right side outer case cover

[delsurfin]

Both metal tabs broke off my right side saddlebag cover. Very lousy design as I have read and now agree. The plastic mounting for the tabs (that the screws go into) is totally shattered. I have the cover taped on (not a fix). Looks like I need to replace the cover. Does anyone have a link where they can be procured? I would go with the expanded covers if not to costly. Appreciate feed back--ED

 

[NewTo700V]

Buying new, it would actually be cheaper to get the expanded lid set from David Silver. Stock right saddle bag parts on a Honda parts site show the lid at 370+, just for the one. The big lids are 350 for the pair. There's always waiting out eBay.

Another option I've read is to keep your busted mount lids, but install external locking latches and abandon using the stock locking hardware. Like these. https://www.southco.com/en-us/v7

Ideally you'd install 2 evenly spaced at the top of the lid bridging the opening seam. One half bolted to the lid, the other half of the latch bolted to the black plastic of the bike.

 

[ARKNT]

Many riders have installed external latches to replace the original latch system.

It looks like I have an issue with mine now. I have the big lids. Still have the original Honda latches but I did reinforce the mounting area for the latch parts.
About a week ago I noticed the right side lid needed more hand alignment than it used to. I now have a crack in the bottom of that lid that goes through where the hinge is riveted to the lid. I took it off this morning to look it over closer. I now have the original small lid on the right and a big lid on the left side. It looks a little funny but should work until I try to fix the crack. I am thinking of reinforcing the area with wide aluminum with epoxy under it.
As far as I know this may be the first crack at a hinge reported on this site. The lid has never been overloaded but it is possible something inside got pinched in the seal area and helped crack it.

Brad

 

[trobinso]

Many riders have installed external latches to replace the original latch system.

It looks like I have an issue with mine now. I have the big lids. Still have the original Honda latches but I did reinforce the mounting area for the latch parts.
About a week ago I noticed the right side lid needed more hand alignment than it used to. I now have a crack in the bottom of that lid that goes through where the hinge is riveted to the lid. I took it off this morning to look it over closer. I now have the original small lid on the right and a big lid on the left side. It looks a little funny but should work until I try to fix the crack. I am thinking of reinforcing the area with wide aluminum with epoxy under it.
As far as I know this may be the first crack at a hinge reported on this site. The lid has never been overloaded but it is possible something inside got pinched in the seal area and helped crack it.

Brad

I filled the voids around the hooks with JBWeld to shore them up - no issues yet. Also, don't slam the covers shut. They're not tool box drawers. A simple nudge until they click shut is all that's needed.

 

[Warren]

I agree about not slamming them shut. If you have to do that something is out of alignment. I would also add that I did not open and close my side cases that much. As a commuter I primarily put my day to day things in my top case. Even with very little opening and closing both my stock small lids and my large lids eventually had the plastic posts crack and break apart. I think engine vibration and the jostling going over bumps etc eventually gets to them. I did repair them with epoxy and they ended up cracking again. I was in the process of obtaining the external latches when I decided to trade my NT in for something newer and smaller.

 

[delsurfin]

Thanks to all. I did buy a jb-weld kit but somehow lost on of the two metal spring clips held on with two screws.
I do not want the wider covers with the same crappy latches. I may try the two external hinges

THANKS TO ALL
ED

 

[coaster]

The only permanent fix is to add external latches.

 

[xavier]

Trust me, you should add screw lockker to the screws that hold the "U" shape metall sheet latches on the covers. This will fix the misalignment problem and you never shall slamm the when shutting.
I did it witch a Locktite liquid locker and forget chackings and slamming any more.

 

[seagrass]

I purchased my NT with only 5,000Km’s (3,000 miles) and after an additional 10,000 Km’s the latches failed with nearly every screw post broken or completely shattered. I had read all the info about how weak the catches were so I have always been very gentle when closing the lids.

I have just fitted Owach external latches and although I did not want to have to do this, I think it is a very good upgrade.

Seagrass

 

[NewTo700V]

I purchased my NT with only 5,000Km’s (3,000 miles) and after an additional 10,000 Km’s the latches failed with nearly every screw post broken or completely shattered. I had read all the info about how weak the catches were so I have always been very gentle when closing the lids.

I have just fitted Owach external latches and although I did not want to have to do this, I think it is a very good upgrade.

Seagrass

Did you go with one non-locking and one locking latch per side, or are all 4 keyed? If I do this eventually I'm leaning towards just one locking latch on either side, the other two wouldn't be keyed for quicker simpler access. If someone really wants in, nothing would stop them.

 

[seagrass]

Did you go with one non-locking and one locking latch per side, or are all 4 keyed? If I do this eventually I'm leaning towards just one locking latch on either side, the other two wouldn't be keyed for quicker simpler access. If someone really wants in, nothing would stop them.

