Let us start with the honest part, because it shapes everything else in this article. A Peli case very rarely needs anything. We have sold them for fifteen years to people who treat them badly for a living, and the list of things that come back is short: a latch that gave up after thousands of openings, a wheel worn flat after a decade of airports, occasionally a case that spent a year in a shed and needs a clean. The shell, the hinges, the seal and the valve almost never come up. The lifetime guarantee is not a gamble on the manufacturer's part; it is a description of how the cases behave. 🔧
So this is not a list of things that will go wrong. It is a list of the eleven things that can wear or be damaged over the life of a case, in roughly the order of how often we see them (two of them account for almost all of it), with the exact procedure for putting each one right, drawn from Peli's own repair instructions and the parts we stock. The point is the opposite of the usual "what breaks" article: a Peli case is designed to be repaired rather than replaced, every part on this list is a spare, and knowing that is the reason people buy one case for a career instead of five.
If you own a case that is ten or twenty years old and want it to look and work as it did on day one, this is the guide. If you own a new one and want to know what you have bought, it is the same guide, and you will probably only ever need the section on latches and wheels.
Part 1: What actually wears on a Peli case, honestly
The two things that account for almost everything
Latches and wheels. A double-throw latch on a Protector case sits recessed between two ribs of the shell, so it is not exposed to impacts; it does not break because something hit it. It breaks the way any polymer spring breaks: after thousands of openings, by accident, or in hard frost, when the material is at its most brittle. Wheels are consumables on any luggage: polyurethane treads wear, bearings pick up grit, and ten years of airports leaves a flat spot. Between them, latches and wheels are the reason we keep spare parts in stock. Everything else on this list is a rounding error in comparison, and most of it is about maintenance rather than repair.
The things that are almost never a problem
The shell does not crack in normal use; it is designed to flex and return. The hinges are moulded into the shell and pinned with stainless steel; in fifteen years we have not had a hinge failure. The O-ring lasts decades if it is kept clean. The pressure valve works for life unless something is forced into it. The handles are over-moulded and pinned; they wear cosmetically before they wear structurally. If you skim the rest of this article and only remember the latch and wheel sections, you have most of what you need.
Why the case is built to be repaired
Every moving part on a Peli case is attached with a stainless steel pin, a bolt, or a screw, not glued or moulded in, and every one of them is fitted from the outside of the shell. Latches, handles, hinges, wheels and the valve are all separate components seated in ribs and bosses that are part of the shell. That is why a latch can be knocked out and a new one pinned in with a hammer and a punch in the kitchen, and why a case bought in 2006 takes a latch made in 2026. We explained the naming and the ranges in what Peli model numbers actually mean; the repairability is the same across all of them.
What this means over a working life
A photographer who bought a 1510 in 2010 and has flown with it every month since has, by our records of what people actually order, replaced its wheels once or twice and perhaps one latch. That is the whole maintenance history of a case that has done more than a thousand flights. A surveyor's 1600, no wheels, that rides in a van every day for fifteen years typically needs one latch somewhere along the way and nothing else. A 1200 kept in a drawer with a passport in it needs nothing, ever. The parts list below is long because it is complete, not because it is busy.
Part 2: The anatomy of a Peli case, as it matters for repair
Pins
Latches, handles and hinges are held by stainless steel pins with one smooth end and one threaded end. The threaded end bites into the polymer and holds the pin; the smooth end is the one you drive. To remove a pin, you strike the smooth head so the threaded end pops out on the far side and can be gripped with pliers. To fit a new pin, you insert the smooth end first and drive it until the threaded end is flush with the rib. Most latch pins are visible from both sides of the rib; on the 1200, 1300 and 1550 they are visible from one side only, which changes the removal slightly and is covered below.
Ribs and bosses
The lugs that carry the pins are moulded into the shell, thicker than the shell itself, and are the strongest part of the case. They do not wear. A new latch clicks between two ribs and the pin passes through both; a new handle seats between its bosses the same way.
