How to Get Into Your OEM Side Cases, (Panniers), When The Locks Fall Out!

Rethy

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So the screws that hold in the cylinder fell out. The complete cylinder slides out. Now I have a locked box on the bike I can't open or remove. Anyone figure out a way to get these open without destroying?
 

EricV

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Re: Key cylinder failure on factory box

This probably needs to be a Sticky since it has happened to quite a few people now. These pictures and this method are courtesy of my friend Don Yates in New Albany, Mississippi. He had this issue and took some time to figure out just how to get back into his boxes so he could fix it. A very small amount of loctite on those screws will keep them in place, but do NOT get it on the plastic or it will eat the plastic badly. The screws from the factory are T-10 Security Torx screws.

There is a fairly easy way to get the hinge pins out. The pins are in blind holes, but the plastic is very soft. You can heat up a small, pointed object like a nail, needle, small punch, etc. and poke it thru the back to push out the pin. It won't take much of a tap to push the pin out enough to grab and pull out the rest of the way.

So you have this:
IMG950607.jpg
pannier hinge.jpg

You need this:
Needle, hammer, fire & Needle nose pliers or vice grips. You need the small tip to give access so you have room to tap with the hammer.

You get your needle hot:
IMG950612.jpg

Now poke it through from the back of the hinge to push out the pin:
IMG950614.jpg

Once you have felt it hit the metal of the pin, now give it a light tap:
Pannier 4.jpg

You may need a few light taps, but then you will see the knurled head of the pin push out the other side:
pannier 5.jpg

Now grab that with your vise grips or pliers and gently ease it on out. It should come easily once past the knurling:

Once you have both hinges off, you can reach in under the lid and use a long screwdriver or other tool to trip the 'J' hook on the latch and remove the lid from the box.

After you have found or replaced the screws on the lock(s), re-assemble the hinges, making sure to put the pins in with the knurled end out, smooth end going in the hole first.

To finish this project off, heat up an old flat blade screwdriver tip and use it to wipe across the needle hole you made at the beginning. Just one light wipe will seal the hold up again and make it barely noticeable.
 
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EricV

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Re: Key cylinder failure on factory box

hojo in sc said:
Ok, I'm wondering why a hot needle or nail punch, why not a nail punch at room temperature?
Just because it will melt cleanly thru the plastic and leave a smaller hole that can be easily closed up afterwards. It's just an appearance thing. If you don't care if you punch a hold in the back of the hinge, you can probably do it w/o heating up the tool. The other issue is that you don't have a lot of room between the hinges, so it's easier to use the hot needle or punch to melt thru the plastic than try to accurately hit harder with the hammer on the non-melted plastic.

edit: Perhaps you didn't catch that the holes for the hinge pins are not thru holes from the factory. It's a blind hole, the pin goes in, but there is no hole on the other side to push it back out. That's why you need to melt thru with the hot needle.
 

tomatocity

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Couple of Tips...

... the lock installation instructions include the use of Blue Loctite.

... Lightly Press the Lid Down when locking or unlocking.

... ... Crashed a couple years ago and ruined the right side case. Earlier this year I played with it to see if I could could unlatch the lid. I was able to unlatch the lid using a Hook Pick http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/precision-hand-tools/4-piece-pick-and-hook-set-66836.html . Pressing it down between the plastic and the latch and rotate the Pick while you are pressing down on the Lid.
 

barkingllizard

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@ The Party @ The End Of The World
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THOSE WHO POSTED ABOVE...

if the tumbler has fallen out, as they are known to do...

ALL YOU NEED IS A PAIR OF NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS, or something similar...
like the needle nose pliers on your Leatherman,

insert into the hole, where the tumbler was, and into the two screw holes of the lock, and turn...

EASY PEASY [and $35 CDN for a new tumbler].....
 

EricV

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No worries Barkinglizzard, post that to the sticky thread too, it may help others. I was asked to post the above since my friend isn't a forum member. I don't have oem bags, so can't verify anything, am just passing on his info and pics.

If we can use this thread and others to pass on info on what works, everyone benefits. ::008::
 

Rethy

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Wow thanks for the great info. And for what its worth I tried to use long needlenose pliers. It takes a long narrow set but the end which activates the hook is not held in place once the screws fall out. The back just pushed out and fell inside. Thanks so much..... ::008::
 

1954

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Glad I read this thread.My case instructions were sadly lacking as far as the tumbler install went. Did not notice any mention of loctite, so I just went out and put some blue loctite on the tumbler bolt threads. Good tip thanks.
 

roman

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barkingllizard said:
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THOSE WHO POSTED ABOVE...

if the tumbler has fallen out, as they are known to do...

ALL YOU NEED IS A PAIR OF NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS, or something similar...
like the needle nose pliers on your Leatherman,
...a pair of manicure scissors worked well for me yesterday. Again, this only works if you have plastic core cover installed - it should keep the latch part of the core from falling into the box.
 

Gigitt

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Tape up the locks!

Take some cloth tape and tape over the lock from the outside - if the screws undo this will prevent the lock from sliding out never to be found again! It also stops dust entering the lock.

On my side panniers I have a rubber cap that fits over the back of the lock. if the screws come out of the lock, the disc does not drop and you can still unlock it with needle nose pliers or a leatherman tool. My top box strangely did not come with a backing cap.

also put some cloth tape over this rubber backing cap as it is easy to pop it off when trying to grab the disc with the pliers.

You can also get into the side panniers by unscrewing the phillips head screws holding the bottom section of the pannier. You cannot take the bottom plate off as it stays attached by the front part if it is attached to the S10.
You can then pull some of your gear out, find your dropped disc and slide your arm inside to hold the disc while you use pliers to unlock it.
 

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YUL

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Hi there had simlar problem all I did is I got in by removing Bottom maybe 8 philps and 2 torx on side corner. And Voila hope this can help.
 

Highwayman

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Fortunately caught mine before they fell out completely. Why in the world Yamaha would go through the extra hassle of tamper proof torx for screws inside the bag is beyond me. Fortunately I have a set in my toolbox, but Im sure most folks dont. Just an add to let folks unaware that these screws are tamper proof torx before having to mess with em.
 
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Yamaholic

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Lol....there is something oddly comforting .......to find out your not the only one who has ever had problems with these Yamaha locks.....Ugggh....weakest link in the whole Yamaha Tenere package
 

EricV

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Pictures replaced since the TinyPic ones died. These are on the forum now, so should last.
 

pdksh

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Sunday morning, my tumbler pulled out when I went to unlock my side case... NICE... my cell phone and wallet were in the case. I was able to "jimmy" the lock as suggested. I didn't pull the hing pins but I did use a pick, a screw driver and was able to turn/pop the lock assembly. Once I opened the side case I found the two security screws. I re-assembled everything and applied a layer of lithium grease to the moving parts. hopefully prevent this from happening again.
When I checked the other side case, one screw has already fallen out and the remaining screw was very loose. I re-assembled with blue lock-tight. I considered using RED.
 
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