Tourfella rack and top box issues

[fjmartin]

Hey team, I have the Tourfella boxes on my bike and I wanted to call out a couple of things that I have learned and experienced with them to date.

1 - I found out why on the 2016 and above bikes that the left side of the pannier rack with pannier installed hits the blinker. It's because at some point Zong change suppliers and the newer blinkers stick out further.

2 - I had 3 of the 4 "pucks" that are used to attach the top box to the mounts via the keyhole slots break off on the Baja ride. I never really noticed but they are made of plastic. Pete who was on the ride had his do this prior to Baja and Joe B told me they had this occur during their China ride. Check them to make use they aren't cracking on yours as you don't want it bouncing down the highway. I caught mine when one of them cracked and bungied it to the bike with what I had but it wasn't enough to keep 2 more from going but the bungie keep the box from flying down the highway. I found a better want to strap it in place for the rest of the ride. I spoke with Steve when we got back to CSC and they don't have spares to sell so I took my dremel tool and cut off the remaining lower pieces of the plastic that go under the top plate and cut them flat, purchased longer bolts, 24mm washers and nylock nuts and attached them and now they should never break off again. I covered them in hot melt glue so they don't scratch anything when off the bike. I mentioned to Steve that these should be steel or aluminum instead and that since they have the Pro-One machine shop they could easily turn these out on a lathe and sell them as upgraded. Haven't heard back to see if they are going to do that.

3 - I've always noticed that the top box rack plate is simply spot welded to the tubing in multiple places but after returning from Baja I noticed that 3 of the welds had broken. I've never carried anything heavier than the max load listed on the top box so I'm guessing that all the bouncing around on bad asphalt and our tour offroad is what had done it so I just finished stripping the paint all the way around the top plate and I'm having a guy weld a bead all the way around and then I'll repaint.

If you have the Tourfella luggage, I'd inspect these two things "just in case".

Take care!