1200 FD oil change with pics!

[davidgibson999]

Very useful thread ta. Please can anyone tell me what the white grease is on the gaiter shown on the image below and where I can pick some up? I gather it's silicon based, but haven't been able to source any myself.

Also, it's mentioned to grease the ABS/Speed sensor before it goes back in - any particular kind of grease? Doesn't it just get covered in FD oil anyhow?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

It is a silicone grease for rubber products - I got mine from a dive shop. Can't remember the product name offhand though...

 

[ross.mcw]

Ta, that gives me a clue anyhow! I was actually wondering if something like Castrol Red Rubber Grease would be the same kind of stuff?

 

[Wapping]

Jim,
Brilliant post...

You can contact Jim via his website.

 

[Slowdown]

You can contact Jim via his website.

Or on ADVRider.com - I don't think Jim sleeps - I suspect he hangs upside down for an hour every so often.

 

[mechcanico lee]

Great post Jim well illustrated well done

heres my rant !!!
Why doesnt bmw a multi billion £ company put the drain plug underneath the final drive casing and a simple fill plug half way up the casing so when its to the correct level the oil comes out like on a car diff, then all that would be needed is to put a drain tray under the bike and drain the oil without need to take ANYTHING off apart from the plug......is this rocket science bmw??

Simple things like this only take a bit of thought, the designers and engineers probably get paid fortunes to think up silly things like that, if it where a jap bike thats how they would design it....simple is best

Heres another idea.....how about slinging a rope round the front wheel ,hoist it up so the bikes in a big "wheelie" and then undo the plug and drain it out thus no need to take all the mechcanical crap off haha.

Just some thoughts from a simple car mechcanic

 

[Rong]

Great post Jim well illustrated well done

heres my rant !!!
Why doesnt bmw a multi billion £ company put the drain plug underneath the final drive casing and a simple fill plug half way up the casing so when its to the correct level the oil comes out like on a car diff, then all that would be needed is to put a drain tray under the bike and drain the oil without need to take ANYTHING off apart from the plug......is this rocket science bmw??

Simple things like this only take a bit of thought, the designers and engineers probably get paid fortunes to think up silly things like that, if it where a jap bike thats how they would design it....simple is best

Heres another idea.....how about slinging a rope round the front wheel ,hoist it up so the bikes in a big "wheelie" and then undo the plug and drain it out thus no need to take all the mechcanical crap off haha.

Just some thoughts from a simple car mechcanic

The FD on my R100RT is just like that with a drain plug underneath!

 

[mechcanico lee]

just how it should be , why dont hey do that on the r 1200, beggars belief ! ?

 

[Spout]

just how it should be , why dont hey do that on the r 1200, beggars belief ! ?

They do now. (From 08 onwards?)

Original 1200 FDs were meant to be "sealed for life" - so no need to have proper drain plug.

Only trouble now is that there'll be a load of bikes out there with frequent FD oil changes but bone dry shaft splines.

 

[luckylucian]

Thanks for this idiots guide, Can you double check the refill quants as there is supposed to be a change to 180 from 220, GSpot link below

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466921

Thanks

 

[bumpy]

Slightly off topic, but how do you remove that 'fluted' ring on the outside of the hole in the axle centre (right)?

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

They do now. (From 08 onwards?)

Original 1200 FDs were meant to be "sealed for life" - so no need to have proper drain plug.

Only trouble now is that there'll be a load of bikes out there with frequent FD oil changes but bone dry shaft splines.

Maybe BMW will fit a grease nipple to the 2010my bikes?

 

[GrinningGSer]

Slightly off topic, but how do you remove that 'fluted' ring on the outside of the hole in the axle centre (right)?

I believe that many are successful using a small flat bladed screwdriver, but take care not to damage the FD casing

OR you can do it the Proper Way

 

[cookie]

Thanks for this idiots guide, Can you double check the refill quants as there is supposed to be a change to 180 from 220, GSpot link below

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466921

Thanks

if i read that thread right, then it was never 220 for a refill, but 200, now reduced to 180.

looking through other threads here, seems a few people are bunging 220 into a wet FD. doesn't seem right

 

[Paul90]

My RepRom says 250cc for initial fill and 220cc for oil change.

I changed the oil at the weekend and used the old amounts. It hasn't leaked in the last 3 years. Do I look bovered ?

I can't see how reducing the oil and therfore increasing the amount of air (which expands a lot) can help much with this "internal pressure" problem.

Paul

 

[MattW]

Very useful thread ta. Please can anyone tell me what the white grease is on the gaiter shown on the image below and where I can pick some up? I gather it's silicon based, but haven't been able to source any myself.

Also, it's mentioned to grease the ABS/Speed sensor before it goes back in - any particular kind of grease? Doesn't it just get covered in FD oil anyhow?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Just noticed this.
The white OEM grease will be Stauburags (sp?) - a BUMW specific grease. My 1100 swingarm gaiters get standard lithium CV joint grease (as recommended by Steptoe) - if it's good enough for cv joint gaiters, it's good enough for BM swingarm gaiters. As I've got a tube of it, my splines get Honda Moly 60 paste (although I'm sure the CV joint grease would be fine).

 

[Bear]

On a related theme, has anyone seen the axle wear where the outer oil seal runs on it? Mine appears to have a wear groove in it at just the wrong place.

 

[MattW]

On a related theme, has anyone seen the axle wear where the outer oil seal runs on it? Mine appears to have a wear groove in it at just the wrong place.

Not seen it on the axle (well I don't have a 1200 so I wouldn't ) but I have seen it on a gearbox output shaft - mine :

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/HLIlUP-1ezEWr6ymqn-dNQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_SSn2CtCOKnU/Se4vCMd9rfI/AAAAAAAABng/qZzEo3UaQbs/s400/seal1.jpg" /></a>

I think I might have got round it by installing the new seal slightly shallower so the lip misses the wear groove - ok so far but the jury's still out. Wouldn't have thought this is a viable option on a 1200 axle though - fixed installation depth? Doesn't surprise me that the axle could end up showing a wear groove - slight oil seep + road grit = grinding paste.

 

[Bear]

Looks just like my axle. Fortunately my dealer is about to sort the matter for me as he's diagnosed a problem worthy of a goodwill gesture from BMW.

 

[Demongroover]

Sticky this

Hey, moderators...
This should be sticky'd.

Spot on write up, keep them coming.

 

[MattW]

Looks just like my axle. Fortunately my dealer is about to sort the matter for me as he's diagnosed a problem worthy of a goodwill gesture from BMW.

Good result

Unfortunately I don't think I'd swing a 'goodwill' gesture on my 15 year old 1100 though