NHTSA opens inquiry on BMW final drive failures

[SLOspeed]

Interesting. I heard that the failures were due to improper bearing fit and preload.

That is my understanding. Some units had bearings that were improperly preloaded at the factory, which could cause a failure. Then when rebuilding failed units, some mechanics re-used the same shims... Which probably led to improper preload and a repeat failure. This would explain why a few people are having multiple repeat failures on the same bike, while the final drive lasts forever for most others.

This is only for the older bikes, r1150's and prior. 05 and newer (r1200's) don't have this problem, because none of the bearings are preloaded.

 

[Thingy]

That is my understanding. Some units had bearings that were improperly preloaded at the factory, which could cause a failure. Then when rebuilding failed units, some mechanics re-used the same shims... Which probably led to improper preload and a repeat failure. This would explain why a few people are having multiple repeat failures on the same bike, while the final drive lasts forever for most others.

This is only for the older bikes, r1150's and prior. 05 and newer (r1200's) don't have this problem, because none of the bearings are preloaded.

Really!? I have a 06 RT and had the final drive fail at 36K and again at 88K. I'm at 107K right now and i hope it doesn't happen again. BMW North America paid for half of the parts each time and the local BMW dealer chipped in with free labor on the second failure. Love the bike, but it is a common problem still. A lot of owners just don't report it or even know of online resources/info.

 

[WeekEndWarrior]

You might want to get some tank protectors for that R6 of yours.

so true!!!

 

[Banjoboy]

I think they should study the problem for another DECADE before doing anything.

^THIS^
is why I dun dumped my over priced snob mobile for a Yamaha; the Japanese listen to their riders, and BMW dick tates to 'em; "You're bike is fine, just lower the fd fluid to 170 ml." I no longer have the status, but I got me a bike I can just ride the shit out of. arty
Even though relatively rare, this has been a "known" problem since the late '90s and the arrogant nazis still ain't fixed it.
Enjoy yer Koolaid!

On one side I agree, but on the other there is certainly more than 145 issues out there.

I just replaced the FD in my work bike.

And ^THIS^ is why so many LEO agencies are get'in away from BMW; in this economy they can't afford that silly shit.

 

[serazin]

To make matters worse, the final drive only got a drain plug in 2007! Prior you had to remove the rear brake caliper, rear wheel, rear torque bar, and lower the final drive to drain it. http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/reso...l_change17.jpg

errrr, no. The final drive drain plug was deleted on the newer models..like the k1200s with the transverse engine and such. (2005-2007 EVO) I am not sure about the boxers during this time period, as I don't do boxers but I think it was the EVO para levers that had the drain deleted.

The drain plug is there on the earlier models. (Like on my brick..)

 

[SLOspeed]

Really!? I have a 06 RT and had the final drive fail at 36K and again at 88K.

I can guarantee 100% that whatever went wrong with yours was not a bearing failure due to improper preload. From what I've seen, most of the "failures" on the new ones are just a leaky seal. The bearings themselves are simple and grossly overbuilt.

^THIS^ is why I dun dumped my over priced snob mobile for a Yamaha; the Japanese listen to their riders

Yeah, the Japanese makers listen to the market. For example, the "doohickey" on the KLR, which has been problematic for 25 years. Or the clutch assembly on the Suzuki liter twins (SV1000, DL1000, TL/RL). They are a known issue and 100% of them are problematic, but Suzuki never engineered a fix or even admitted a problem on any of those bikes. I could go on and on for pages.

 

[plumber]

errrr, no. The final drive drain plug was deleted on the newer models..like the k1200s with the transverse engine and such. (2005-2007 EVO) I am not sure about the boxers during this time period, as I don't do boxers but I think it was the EVO para levers that had the drain deleted.

The drain plug is there on the earlier models. (Like on my brick..)

My '05 RT originally had a no maintenance fd and therefore didn't need the convenient drain plug. That changed quickly while BMW started sorting out the problem. The fluid quantity is down to IIRC 180ml as per my last change. There still is a drain and fill port. They're just in fubared places. FTR my FD hasn't grenaded. I had a small weep on the outside seal and had that replaced quickly.

 

[boney]

I'm curious to know if they will be able to nail down a specific issue. It seems that you either get a good one or a bad one.

 

[Kornholio]

There's a drain plug on my 2011. I made sure to play 20 questions with the dealer regarding the failed final drives before pulling the trigger.

 

[serazin]

The consensus among many BMW folks is now centering around the amount of preload between the big bearing (wheel/hub side) and the cover and the fact that the sub assemblies are not correctly shimmed at the factory. There is also a crew that follows that the bearing itself is the culprit. (BMW's replacement bearing has a different number of rollers as compared to the original ones. Again, I don't know about the EVO designs.)

I know when I took mine apart (using a borrowed BMW shop fixture to check it all) the measurements didn't add up.