How the wheels and the trolley handle are mounted
The wheels are mounted so that every part of the mounting is reached from the outside of the case. On the large wheeled cases (1610, 1620, 1650, 1690, 1780 and their relatives) each wheel runs on a bolt with a nut inside a wheel housing that is screwed to the shell. On the 1510 and 1560 each wheel sits on a threaded axle inside a housing held to the shell by two screws. On the Air carry-ons the wheels sit in a rear plate (Peli calls it a dolly) that is screwed to the shell with ordinary Phillips screws; on the larger Air cases (1606, 1607, 1615, 1626, 1637, 1646) the wheels come as left and right modules, also screwed on from outside. The retractable trolley handle assemblies are screwed to the back of the shell from the outside as well. Nothing on a Peli case is fitted from inside under the foam, and nothing here needs more than a screwdriver, a hammer and a punch.
The seal and the valve
The O-ring sits in a moulded channel in the lid, held by the channel's shape, not by adhesive; it lifts out and presses in. The automatic pressure equalisation valve is a press-fit assembly in the shell wall with a membrane inside; it can be levered out and a new one pushed in by hand. The current press-fit valve is the same part across almost the whole Protector range, from the 0340 cube cases and the 1120 through to the 1780, and it also replaces the older screw-in valve found on cases from earlier production years.
Two latch types
Protector cases use the double-throw latch: a lever that clicks over the pin in two stages. Storm and Air cases use the press-and-pull latch: push the button, pull the latch open. Both are pinned the same way, and both are sold as replacement parts; you order by case model and colour.
Which parts differ across the ranges
Protector, Storm, Air and the rotomoulded Hardigg cases share the principle (pinned hardware, press-fit valve, channel-seated seal) but not the parts. A Protector latch does not fit a Storm case and a Storm latch does not fit an Air case; within each range, the same latch size serves a family of models. Protector latches come in three widths: the 24 mm latch with a 34 mm pin on the small cases (1120 to 1300), the 36 mm latch with a 50 mm pin on the mid-size and large cases (the 0340 to 0370 cubes, the 1400 from 2009, 1430 to 1495, 1500 to 1560, the 1600 from 2008, and 1610 to 1690), and the 51 mm latch on the 1700, 1720 and 1750 long cases; the 1470 and 1490 briefcases and the 0450 tool chest have latches of their own. The 36 mm Air latch is a separate part from the 36 mm Protector latch, and the Air 1745 uses a 51 mm latch. Wheels differ by case generation as much as by range: the current 1510 and 1560 wheels are a different part from the original hard-plastic wheels on the earliest 1510s, and the large-case bolt-on wheel serves the 1610 through to the 1780. Hardigg and ISP2 cases use larger catch assemblies and, on some models, recessed handles that are bolted rather than pinned; the procedures are the same in spirit and different in detail, and for those we ask for a photo before quoting a part. O-rings are model-specific everywhere. The practical rule: order by exact model number, never by "it looks like a 1510".
Part 3: The eleven things, what to do, and how
1. Protector double-throw latches
How common: the most common replacement, and still rare per case per year. A latch gives up after thousands of openings, occasionally by accident, and occasionally in hard frost when the polymer is brittle; it is not something that breaks because the case was dropped, since the latch is recessed between the ribs.
Symptoms: a lever that has snapped at the pivot or the tab, a latch that no longer clicks with the two-stage feel, a latch that has lost its spring and sits loose when closed.
The procedure, per Peli's repair instructions: lay the case flat with the latch closed. Place a round pin punch (a small screwdriver or the new replacement pin also works) on the smooth head of the latch pin and strike it firmly with a hammer, repeating until the threaded end of the pin appears on the far side of the latch rib. Grip the threaded end with pliers and tap or pull the pin out. Lift the old latch away. Seat the new latch between the ribs and push it down until it clicks into place. Insert the new pin smooth end first, and drive it with hammer and punch until it sits flush with the rib on both sides, with no hammer marks on the latch. Close and open the latch to confirm the two-stage click.
The 1200, 1300 and 1550 exception: on these models the pin is visible from one side only. Drive the pin inward until it is flush with the rib on the far side but not protruding, then lift the latch and pull it away from the rib, which frees the pin. Fit the new latch and pin the same way. If a pin in a blind hole will not move, do not force the rib and do not heat it: remove what is left of the old latch first (snap it off, or carefully cut it away), grip the exposed pin with pliers and tap the pliers sideways with light hammer blows to walk the pin out.
Guarantee: a latch that has broken is a guarantee part: for cases bought from us, we send the latch and pin free of charge; the customer covers the shipping. Latches are also sold outright for colour changes.