Very good question, I actually purchased two locking and two non-locking catches. Once I fitted the locking catches to the top of each pannier I did not think I needed the two lower non-locking catches so I have not yet installed them.

If I think I need them I will install them in the future.

Seagrass

 

[xavier]

Trust me, you should add screw lockker to the screws that hold the "U" shape metall sheet latches on the covers. This will fix the misalignment problem and you never shall slamm the when shutting.
I did it witch a Locktite liquid locker and forget chackings and slamming any more.

Hooks screwed on the pannier side by two screws each loose as time goes by. Shoud those hooks loose slightly the pannier them do not match with the body honges therefore here you have the problem. The solution is to tight tohose hook screws with a locking compuound that keep them fixed.

 

[NewTo700V]

Don't use regular old threadlocker on plastic, it can attack and break it down. Your normal Loctite blue is meant for metal - metal fasteners and mentions in application documents that it's not for plastic. Loctite does make a plastic specific thread locker.

 

[xavier]

Don't use regular old threadlocker on plastic, it can attack and break it down. Your normal Loctite blue is meant for metal - metal fasteners and mentions in application documents that it's not for plastic. Loctite does make a plastic specific thread locker.

You are right about blue locktite neverthelles currently the screws are not loosing with locktite.
Do you know any specific product to lock'em?
The funny thing is that it really works.

 

[NewTo700V]

You are right about blue locktite neverthelles currently the screws are not loosing with locktite.
Do you know any specific product to lock'em?
The funny thing is that it really works.

They may currently not be loose, but stuffing standard threadlocker into plastic can cause stress cracking of the plastic. If you're going to use anything, something like Loctite 425 is what you should be looking at. It's essentially super glue.

 

[NewTo700V]

I filled the voids around the hooks with JBWeld to shore them up - no issues yet.

I thought this was a great idea, so I went ahead and used some JB Weld plastic bonder. If it helps give some extra support to the posts, great. If not, at least it shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[mikesim]

Very good question, I actually purchased two locking and two non-locking catches. Once I fitted the locking catches to the top of each pannier I did not think I needed the two lower non-locking catches so I have not yet installed them.

If I think I need them I will install them in the future.

Seagrass

How did you install the latches? Did you remove the panniers housings so you could put a reinforcement plate behind the screws/rivets. I have yet to install mine and am looking for an easier way to attach the latches to the pannier housing without removing them.

Mike

 

[seagrass]

How did you install the latches? Did you remove the panniers housings so you could put a reinforcement plate behind the screws/rivets. I have yet to install mine and am looking for an easier way to attach the latches to the pannier housing without removing them.

Mike

Mike I managed to get a small piece of 1/16th aluminium sheet through the latch hole in the pannier housing and then attach the small catch to the pannier housing using long 1/8th stainless pop rivets. I had pre drilled the backing plates so it was just a matter of holding everything in place (with a single finger through the latch hole in the pannier housing) while I attached the pop rivets.

I actually only half set the first pop rivet, which allowed me to attach the second pop rivet before going back to the first rivet to finish “popping” it. This allowed me to get everything aligned properly before going too far.

I hope this all makes sense, please feel free to ask further questions if you need to.

Seagrass

 

[mikesim]

Mike I managed to get a small piece of 1/16th aluminium sheet through the latch hole in the pannier housing and then attach the small catch to the pannier housing using long 1/8th stainless pop rivets. I had pre drilled the backing plates so it was just a matter of holding everything in place (with a single finger through the latch hole in the pannier housing) while I attached the pop rivets.

I actually only half set the first pop rivet, which allowed me to attach the second pop rivet before going back to the first rivet to finish “popping” it. This allowed me to get everything aligned properly before going too far.

I hope this all makes sense, please feel free to ask further questions if you need to.

Seagrass

Got it! I'm hoping I can get my fat fingers to do the same.

Mike

 

[seagrass]

Got it! I'm hoping I can get my fat fingers to do the same.

Mike

Mike it is a bit of a fiddle but it can be done, if you can get a finger into the latch hole.

From memory I had to use my little finger and when trying to do the first side I almost gave up after a few failed attempts and a rising frustration level.

Once I managed to get the backing plate into the correct place and insert a pop rivet I knew it could be done so I persisted until I succeeded. It probably only took about 30 minutes to do the first side but it seemed much longer. The second side was done in around 10 minutes as I knew what I had to do and how to do it.

The secret is to pre drill the backing plates and make sure the rivets slide in the holes easily. My first attempt I did not check this so I could not get the rivet through the backing plate and had to remove it to enlarge the holes slightly.

Also make sure you have everything to hand such as the right length rivets and rivet gun.

Seagrass