I was not aware of the screw issues, I will look at mine later. My Ortliebs were purchased 12 to 14 years ago, have not had any problems. I found a slit in the bottom of one after two tours, I suspected that it was there all along, I glued a patch over it with seam grip on the inside. Mine have the football shaped lower hook mount, not the newer single track for the lower hook.

The little inserts in the plastic upper hooks often fall out after heavy use, the hooks deform with use and the inserts are not held in as well. The inserts that I refer to are used to modify the hooks to different rack tubing diameters, different inserts for different diameters. I put plastic tubing (clear plastic hose) from the hardware store over my rack tubing, then the Ortlieb hooks do not need the inserts for that larger diameter of my plastic tubing. I also use that tubing down lower on the rack to prevent chaffing where the panniers rub on the metal racks.

Thanks for posting. I was wondering how your trip was coming?