2. Storm and Air press-and-pull latches
How common: less common than Protector latch replacement. Storm and Air latches have a small internal spring clip that can, very occasionally, come adrift after years of use.
Symptoms: a latch that does not release on the press, or that releases without the press; a button that stays depressed or no longer springs.
The procedure: identical in principle to the Protector latch. Peli's Storm instructions specify a hammer, standard pliers and a pin punch: align the punch with the latch pin, tap until the opposite end pops out, grip and pull the pin, replace the latch assembly by placing it between the two ribs and pushing until it clicks, reinsert the pin and drive it flush on both ends. The latch comes as a complete assembly with its spring clip already fitted; you replace the whole unit rather than the clip.
Guarantee: as for Protector latches.
3. Latch pins and hinge pins
How common: very rare. A pin does not wear; it can be lost during a latch change, or, on a case that has spent years in salt water, show surface corrosion.
Symptoms: a latch that has worked loose because the pin has walked out, or a pin missing after a latch swap.
The procedure: pins are sold separately, sized to the latch (the 36 mm latch on the mid-size cases takes a 50 mm pin, the 24 mm latch a 34 mm pin). Drive out the old pin as above; drive in the new one smooth end first until flush. For a hinge pin, Peli's instructions are to punch out the old pin, remove it with cutters or pliers and a small hammer, fit the new pin into the hinge and check that both ends sit below the surface of the hinge. A hinge pin change is a workshop job only in the sense that the case needs to be stood on end; the tools are the same hammer and punch.
Guarantee: pins are inexpensive parts and usually included with a replacement latch or handle.
4. Top and side handles
How common: rare. Handles are over-moulded polymer on a pinned core; the rubber over-mould can look worn after many years, and a handle can be damaged by a strap or a forklift, but a handle that simply fails in normal use is something we almost never see.
Symptoms: a split in the rubber grip, a handle that has cracked at the pivot after an impact, or a customer who wants a colour change.
The procedure, per Peli's instructions: turn the case on its side. Punch the handle pin out until the threaded end protrudes, remove the pin with pliers or wire cutters and a small hammer, and lift the old handle out. Take the new handle and note its orientation (handles have a top and a bottom; the grip's shape tells you which). Seat it between the bosses and install the new pin with the threaded end outward, driving it until it is flush and leaving no hammer marks on the handle. The 1510 and 1560 use two handle sizes (top and side); the replacement kit includes both with their pins.
Guarantee: a handle that has broken is a guarantee part on the same terms as a latch; a worn grip on a twenty-year-old case is wear, and the handle is sold as a part.
5. Wheels on the 1510, 1560 and the Air carry-ons
How common: the second most common replacement, and the one most driven by simple mileage. A carry-on that does a hundred flights a year wears its wheels; that is what wheels are for.
Symptoms: a flat spot that makes the case thump on smooth floors, a wheel that no longer spins freely, a tread that has worn to the hub, grit in the bearing.
The procedure on the 1510 and 1560: each wheel sits in a housing held to the shell by two screws from the outside. Remove the screws and lift the housing out; it may be a snug fit. The wheel is on a threaded axle that comes out in one direction only: the outer end is threaded and slightly larger, so the axle is driven out from the inside toward the outside with a punch and hammer. Do this with the housing held so the axle can leave freely, over a block of soft foam or in the air, not flat on a bench, or you will be driving the axle into the table. Fit the new wheel (with its bearings seated in the hub), reinsert the axle from the outside so the threaded end bites into the housing, and screw the housing back on. Do not cross-thread the housing screws; they go into polymer. Peli specifies a light torque for these screws (about 15 kg-cm in its repair instructions); by hand, that means snug, not tight.
The procedure on the Air 1535 and the larger Air cases: on the Air 1535 the wheels sit in a rear plate (the dolly) that is unscrewed from the shell with a Phillips screwdriver. With the dolly off, the wheels are replaced exactly as on the 1510: drive the axle out over foam, fit the new wheel and bearings, drive the axle back in, screw the dolly on. The whole dolly with wheels fitted is also sold as a unit if you prefer to swap it in one go. On the Air 1606, 1607, 1615, 1626, 1637 and 1646 the wheels come as a left and right module set, each module unscrewed from the outside and swapped.
