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I have a pair of Mainstream panniers (msx sl 55) but the rivet that holds the hook on the bag fell off. You can see it on images outside and inside

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How can I fix it while maintaining it weather proof?

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    Just put a bolt (from a hardware store) through there. A little dab of caulk will maintain it as reasonably weather-tight. Use the largest washers that you can find to fit. Or, oddly, many shoe repair shops are pretty good at fixing this sort of thing. – Daniel R Hicks Feb 23 '16 at 0:11
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I just used a 5mm bolt with locking nut, and a ~15mm wide washer on the inside when this happened to my Ortleib. If you use stainless steel bolt, nut and washers it won't rust and the pressure against the pannier materials stops it leaking. I'd use the biggest washer you can find on the inside, but the biggest I could find was only 15mm. If you look at the other rivet you will probably find that the washer is smaller than that, and possibly that the other rivet is also about to fail.

My repair has lasted several years of regular use, and I still have the pannier today as a backup (I bought new ones when I wore holes in the fabric after more than 10 years of use)

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    A small squirt of RTV silicon / silicone sealant in the hole will help with weather resistance too. I have some 20mm "penny washers" which are great for this sort of load spreading. Due to vibrations do use a lock washer and/or a nylock nut. If none of them are available, use loctite in the threads before assembly, or last resort is some superglue on the threads to reduce vibrations. – Criggie♦ Feb 23 '16 at 4:22
  • Nail polish can also serve as a loctite substitute if you let it go tacky before putting the nut on. But self-locking/nylock nuts are the way to go. Another term that might be useful is mudguard washers. EBay is good for small stainless fasteners if you lack a local supplier. – Chris H Feb 23 '16 at 6:41
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Cut two squares out of an old tube about 1" in size, place them on the inside and outside and use a rivet gun to insert a new rivet. If the tears seems large enough to have the new rivet pull right though you could also use bolts and washers in its place if you don't mind how it looks. But you should be able to get a very near if not water proof seal with the use of tubes. I wouldn't submerge it completely but you get the idea. You may also opt for 2 squares of tube on each side for a better seal as well.

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    Rivets work best when the hole they're in is barely larger than the uncompressed size of the body. Once the hole is ragged or enlarged, rivets loose their effectiveness through movement and vibrations. Your rubber washers idea is probably limiting the rivet's movements. but for the long-term nuts and bolts win. – Criggie♦ Feb 23 '16 at 4:19

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