A little tech help please

[Lost Rider]

Two things,

My beloved Roaster has a problem... @ sixty thousand something miles....
It's actually had this leak for months, but it's been sitting in storage while I was busy beating my GS.... Now that I have that out of my system for the year, I need my R back in touring shape.

Has anyone changed out the rear output shaft seal? ( I think that's what it's called)
Mine is leaking at the rear of the transmission going to the boot to the shaft, and I'm looking for any insight as to how difficult it is to replace the seal.
I wont be going to any dealer regardless for the work, and any advice is appreciated.

Secondly, I'm about to dive in and do a full service, getting ready for a ride up the Cali coast on a nifty R75/5 and I'm wondering if there's any forums as useful as this for airheads?

Thanks!

Finn

[TT RDHS]

I just had to have mine replaced last week... (under warranty)
Only 21,000 miles on the bike.
Once the bike was opened up they also found the Gearbox seal was leaking too, so that was replaced as well. The work order shows it as 4.6 hours for the job.
If you would like to see the work order with the part numbers for everything they replaced, let me know. I'll send you a copy.
Brad (TT RDHS)

[Lost Rider]

Brad, That would be great and most appreiciated. It will give me something to cross reference on OEM.com.

Of course when this goes down I will try and document it to share. Soon enough some of you will be out of warranty and extended warranty with this issue too... Along with the unwillingness to pay any BMW dealer any amount of money to work on any of my bikes.

I do have access to a certified BMW ex-mechanic who will help me for a small price, and will probably bring him in for the rebuild.


/5 service done.... God its easy to work on the airheads!

[deilenberger]

/5 service done.... God its easy to work on the airheads!

Which is a good thing, they need it so often..

[spenserj87]

Coastal trip on an R75/5...too cool. Can't wait for the pics of that bike against the coast, redwoods, etc.

[celticus]

You might look this site over. lots of guys out there who know everything about Airheads.
http://www.airheads.org/

Mark

[ka5ysy]

Idea: Take the /5 along the Texas border route and irritate the border guys again

[Sander Abernathy]

Of course when this goes down I will try and document it to share. Soon enough some of you will be out of warranty and extended warranty with this issue too... Along with the unwillingness to pay any BMW dealer any amount of money to work on any of my bikes.

Documentation would be great. Do you have a camera? Sorry. Forgot who I was talking to.

Are you still under warranty or extended warranty? Surely someone at BMW has seen all the places you've taken your R on-line and sent you a letter pointing out that the R1200R is a ROADster and it is meant to be on roads and therefore your warranty is cancelled.

[Lost Rider]

Before they could have cancelled my..... Wait, BMW Motorcycle honors warranties?
That's news to me, and not been my experience at all. It's more like a sales gimmick, than a tangible thing. The bmw motorcycle employees should be required to spend a few years over in the car department, where they know something about customer service....
As to why I don't spend any money with any BMW related company unless there's absolutely no choice, like with replacement gaskets that are not available after market.

With both my bikes out warranty I'm cool knowing I'm on my own, instead of the lies, the stress and frustration I get from visits to any dealer for service work.

[hjsbmw]

Has anyone changed out the rear output shaft seal? ( I think that's what it's called)
Mine is leaking at the rear of the transmission going to the boot to the shaft, and I'm looking for any insight as to how difficult it is to replace the seal.

Can't help on how to replace it. Mine was done under warranty. I am curious though about whether you had longer times of the bike being parked in one stretch prior to you realizing there was a leak.

I got mine used and have limited knowledge of its detailed history, but there seems to be a correlation between leaks and drying seals from long standing. In your case, however, at 60k+ miles it may also just be normal wear.

[Lost Rider]

Mine does have long periods of storage. Most of my miles are put on in 5,000+ mile spurts now a days.
It had been barely seeping for a little while, not much, but then I didn't ride it for 3 months and when I came home there was a good amount of trans oil underneath it.

[boxermoose]

Two things,

Secondly, I'm about to dive in and do a full service, getting ready for a ride up the Cali coast on a nifty R75/5 and I'm wondering if there's any forums as useful as this for airheads?

Thanks!

Finn

OLDS COOL forum on ADVrider - lots of riders/wrencher who treat the bikes like they are made to be riden & not fine china

[Oaktown]

Joe,

This is not an uncommon issue, especially for Hexheads built prior to 10/07 (mine was built in 9/06). The consensus is that since you're going this far, you may as well cover all the bases. Here is what is involved:

1. 11 11 7 685 005: shaft seal
2. 11 27 7 686 883: ISA screw
3. 21 21 2 332 469: inner hex bolts (6 req'd)
4. 23 12 7 705 085: shaft seal, drive shaft
5. 23 12 7 705 086: shaft seal
6. 23 12 7 705 087: shaft seal
7. gear oil

This list will replace both gearbox input seals, output shaft seal and balance shaft seal. With 60K on the bike, you may as well replace the clutch plate and I'd recommend the Wunderlich sintered metal (vs. the BMW composite). The SF dealer told me the CHP bikes need clutches at about 60K, as they "ride 'em pretty hard" like you. Although the BMW DVD will have you pulling the rear wheel and working your way into the tranny, the BMW mechanic (with 26 years experience) unbolted the rear frame and pulled the whole rear assembly back far enough to get at the work.

While I have had bad experiences with two other BMW dealers, I highly recommend the SF (single line) dealer.

Good luck with your project,

John

[ShinySideUp]

Here's some nice pics of a 1200GS getting torn down:

http://tinyurl.com/2et76tf

Looks a bit gnarly.

Bill

[Lost Rider]

GFY

[spenserj87]

Take lots of pictures - that looks like a fun job....might even be fun to watch with a beer in hand.

The clutch is a no-brainer. So, yellow bitch to storm trooper...what kind of pain job would be appropriate for the sweet R12 that has never let you down

[Lost Rider]

GFY

[Sander Abernathy]

Don't paint the subframe. If it's coming off, get it nickel plated or chromed with a chromed header and pipe. Can you anodize steel? When I was growing up my younger brother got a one-off copper plated bmx bike that Schwinn produced as a trial. It was very cool but the finish didn't hold up worth a damn.

[Lost Rider]

GFY

[yim4]

Chitown, just saw you on Harrison in SF, took me a second to recognize that GS. Nice bike.