R1200GSA Pannier pressure seal

[GeoffCollins]

Hi

Has anyone with an R1200GS Adventure with the BMW branded touratech manufactured aluminium panniers ever experienced the pressure seal phenomenon?

I've had it a couple of times usually it occurs when I pack up at low altitude, ride over some mountains (the Alps for instance), descend the other side and set up camp. Usually one or both of the panniers will have changed pressure so that there is a suction effect preventing opening of the lid.

So here's the question... Has anyone engineered a way around this? A small hole or a valve perhaps? If so where? I'd still like to stay waterproof... Maybe all that is required is a small nick in the lip of the lid seal?

Any thoughts?

Geoff

P.S. Sorry if this has been covered before (I had a search and couldn't see it).

P.S.2 Hello everyone! Its my 1st post.

 

[steve silk]

Hello Geoff, welcome to the site

I have a 1200GSA with the BM panniers, not had this problem yet but I'm doing the Alps in a few weeks so should be interesting to find if mine are the same.

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

good question for a first post... i don't think it's been asked before


maybe a subscription to Golds gym might help

in theory all it should take is a really small hole drilled somewhere a 1 or 2 mm hole must be possible to be drilled somewhere where water is not hitting it head on

or put a small pressure release valve on the boxes

 

[GeoffCollins]

Steve_silk: Thanks mate. Good luck on your trip.

TUNED_IN: Yeah - agreed if I was of more 80's action hero proportions this might be less of an issue, but seriously it does properly lock closed. Plus its always the last thing you want to deal with after 12 hours on the road.
That valve looks interesting... I might order a pair.

Thanks guys.

Geoff

 

[RickA]

Stuck Lids!

Hi Geoff,

Yep, happens a lot when travelling over mountains. Had to resort to kicking the lids open on my GSA with my 'crosser boots many times on my recent trip to Morocco. Tried hard to pry them open but had to resort to the boot!

Either a valve or a drain hole needed. I would think there must be somewhere on the panniers you could drill a very small hole that would not seriously bother the waterproofing. Will have a look at doing this before my next trip.

Cheers, Rick.

 

[John Armstrong]

How about something like screwing a a schrader valve into the box? Keeps the water out, but lets the air in when you push it

Could even then pressurise the panniers deliberately to keep out water

 

[lewisjohn]

Pannier pressure

Recently came back from the South of France,both panniers sealed so tight,I had to prise the lids open to break the seal.Only noticed it in heavy rain and high altitudes,at least they didn`t leak