Jump to content

Warning! Check Your Side Cases Lock Screws


Recommended Posts

23 hours ago, fjrpittsburgh said:

I was showing a friend how the side cases come off and on the bike.  I noticed the key in the lock mechanism was rather loose.  After unlocking and unlatching the side case,  I noticed that the 2 little screws in the back of the lock were both backed out almost all the way.  I finger tightened them until I got home.  The screws were backed out and I applied red Loctite to each of the screws threads and tightened them back up.

The screw heads are the security torx type.  You can buy a little handy dandy folding tool with multiple sizes of security torx screw drivers really cheap at Harbor Freight.  Since I'm also an FJR guy, this issue has been going on for years on FJRs with the same side case setup.  Multiple people have had their bags pop off the bike at speed which totally destroyed them.  Once those screws come out on their own, you can lose the bags quite easily.

When I checked the screws in the back of the lock on my other side case on the GT, they were still tight.  I backed both of those screws out as well.  Each of those screws had a little bit of blue Loctite on them, but not near enough to keep the screws secure over time.  They backed out too easily.

Please check your side cases lock screws ASAP.  Even if they're tight, I would definitely remove them one at a time an Loctite them.  Some folks use blue Loctite, but I'd recommend red since there is no reason to ever take those screws out in the future.  Based on my experience with the FJR bag locks, those things will last for hundreds of thousands of miles.

I looked the other day and couldn't tell exactly which ones were the culprits, but I will definitely look again tonight.

Appreciate the head's up @fjrpittsburgh!

Rob

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard about this on YouTube from (Brian Glynn/ (Two Wheeled Obssession). He mentioned it happening with FJR bags, and I checked mine as soon as I got my GT home from the dealer. Sure enough, some were already loose. I removed each one, applied a little blue loctite, and reinstalled. They have been fine ever since. Anyone with Yamaha hard side cases should check for this ASAP if you haven’t already.

  • Thumbsup 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

About a year ago I totally lost a nut & bolt out of one of my locks and was wondering why the lock was spinning. Turned the darn thing over and wholla....empty space and the whole lock fell off.

Lucky we have an assortment of stainless tiny screws and lock nuts in the garage so was able to fix quickly and have now also locktite all the other bolts.

 

  • Thumbsup 1

Kimmie......the lady who likes to take little detours :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having read these warnings I thought I'd better check mine - don't want to have my freshly-painted panniers scattered across the road!   Luckily I have plenty of Torx tools, as they are extensively used in all sizes universally on BMWs.   But - in the centre of each Torx screw-head in the lock there appears to be a tiny atom-sized protrusion which prevents the tool-head from getting into it.   What am I missing?   Luckily, mine seem very secure, but I'd  prefer to Loctite them in, just in case.   Such tiny screws, such an important job!

 

P1050732.JPG

  • Thumbsup 1

Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, RandyN said:

These are Torx security bits. Easily had in many places, for us it is Harbor Freight or Amazon plus others. 

Thanks, Randy.   Amazon is a PITA to deal with here in Oz - they do not/ can not/ will not ship much of their stuff here, plus one has to jump through all the usual BS hoops setting-up an account in order to spend money with them!   But now that I know what I'm looking for - the little hole in the end of the tool does it - I'm OK with a local store.

Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bought a quality set of 'security' Torx bits including a nice solid handle, costing AUD$20, all of which I'll probably never ever need again.   Job done - but frankly it shouldn't have been necessary if Yamaha had themselves taken this tiny extra step of using a miniscule drop of Loctite on each screw.   I like my GT, but this is another example of where Yamaha has let themselves down - and their customers - by lack of attention to detail.

 

 

P1050734.JPG

P1050735.JPG

Edited by wordsmith
  • Thumbsup 4

Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, wordsmith said:

Bought a quality set of 'security' Torx bits including a nice solid handle, costing AUD$20, all of which I'll probably never ever need again.   Job done - but frankly it shouldn't have been necessary if Yamaha had themselves taken this tiny extra step of using a miniscule drop of Loctite on each screw.   I like my GT, but this is another example of where Yamaha has let themselves down - and their customers - by lack of attention to detail.

 

 

P1050734.JPG

P1050735.JPG

Which size bit is required for the pannier screws?

Rob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×