Guarantee: wheel wear is wear, not a defect, and wheels are sold as parts. A wheel that has cracked rather than worn is a different conversation.
6. Wheels on the large cases: 1610, 1620, 1650, 1690, 1780 and relatives
How common: as for the small cases, driven by mileage, and these cases carry more weight for longer distances.
Symptoms: as above, plus a wheel that wobbles on its bolt after years of load.
The procedure, per Peli's repair instructions: stand the case on its wheels with the latches closed. Each wheel runs on a bolt secured by a nut inside the wheel housing; Peli specifies a 5/16-inch (7.9 mm) wrench for the bolt and a matching wrench for the nut. Remove the nut, push the bolt out, and remove the wheel. Place the new wheel, push the bolt back until the threads show at the far side of the housing, fit a nut and tighten it to Peli's stated torque of about 24 kg-cm (firm by hand, not strained). Peli recommends a new nut each time the wheel is replaced; the large wheel kits we stock fit the 1610 through to the 1780 and include what is needed. If the wheel housing itself has been damaged (a forklift, usually), the housing is screwed to the shell from the outside and is also a replaceable part.
Guarantee: as for the small wheels.
The spare parts that cover almost every repair
7. The retractable trolley handle
How common: rare as a failure. The most frequent thing is not a fault at all: grit in the tubes making the handle stiff after a beach or a building site, cured by a wipe and a dry lubricant.
Symptoms: a handle that does not lock at full extension, a release button that sticks, a tube bent by a fall with the handle extended (the one genuinely avoidable cause: retract the handle before the case goes into a hold or a boot).
The procedure: the handle assembly is a back plate screwed to the outside of the shell with ordinary Phillips screws. Remove the screws, lift the old assembly off, seat the new one, and drive the screws back in without cross-threading (Peli's figure of about 15 kg-cm means snug by hand). Nothing needs to come out of the case; the foam stays where it is. It is a five-minute job. A sticking release button is usually grit; a stiff tube is usually grit; both respond to cleaning before you consider a part.
Guarantee: a handle assembly that has failed in normal use is a guarantee part on the same terms as a latch; one bent by a fall with the handle extended is damage, and the assembly is sold as a part.
8. The O-ring seal
How common: as a failure, very rare. As a maintenance item, the one most people never do and should.
Symptoms: a seal that has picked up grit, sand or a hair and no longer seats cleanly; a seal that has gone hard after decades; a seal cut by something sharp closed in the lid; in the worst case, moisture inside after a soaking.
The maintenance: wipe the O-ring and its channel with a damp cloth every few months and after any dusty or sandy trip. Keep oil, solvents and silicone sprays away from it. Check it by closing the empty case and submerging it in a bath for ten minutes; the inside should be dry. We covered what the rating means and does not mean in waterproof, water-resistant or submersible.
The procedure if it ever needs replacing: the O-ring is a sponge-rubber cord seated in a channel by its shape. Lift the old one out with your fingers, starting at a corner; do not use a blade. Clean the channel. Press the new O-ring in, starting at the corners and working along the straights, without stretching it, until it sits evenly in the channel all the way round. No adhesive. Close the case and repeat the bath test. Replacement O-rings are model-specific; order by case model.
Guarantee: a damaged O-ring is mechanical damage, if anything; it is an inexpensive part and is sold as such.
9. The automatic pressure equalisation valve
How common: very rare. The valve is a membrane in a press-fit housing; it has no moving parts to wear. It can be damaged if something is pushed into it, or clogged by paint or mud.
Symptoms: a case that is hard to open after a flight or a cold night (the valve is not equalising), or a valve whose membrane has been punctured (water found inside after immersion with the seal intact).
The procedure, per Peli's repair instructions: lay the case on its side with the valve facing up and all latches closed. Insert the tips of two flat-head screwdrivers under the rim of the valve until they reach its stem, and lever the two screwdrivers in a synchronised motion until the valve pops out. Take the new valve assembly and push it into the hole by hand with full pressure until it seats; Peli specifies a small residual gap between the valve flange and the case wall (on the order of 1.7 mm) and states explicitly that no hammer should be used to install the valve. Close the case and check that it opens normally after the lid has been pressed down (the valve should let the air back in). On older cases with the original screw-in valve, the current press-fit part is the replacement: unscrew the old one, clean the bore, and press the new one in the same way.
