steppers giving the touratech ones the nod who am I to disagree, I guess they're worth a try even if €100 seems an awful lot for a few bits of plastic and nobs. All the same does anyone know where I could get my hands on those extruded aluminium profiles that would allow me to hook the panniers onto the 16mm Hepco rails? I reckon if I couild ghet my hands on those then I could easily modify my rails to work like the Stahlkoffer ones