This is what I do for a living. I build transfer cases, differential units and PTO boxes all day long so I know a thing or two about setting pre loads.

My take on the whole matter is that the bearing just isn't big enough to take all the load, especially when the BMW riders seem to over load their bikes on a daily basis. (Anyway I do.) This and a bearing that is taking pretty much the entire weight of the bike and a lot of angular thrust when you are on the throttle coming out of a corner hard makes me wonder how the last as long as they do.

Dealers charge about 350-450 to do the rebuild when you take the final drive unit to them and lay it on the counter. The actual parts run about 80-160 dollars depending on what you replace. If the owner is one of those people who can't/won't do it themselves..well then..you will need your own, personal jar of Vaseline along with never knowing if the preload was set correctly or they just reused the existing shims.

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

I find it comical that a company who sells their stuff mainly on being bomb proof and lasting forever has such a serious failure because of over complicating something so simple (chain and sprockets). It's all well and good if your $20k beast breaks down at Starbucks and the bmw truck comes to get you. What happens when the very expensive and hard to get part explodes in Niger or Columbia or some shithole that dentist's pretend they'll go to cuz it's whats on the cover of the Motorad brochure.

 

[plumber]

I find it comical that a company who sells their stuff mainly on being bomb proof and lasting forever has such a serious failure because of over complicating something so simple (chain and sprockets). It's all well and good if your $20k beast breaks down at Starbucks and the bmw truck comes to get you. What happens when the very expensive and hard to get part explodes in Niger or Columbia or some shithole that dentist's pretend they'll go to cuz it's whats on the cover of the Motorad brochure.

Stop drinking the hater Koolaid and relax. Any rider who decides to dual sport it through the heart of Africa or South America should be prepared for anything anyway. It's not for a whiney candy ass.

 

[boney]

Stop drinking the hater Koolaid and relax. Any rider who decides to dual sport it through the heart of Africa or South America should be prepared for anything anyway. It's not for a whiney candy ass.

Yeah, it's not like you can't bring a spare bearing and change it on the side of the road. (don't roll your eyes, it's been done.)

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

^^^ I've changed a VW aircooled head on the side of I5. Anythings possible. I'll take an xr650l with a spare engine, chain, and sprocket in one saddle bag should I go the long way around anywhere.

 

[plumber]

^^^ I've changed a VW aircooled head on the side of I5. Anythings possible. I'll take an xr650l with a spare engine, chain, and sprocket in one saddle bag should I go the long way around anywhere.

Take a mule. They carry more.

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

Take a mule. They carry more.

The shitty part is that this made up rumor is the main reason I didn't get a cool BMW. I also passed on all my favorite Ducati's mainly cuz of their head issues. For proven quality, reliability, and peace of mind I went ahead a purchased a high performance Buell.

 

[Kornholio]

The shitty part is that this made up rumor is the main reason I didn't get a cool BMW. I also passed on all my favorite Ducati's mainly cuz of their head issues. For proven quality, reliability, and peace of mind I went ahead a purchased a high performance Buell.

 

[Traq]

My '05 R12RT got the FD bearings "repacked" or some such around 24k because there was too much play. Then they replaced it right before 36k cause it was still fucked up. 32k later it's alright-ish, but I have a nagging feeling that it isn't really. I really want a K16GT anyway...

 

[Climber]

That's just dumb, everyone knows that the vibrations caused by waving at other riders are what causes the failures

Then I guess that you'd know about this kind of failure over all the other BMW owners...or have you stopped waving to all non-BMW owners since getting your BMW!

 

[ST Guy]

I think they should study the problem for another DECADE before doing anything.

Phunny but not far from the truth. I remember when the first bricks came out. BMW blew it in three important areas. One, no one seemed to have noticed early enough in the design process that they put the cylinders on the left side of the bike so that when parked on their side stands, oil would leak past the rings and you ended up looking like a crop duster when you started your bike. 'Took them a while to come up with a piston and ring design to control the oil.

The second thing they blew it on was that for anyone much over 5'9" or so, their knees ended up jambed into the fairing. The completely blew it for taller riders and as I recall, they didn't get around to fixing that for a few years.

Finally, after a few years, I took one out for a test ride. A very nice bike, but the vibration was atrocious. As one went up through the RPM range, the bars would buzz, then the pegs, then the seat, then the tank, then back to the bars, etc., etc. I was almost impossible to find an rpm without some annoying vibration. I mentioned this to the sales guy after the ride and he said they all do that. I then said that is was especially bad on the freeway in top gear. His answer.....don't have it in top gear on the freeway. I just shook my head and walked away. BMW had the sense to put an anti-vibration shaft in the 750 triple but didn't bother to do it in the 1000. Finally (and how many years later??) They rubber mounted the engine.

Not exactly responsive in my book.