Guarantee: a punctured or painted-over valve is mechanical damage; the valve is sold as a part.
10. The foam
How common: the only genuine consumable in the case, and the only thing on this list that is expected to be replaced. Open-cell pick-and-pluck foam yellows, compresses and crumbles over years; how many years depends on use.
Symptoms: cavities that have loosened, cubes that have torn, a lid layer crushed flat, yellow dust in the equipment.
The procedure: lift the old foam out (it is not glued) and drop the new set in: lid layer in the lid, base layer on the floor, pick-and-pluck block on top. Replacement sets exist for almost every Protector and Air model. For kits that are heavy, oiled or opened daily, closed-cell CNC-cut foam replaces pick-and-pluck and lasts many times longer. The interior options are compared in foam, dividers or TrekPak.
Guarantee: foam is a consumable and is not covered; it is sold as a set.
11. The shell: scratches, scuffs, dents and, very rarely, cracks
How common: scratches and scuffs are normal on any case that works; they are cosmetic and they are not covered by the guarantee. Dents in the shell are rare and usually shallow, because the polymer flexes back. Cracks are the rarest thing on this list; they follow vehicle accidents, forklifts and falls from height.
Scratches and faded colour: the heat gun method. There is a well-documented restoration technique, borrowed from car bumper repair, that removes the whitened scuffs and surface scratches from a polymer case and brings back the original colour. Photographers who have refurbished cases found outdoors or bought second-hand have written it up in detail. The method: clean the case thoroughly with detergent and a brush and let it dry. Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated space and wear a respirator; heated polypropylene gives off fumes you do not want to breathe. Set a heat gun to low, roughly a third to a half of its power. Work on an area about five centimetres across at a time, moving the gun back and forth continuously across that patch until the surface visibly darkens to its original colour, then move to the next patch. The first patch takes longest as the gun and the plastic warm up. Never hold the gun still, never let the surface go glossy or bubble, and stay away from the O-ring, the valve, labels and the latches. Scuffs and fine scratches disappear because the surface layer re-flows; deep gouges and dents remain, though softened. A lid that looked ten years old comes out looking close to new. This is a cosmetic repair for a case you own; it is not something to do to a new case, and it is done at your own risk, gently, with the gun kept moving.
Dents: shallow dents in a Protector shell often recover on their own with warmth; the heat gun method, applied gently from the outside, helps the polymer return. Do not push a dent out from the inside with a tool.
Cracks: a crack in the shell, a broken hinge lug, a rib that has split at a pin almost always has an external cause, so formally it is damage rather than a defect and the guarantee does not, strictly, cover it. In practice cracks are so rare that the usual outcome, once the cause has been looked at, is a new case. Photograph it, note the model and where and how it happened, and contact us; do not assume either way. Do not attempt to glue, weld or plate a cracked shell; a repaired crack is no longer sealed.
The cases these parts keep on the road
Part 4: The tools, and what not to use
The whole kit
A small hammer. A round pin punch of 1.5 to 2.5 mm for the latch, handle and axle pins. Standard pliers and a pair of wire cutters for gripping the threaded end of a pin. A Phillips screwdriver, or a cordless driver on a low clutch setting, for wheel housings, dollies and trolley back plates. A block of soft foam to rest a wheel housing on while you drive the axle out, so the axle has somewhere to go. A 5/16-inch (7.9 mm) wrench and a matching nut wrench for large-case wheel bolts. Two flat-head screwdrivers for the valve. A damp cloth. That is everything; a torque wrench is nice for the screws but "snug by hand" is what Peli's figures amount to.
What not to use
No hammer on the valve; it is pushed in by hand. No blade on the O-ring channel. No driver on a high clutch setting on the housing screws, which go into polymer and strip if over-driven. No adhesive anywhere. No driving an axle out with the housing flat on a bench; over foam or in the air. No heat on the O-ring, the valve or the latches during a cosmetic restoration, no heat on a stuck pin, and no heat gun without ventilation and a respirator.
How long each job takes
A latch: a minute. A handle: a minute. A pair of small wheels: three minutes, five with new bearings. A large wheel: ten with the right wrenches. The trolley handle: five. An O-ring: ten, plus the bath test. The valve: a minute or two. Foam: two. A heat-gun restoration of a whole case: an hour or two, most of it cleaning.
