How to Rekey Vario Panniers - A Pictorial

[Grape_Ape]

I just re-keyed my new to me Vario cases. The first one went so smooth I grabbed my camera and snapped some photos of the second re-keying.

Here’s a little pictorial on changing the locks to match your key:

Start by removing the three Phillips screws shown here:





The latching assembly should then lift right out:




Remove the yellow part shown in the center of this photo:




Next, use a little screw driver to depress the tiny tab shown at the bottom of this photo. This spring loaded tab holds the cylinder in the barrel:



Insert your key and remove the cylinder from the barrel (the key will keep the tumblers in place until you are ready to start switching them around):




This photo shows the removed cylinder. Note how some of the tumblers protrude from the cylinder with the key inserted. Your goal is to rearrange the tumblers in such a manner that none protrude from the cylinder when the key is inserted:




With the key removed, the tumblers will slide right out as shown. You do not need to change any tumblers that weren’t sticking out. These are already in the right position. This part isn’t as bad as you might think. There are only three different tumblers. They are marked 1, 2, and 3. All you have to do is move them around until you find the right combination. I was lucky enough to have a re-keying kit (BMW part number 51 25 7 698 202). You can still re-key your lock even if you don’t have this kit. Just get as many tumblers as you can in their correct positions. Just leave out the ones that you can’t get right. Note that the tab sticking out at the end opposite the key is not a tumbler. It is the spring loaded tab that holds the cylinder in the barrel. Don’t mess with it. Also, the position just above this locking tab does not get a tumbler. Leave this position empty. The only other thing you need to be concerned about is the tiny spring that drops into each tumbler slot. If you’re careful this spring will stay in place as you move the tumblers around.




Here is a photo of the cylinder with all of the tumblers in the correct position. Note how none of the tumblers protrude from the cylinder. You are now ready to reassemble the components in reverse order.


Reinsert the cylinder into the barrel. Turn it until it falls into place and locks:



Reinstall the yellow lockout piece:




Place the latching assembly back in its original position:



Reinstall the three Phillips screws:



All done!


Locked:




Unlocked:

[Gadget Boy]

Thanks for the post and adding to the knowlege pool

[JimVonBaden]

Very nicely done!!

Jim

[Cyath]

Great job! I just did my cases a month and this is a better DIY than I found elsewhere.
Hey Mods, this one goes in the GS: Look Here First!!!!! sticky.

[hipnotik]

Excellent!
I have lost the right vario pannier the other day and searching for a used one as a replacement. This thread will be very helpful for me when I get to put the new bag on.

[h8chains]

+1

Don't need it now, but sure would be in the future.

Thanks

[ajdemma]

I am going to do this this weekend. I have one question which is probably obvious, but I figured I'd ask before I have little pieces all over.

If I want to key the bags to my ignition, in the step below, I pull the cores out with the current key (obviously) and then insert the ignition key? Then the goal is to make it not protrude with the ignition key, correct?

And what does the re-keying kit provide? Just blanks to start from scratch, versus re-arranging from the old key?

Originally Posted by Grape_Ape

Insert your key and remove the cylinder from the barrel (the key will keep the tumblers in place until you are ready to start switching them around):




This photo shows the removed cylinder. Note how some of the tumblers protrude from the cylinder with the key inserted. Your goal is to rearrange the tumblers in such a manner that none protrude from the cylinder when the key is inserted:

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by ajdemma

I am going to do this this weekend. I have one question which is probably obvious, but I figured I'd ask before I have little pieces all over.

If I want to key the bags to my ignition, in the step below, I pull the cores out with the current key (obviously) and then insert the ignition key? Then the goal is to make it not protrude with the ignition key, correct?

And what does the re-keying kit provide? Just blanks to start from scratch, versus re-arranging from the old key?

You are correct. Pull the tumbler out with the original key, then use your ignition key to find the right plates so as many as possible are not sticking out.

Here are a few of my shots:


Original key. the bottom plate holds it in the lock, and will always stick out.


With ignition key. See how some plates are not flush?


This is what some ignorant dealers do to make different key fit.

The kit comes with a bunch of plates so you have enough to fill all the slots. Generally you are fine with 3-4 plates in there, even just 2 will work, but you can usually get many more.

Jim

[ajdemma]

Thanks for the info.

[* SHAG *]

Nice work Grape_Ape

[ajdemma]

About 10 minutes of work. I ended up just pulling 2 plates that stuck out with the ignition key. Swapping around anything else didn't work.

Interestingly, with those two plates removed, the old key and the ignition key both work. I can't decide if this is useful (having a spare ) or a problem (potentially many keys now open the locks ).

Anyone have some extra 1's or 3's? I have four 2's I don't need.

Andy

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by ajdemma

About 10 minutes of work. I ended up just pulling 2 plates that stuck out with the ignition key. Swapping around anything else didn't work.

Interestingly, with those two plates removed, the old key and the ignition key both work. I can't decide if this is useful (having a spare ) or a problem (potentially many keys now open the locks ).

Anyone have some extra 1's or 3's? I have four 2's I don't need.

Andy

With thousands of combinations, it is unlikely that will be an issue.

Hell, my jesse bags are opened with keys that only have 3-4 different versions. I opened 4 friend's bags at the last MOA for fun. I am not worried about motorcyclists, the vast majority are honest.

Jim

[ajdemma]

Now that I think about it, there are not that many keys. With six plates, there are 3^6 or 729 different keys. Removing two plates leaves four, so there are 3^4 or 81 different key combinations. So basically it's nine times more likely a random key will work now, but still only a 1 in 81 chance.

Or my math is screwy.

But bottom line I agree on the honesty issue and am not worried.

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

With thousands of combinations, it is unlikely that will be an issue.

Hell, my jesse bags are opened with keys that only have 3-4 different versions. I opened 4 friend's bags at the last MOA for fun. I am not worried about motorcyclists, the vast majority are honest.

Jim

[Jlsa]

I just wanted to say thanks to "Grape Ape" for the great pictorial post. I just re-keyed my new (to me) top case and it went very well following your pictures. Having never done this before it took me 20 minutes but that's including cleaning and lubing the lock too. It'll be nice having all three cases using the ignition key.

Good job!

Jlsa.

[demomanmc]

Thanks for the great info. You saved me $50 which the local dealer was going to charge me to do this. I have an extra 1 and 2 tumbler plate, does anybody have a couple of 3s??