just checked behind seal between final drive and paralever and found some small rollers which i am guessing are from pivot .any idea if they are from there and what are my options for repair cheers (looks like my xmas hols are now a bit busier )
Have you play on the rear wheel? Grab it between 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock and try to rock.
They look small enough for the pivot bearings - easy enough job but use plenty of heat (hot air gun) on pivots as they are loctited in by BMW.
I'm sure there's a how too on here if you search.
Tom
Do you know if they've been done before - could be the removed bearings broke up on removal.
Tom
The design of the bearing prevents any of the rollers from falling out unless either the bearing has suffered a catastrophic failure, or the plastic roller cage holding the rollers in the race has so worn, that when the pivot pins were removed, the bearing separated and some of the rollers dropped out. But the pivot pins would have to be removed for that to happen, and that points to a bearing replacement.
Now if your bearings have rollers missing or failed, then you would certainly know about it. It would be as notchy as hell, and impossible to tighten enough to remove the play. The torque load on the bearings is 9 to 11Nm depending on which technical source you use
You never stated the mileage of your bike. Mine were replaced on a service interval at 30k miles. So they are checked and either adjusted or replaced at service. The key to long life of these bearings, is regular maintenance. I do mine every year regardless of mileage. Lubricate and retorque is all that is needed. I don't bother with any of the lock tight. I just mark the position of the pivot pins to the casing with an indelible marker pen. They don't come undone.
Still it doesn't matter. You need piece of mind. The only way you will get that is to remove the bearings and inspect. It is a good training exercise for you, and will help you understand how easy the job can be.
Ian
You can easily remove the pivot pins, but do them one at a time. When the pin comes out, the inner portion of the bearing should drop out, though on new bearings they clip together, the plastic cage holding the two two parts together.
If they have had loctite on them you wil need to heat the pins up to loosen the loctite to get the pins out. Make sure you remove all, repeat all of the loctite otherwise you will not get a true torque setting on reassembly.
I torque the bearing to 11nm and Mark it's position. I then tighten up the lock nut with spanner until tight. I then final torque the lock nut. The inner portion (pivot pin) doesn't move, so I manage without the special cut down socket. From observations the inner pin does not move when the lock nut is torqued up, otherwise my bearings would be toast by now, and I've used this method at least 6 times now.
But I guess it's all in the technique and how confident you feel about the end results.
I torque the bearing to 11nm and Mark it's position. I then tighten up the lock nut with spanner until tight. I then final torque the lock nut. The inner portion (pivot pin) doesn't move, so I manage without the special cut down socket. From observations the inner pin does not move when the lock nut is torqued up, otherwise my bearings would be toast by now, and I've used this method at least 6 times now.
Same here. Never had a problem, just mark the pivot pin at 12 o'clock before torqueing up to check it doesn't move........it never has.
Before you dive in there, check some of the tools you'll need. Depending on your tool kit, unlikely you'll have the right ones... 12mm allen key plus a 32mm (it might be 30mm? Check it out) ring spanner but ideally a modified deep socket...without them torquing those pounds will just be guess work (I'm assuming you have torque wrenchsounds ok to do i will give it a go over the holidays cheers mick
). I bought a ring spanner for the job, just to undo the nut but I also modified a deep socket...
. As Ian mentioned, you'll need some heat on the pins. They're only aluminum alloy, so take care.