Ortlieb Packer series - what spare parts?
 

All,

Are there any spare parts you would recommend having on hand for the Packer series Ortlieb panniers? Sport Packer and Bike Packer?

I'm thinking maybe buckles and the lower anchor hooks. Any worries of the top latch mechanism/parts? I suppose being mechanical parts they may be more of a concern than the buckles and lower anchor hooks.. but I could see the hooks getting bumped and broken off in handling off the bike around camp.

Just don't let the screws get loose and things won't fall off* .. now bottom hook has a knob,

you can get them tighter gripping a coin with a pair of pliers..

do you usually break plastic buckles? maybe their repair buckles..


1st generation , 10mm only hooks, are still available so for tubus racks no insert to misplace..

*the securing screw the strap handle uses to open the rail hook catch is one to keep an eye on ...







...

Ortlieb parts are quite robust, rarely break. I think the lower hooks are the most likely to break off if you have a crash. And the little inserts for different size rack tubes in the upper hooks fall out and are often lost. But otherwise you probably will not break anything. The shoulder pad on one of my Roller panniers broke off but that did not bother me.

European suppliers sell those little parts BUT usually the European sellers will not ship Ortlieb parts to USA. The USA distribution network gets quite angry when European sellers undercut them in price so in USA finding the parts can be much harder.

I stopped using the little inserts in my upper hooks, instead I put some PVC clear plastic tubing from the hardware store over my rack tubing. I think that tubing was 1/2 inch OD, 3/16 ID. Slit it lengthwise and tape it on with electrical tape. That tubing with a bit of electrical tape is just the right size for the hooks on my Tubus Logo. That also works well to prevent paint chaffing on the rack.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1cfa7d860e.jpg

Top hooks are subject to failure, particularly in cold weather use. They are sold with connecting release/lift strap as a single replacement part. Be sure to get correct part (QL1 or QL2, diameter):

https://www.ortlieb.com/us/products/...-parts?cat=170

I have a set of Packers front and rear. What Bob wrote about the bottom hooks. I adjusted mine and didn't tighten one of them properly. Thing fell off sometime during a tour. Never even noticed it. That was in 2011, when they were relatively new to me. Had an extra bungee and used that to keep the thing stable. Hasn't happened since. Other that that, I think you have to suffer some trauma to break something, and my inserts in the upper hooks have never come out. But make sure you snap them in all the way.

My smaller Sportspackers needed all new male buckles a couple years ago, at 10 years old. I haven't had to replace anything else, either on these or on my newer Bikepackers. Both sets were on a three month tour, and the smaller one have been in daily use commuting and some weekend "chores" like 25 mile rides to a local apple orchard and back on nice weekend days. (You can get a peck in each Sportspacker, and a half a bushel in a Bikepacker!)

Someone suggested getting an extra set of upper hooks and splitting them between a pair of Ortliebs if you're going to take them on a lot of dirt and gravel roads. Makes sense maybe, but I haven't broken any original hooks on mine.

The Touring Store sells parts (USA based) for Ortlieb packs. My biggest issues is losing the upper hook inserts. I now super glue them to the hook and they stay a LOT longer before coming off. When on tour, I always pack (for 4 panniers) about 4 inserts, 1 lower rack hook (the big one that tightens with a coin). I do have the replaced upper hook/strap replacement in a USPS box ready to be expressed to me if I need it but have not in 10 years.

I really wish Ortlieb would just sell the upper hook that actually matches a tubus rack as standard on an OEM pack.

Tailwinds, John

They closed, the web link now directs to someone else.

That is so sad to hear. The shop was a great shop.

As I read, He wanted to retire.. 1 man shop..

Rose Bikes, a German online company, have all things Ortlieb:
https://www.rosebikes.com/search?q=Ortlieb

I also carry a couple of the proper size clip inserts in my tool kit. I've managed to lose 1 in over 20,000 miles of touring with my Ortlieb panniers. When I lost it, there was no problem riding for a couple of weeks until I found a shop that had replacements. So if you total all the miles my wife, daughters and I have used Ortlieb panniers, about 45,000, one lost clip is insignificant. That is the only "issue" we had with Ortlieb's attachment hardware.

Oh my, my extensive use of Ortlieb bags in all kinds of weather, including commuting down to -15c and regularly at -5 to -10c certainly goes against your comment, I've never had a top hook problem (touch wood!) even on my 1993 Ortliebs that are still kicking.

really the only breakages I have had have been buckles, after years of getting stepped on, shut in house doors, car doors, that sort of thing, and I cant blame the buckles any more than busted buckles on knapsacks and stuff that get abused over time.

KC8, if your panniers are new, all I can recommend is that once in a while, do a quick bolt tightness test to make sure nothing is coming loose, and chances are very good that if you have setup your panniers properly on your racks, ie with no mispositioning of the three contact points with looseness or slack that will overly rattle over time, you should be good to go.

I didnt even consider taking spare parts with me on my longer trips, but perhaps an extra lower tab or a spare buckle would be handy if heading off for an extended trip in rough terrain areas.

but again to emphasize, proper contact point placement that eliminates play is the key thing to do.

and slightly "fattening up" your rack rails is a good idea to really reduce play if going somewhere with lots of rough roads/off road.

snugly fit racks reduce by a huge amount the gazillion jiggles and forces going into the hooks or lower tab that happen over rough surfaces.

Thanks for all the input.

Before I start using the panniers I'll run some LocTite in the screw threads. That should prevent anything from coming loose over time.

From the general consensus here - overall the Ortlieb gear appears to be mostly trouble-free. That is good to hear/see.