Wheel Flange recall

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Bob Ain't Stoppin'
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by Bob Ain't Stoppin' »

I'd agree with you John. They say specifically that the problem happens when the bolts are over torqued. It's really bad to over tighten wheel lugs on alloy wheels. You'd have to be a dip to go so tight as to crack the flange.
deilenberger
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by deilenberger »

John and Bob,

Mine cracked where the rotor bolts screw into it. No problem with the wheel bolts, and actually the common failure mode IS the rotor mounting points developing a crack.

I had replaced the rotor bolts - when I replaced the disc, but I did use a torque wrench and tightened carefully to spec (bringing the torque up slowly as I crisscrossed the bolt pattern.) Could I have been the cause of the crack? Mebbe.. but I suspect from looking at how the crack formed that it's caused by something other then overtightening.. perhaps something to do with heat from the rotor warming the steel bolt (which expands) in the aluminum. The single-piston rear caliper is a bit notorious for causing heat problems if the slider pins on it aren't carefully attended to at every pad change. When the bike was new - mine had rotor heating problems. I eventually fixed it by using some Wurth-3000 grease on the slider pins, and it hasn't been an issue since then. Could that have caused the problem? Dunno - but the rotor would get hot enough even without using the brakes to burn flesh and raise a nice blister (DAMHIK - I just DO..)

Also unlike the front floating rotors - this rotor is solidly bolted to the carrier. It might also be a case of diameter expansion of the rotor causing outward side forces on the screws (and given how/where the crack was - this seems entirely possible.)

I think BMW is being very cautious now with recalls since people have discovered how to get NHTSA's attention on issues, and BMW would rather be seen as initiating a recall rather then being forced into one. This isn't altogether a bad thing IMHO.

Oh - BTW - in a discussion with the service manager we discussed the BMW requirement that the rotor bolts be replaced whenever they're removed. I had thought it was because of the blue Loctite(tm) factory applied to the bolts, but the service manager claimed to have talked to one of the BMW technical reps who told him that the bolts actually stretch a bit when tightened to torque, hence the requirement for replacement.
Don Eilenberger - NJ Shore
2012 R1200R - I love this bike!
Oaktown
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by Oaktown »

Don,

Thanks very much for your explanation. Just as I suspected, I'm a "low information" metallurgist and engineer! The Pilot 3's are beginning to square, so when the dealer removes the wheel to replace the flange, I'll still save $ on the tire change without doing the work myself. Gonna try the 4's. Thanks again for your usual valuable contribution(s) to our forum.

John
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by deilenberger »

John,

I suspect you'll love the PR4's. I just replaced my front at 12,000+ miles. It wasn't worn to the wear bars, but I'm leaving on a long trip soon (hopefully 7,000+ miles) and didn't want to have to do it while on the road. Unlike the PR3, there was minimal cupping, and no singing from the tire when it got worn. My PR4 rear with the same miles appears to be up to at least half the trip (plenty of tread depth left) so if needed I'll change it in California and have new rubber to ride home on. My last rear lasted to about 14,000 miles and still wasn't down to the wear bars. Nice that the rear don't seem to wear with a transition ridge like the 2 and 3's did (where the harder rubber met the softer rubber.)

Wonderful tires IMHO.
Don Eilenberger - NJ Shore
2012 R1200R - I love this bike!
Ray R
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by Ray R »

I had my wheel flange replaced today. Doing as many as they are doing, they've gotten pretty fast at it. It took about an hour while I waited.

Next up? Complaints about the rusty new wheel flange! :)
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Catchina
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by Catchina »

I scheduled my 30k service and asked about the wheel flange recall. They looked up my VIN and said my bike doesn't need that recall but there was something about the fuel pump that needs to be done.
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BeemerBen
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by BeemerBen »

Any info on whether BMW has covered the replacement of these flanges on the 1150r's? My back wheel has come loose on me twice now and I have no doubt there is a component failure in there, but the lists I have seen don't include that particular model as being included in the recall. If it's also made of aluminum, like the others being replaced, I don't see why they wouldn't cover it, too.
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dbrick
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by dbrick »

The 1150s (and the 1100 models before them) have a different rear drive design.

I haven't read of any common failure points in the brake disk/wheel mount in the 1100-1150 bikes. I imagine they weren't recalled because the lack of multiple customer complaints allows BMW to credibly deny the existence of a recurrent problem; BMW can do that either because of an actual lack of complaints, or because those bikes' service history (which BMW knows better than we do) doesn't demonstrate a weak point in the earlier design.
Last edited by dbrick on Wed Jun 03, 2015 4:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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BeemerBen
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Re: Wheel Flange recall

Post by BeemerBen »

I just got informed of this difference in design on another board - that the 1150's have a steel gear assembly that the wheel mounts directly to - so I guess I'm back to square one in trying to find the culprit. After having the wheel come loose on me twice, I can't ride the thing with any confidence until I'm sure it's 100%.
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