Thule pannier retainer pin, how to reset

[Mina Loomis]

Maybe someone here knows how this is done.  Thule shield pannier.  The pull-cord assembly that holds the pannier to the top bar of the rack.  The assembly can be adjusted forward or backward to fit the bike.  The two plates (with the twist holders), that the pull loop attaches to, are held in place with those kind of spring-loaded retainer pins that pop into holes on the assembly base.  So I was adjusting all this to switch the pannier from my bike to my husband’s bike, and one of the little retainer pins collapsed sideways and got wedged.  I managed to extract it.  But now I don’t see how to get it back into position. It needs to go in from underneath.  With the spring inside.  The attachment points for the whole assembly go through the wall of the bag but are more like rivets in that they don’t have any slots for removal and replacement from either side.  So I can’t take off the assembly frame to reset the pin and then attach it back.  I tried prying the semi-flexible frame with a lever to get the twist-holder plate out, but it didn’t want to pry far enough.  I attach a photo.  I emailed Thule through their US web site but they never replied.  They don’t have a phone number posted.  Any ideas?

[John S.]

I would also try posting at bikeforums.net

[Mina Loomis]

OK!  I didn’t know about them.  I’ll try that.

[Mina Loomis]

Update:  Problem solved in two different ways.

I posted in bikeforums.net but never got a response there.  There were some other earlier posts complaining about Thule pannier durability and customer service, but no one responded to my query.

First solution:  After months of Thule’s robot emailing me periodically, instructing me to reply if my query hadn’t been solved, and me emailing back that it hadn’t been, I finally got an actual response.  Basically, they don’t deal in parts or repairs or repair instructions; send proof of purchase and they replace the product.  I did, and they did, so now I had a whole new set of panniers, plus the original set with one dislodged adjustment pin.  Go figure.

Second solution:  I only thought of this *after* receiving the replacement panniers.  I was taking the damaged one off my husband’s bike.  It dawned on me that, why not just drill out one of the holes that capture the spring pin, so that it will drop on in from the outside?  Then move it to any one of the other holes, and it’s good to go, as long as I don’t need to adjust it exactly to the hole that is drilled out.  I picked a hole in the middle, so as not to shorten the overall range of adjustment available.  This worked!  Yay!

Now someday when we are too decrepit to carry everything backpacking,  we have extra panniers to take up bikepacking.

[John S.]

I am glad you got it taken care of, Mina.

[Author]

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