Part 5: The fifteen-minute annual inspection
Once a year, or before a big trip
Open the case and work every latch: two clicks, no play. Look at each latch pin: flush both sides, no walking. Work the handles: no cracks at the pivots. Spin each wheel: free, no wobble, tread not flat. Extend and lock the trolley handle, release, retract. Wipe the O-ring and its channel; look for cuts or flattening. Look at the valve: clean, unobstructed, not painted over. Lift the foam and look at the floor of the case for moisture or grit. Close the case and do the bath test if the contents matter. Note anything that needs a part and order it before the trip, not after.
After a hard trip
Sand, salt and mud are the things that shorten a case's life if they are left. Rinse the outside, wipe the seal, spin the wheels under a tap to flush the bearings, extend the handle and wipe the tubes. Dry the case open. That is the whole maintenance regime, and most people do it once a decade, which is why most cases outlive their owners' careers anyway.
The desiccant and the foam
If the case stores equipment for months, a silica gel pack inside, replaced or dried twice a year, keeps the foam and the contents dry. Open-cell foam that has been damp goes sooner; keep it dry and it lasts longer than most people expect.
Storing a case between trips
A case that sits for months does best closed, latched, in a dry room at ordinary temperature, with the equipment out of it if the storage is long. Closed keeps dust off the seal and the foam; latched keeps the O-ring under the light, even compression it was designed for rather than sitting loose in its channel. Do not store a case in direct sun for years (polymer fades, and that is cosmetic but permanent without the heat gun), and do not store it with wet foam or wet contents inside, which is the one way to make a sealed case work against you. A case stored on its wheels on a concrete floor for a decade will have flat spots; stand it on its base or on a shelf. None of this is critical for a month; all of it matters for a decade.
Fleet maintenance for teams
Organisations with dozens of cases (broadcast crews, survey teams, rescue services, armourers) get the most out of the design by treating it as a fleet: one spares box per site with latches, pins, wheels, an O-ring or two per model, the punch and the hammer; a laminated card of the procedures above in the box; and a yearly walk-through of every case with the inspection list. A fleet run this way retires cases when the equipment inside is retired, not before. The parts cost per case per year is a rounding error against the cases' price, and against the cost of one damaged instrument in a case that had a broken latch nobody fixed.
Part 6: Ordering a part, and the guarantee
What we need to identify the part
The case model number, moulded into the shell (outside on the base, and inside near the lid on most models). The colour of the case, because latches and handles are colour-matched and the same latch is sold in black, yellow, orange and silver among others. A photo of the part in place, which settles most questions about which of two similar parts fits. For wheels, the case model tells us whether it is a 1510-type axle wheel, a 1610-type bolt wheel or an Air dolly or module; for latches, whether it is a 24 mm, 36 mm or 51 mm latch, or one of the model-specific ones.
How the lifetime guarantee works in practice
Peli's guarantee covers the case for life against breakage and defects in materials and workmanship, and excludes normal wear (wheel treads, foam, grip rubber), cosmetic damage (scratches, scuffs, fading) and damage from misuse or accident. What that means part by part: a broken latch or handle is a guarantee part, and for a case bought from us we send it free of charge, with the customer covering the shipping. Wheels, foam, O-rings and valves are wear or mechanical-damage items, sold as parts. A cracked shell is formally damage, since a crack almost always has an external cause, but cracks are so rare that the usual outcome is a new case; tell us what happened and we will sort it out with Peli. The guarantee is the manufacturer's and it is honoured through the dealer network, so a case bought elsewhere goes back through its own dealer.
How a claim goes
Email with the model, photos of the damage and the shell markings, where and when the case was bought, and a sentence on what happened. A latch or handle claim is resolved by sending the part with pins; a shell is a conversation, and a short one.
Cases bought second-hand
A used Peli case is a good buy precisely because of everything above: check the shell for cracks (the one thing that matters), and everything else is a part. A photo of the shell markings is usually enough for us to identify the model and generation and quote the parts. Cases from auction sites are sometimes lookalikes; the moulded model number, the fitted valve and the channel-seated O-ring are the tells.
Part 7: Seven mistakes that turn a small job into a big one
Driving the pin from the threaded end
It will not move, and the rib takes the hammer marks. Strike the smooth head; the threaded end comes out on the far side.
Hammering the valve in
It cracks the housing or the membrane. Push by hand until it seats.
Gluing anything
Not the O-ring, not a latch, not a crack. Nothing on the case is designed to be glued.
Cross-threading the housing screws
The holes are polymer. Start each screw by hand, turn it backwards a quarter turn until it drops into the existing thread, then drive it gently.
Extending the trolley handle before a throw
Not a repair mistake but the cause of most bent handles. Retract before the hold, the boot, the truck.
Heat gun on high, held still, indoors
The surface goes glossy, then bubbles, and the scuff you were removing is now a melt mark; and you have breathed the fumes. Low power, small patches, constant movement, outdoors, respirator on.
Replacing a case that needed a latch
The most expensive mistake on the list. A latch is a few euros and a minute. The case is the thing you bought to last.
Frequently asked questions
Do replacement latches fit old cases?
Yes. The latch and rib designs have been stable across generations within each range, which is the point of pinned hardware; a latch fits a case decades old. Order by model number and colour, and send a photo if the case is very old, because a few models changed latch size in a given year (the 1400 in 2009 and the 1600 in 2008, for instance).
Can I change the colour of my latches and handles?
Yes; latches and handles are sold in several colours and swap with the same procedure. It does not affect the guarantee.
My case is hard to open after a flight. Is the valve broken?
Almost always no. The valve is doing its job and pressure is still equalising; wait a minute and try again. If it stays stuck for a long time, the valve may be obstructed: check that nothing has been painted or stuck over it. Replacement is the last step, not the first.
How do I know if the O-ring needs replacing?
The bath test. Close the empty case, submerge it for ten minutes, open it. Dry inside means the seal is fine. If not, clean the seal and channel and repeat; only then consider a new O-ring.
Are wheels covered by the lifetime guarantee?
No; wheel wear is wear and wheels are sold as parts. A wheel housing that has broken is worth a photo and a question.
Can a cracked shell be repaired?
Not in a way that keeps it sealed. A cracked shell is a conversation with us, and usually ends in a new case. Do not weld or glue it.
Will the heat gun method work on any colour?
It restores the polymer's own colour; it works best on black and dark shells, and on coloured shells it brings back the original tone. It does not repaint anything, and it will not fix deep gouges.
Is it worth restoring a twenty-year-old case?
If the shell is sound, yes: a set of latches, a pair of wheels, a new O-ring and foam, and an hour with a heat gun turn a case that looks finished into one that looks and works like new, for a fraction of the price of a replacement. That is what the case was designed for.
Do the procedures void the guarantee?
No. Replacing latches, handles, wheels, the O-ring, the valve and the foam with genuine parts, by the procedures Peli publishes, is the intended way to maintain the case and does not affect the guarantee. Modifying the shell (drilling, gluing, welding) does.
Checklist: the eleven parts, one line each
- ✅ Protector latches: punch the pin, click in the new latch, pin it flush; guarantee part
- ✅ Storm and Air latches: same method, complete assemblies; guarantee part
- ✅ Pins: smooth end first, threaded end flush; cheap, usually included
- ✅ Handles: punch the pin, orientation matters, pin flush; guarantee part
- ✅ Small wheels: 1510/1560 axle in a screwed housing; Air 1535 the same after unscrewing the dolly; larger Air cases wheel modules
- ✅ Large wheels (1610 to 1780): bolt and nut, new nut, firm torque
- ✅ Trolley handle: back plate screwed on from outside; clean before you replace
- ✅ O-ring: wipe, bath test, press a new one in by hand if ever needed
- ✅ Valve: two screwdrivers out, hand pressure in, never a hammer
- ✅ Foam: the one consumable; replacement sets or CNC
- ✅ Shell: scratches are cosmetic (heat gun restores them, respirator on); cracks are a conversation, usually a new case
The short version
A Peli case almost never needs anything. When it does, it is a latch or a wheel, and both are a few minutes' work with a hammer, a punch, a screwdriver and a part we keep in stock. Everything else on this list is either maintenance you do once a year, a consumable you replace when it is tired, or a cosmetic restoration you can do with a heat gun on a quiet afternoon. Buy the case once, keep it clean, and hand it on. 🔧
If you have a case that needs a part, send us the model number, the colour and a photo. We will tell you which part, whether it is a guarantee part, and how to fit it.
