2010 r1200 gsa clutch change

[Wayne 5599]

Hi All
I am planning to change my clutch in the coming weeks.
My bike is a 2010 BMW R1200gsa.
I would like to know what special tools I need if any?
Also do has anyone any tips for this job, any tips are welcome.

Thanks Wayne

 

[R1200JK]

Hi All
I am planning to change my clutch in the coming weeks.
My bike is a 2010 BMW R1200gsa.
I would like to know what special tools I need if any?
Also do has anyone any tips for this job, any tips are welcome.

Thanks Wayne

Hiya - I did mine last year (2009 GS). Some good videos on YouTube showing the basics and the Haynes manual is superb. I didn't have any special tools, other than a scissor platform engine lift to hold the front half steady, a rounded tyre lever to ease the driveshaft off the spring coupling on the gearbox output shaft and a long socket (with a rod through held central with two nuts) to centralise the new clutch plate. I changed mine at 45K miles as I needed the gearbox rebuilding and it seemed "best practice" to do it at the same time, yet the clutch was hardly worn. I removed the wheel, rear drive and shaft assembly and subframe separately, although I see some people pull it off as one assembly - I wasn't brave or strong enough to do that. Photograph everything as you strip it down, especially cable and wiring routing and zip-tie placement. Take careful note of the gearbox mounting bolt locations as they're different lengths (and watch out for the sneaky one at the very bottom). The gearbox is located onto the engine with two dowels and mine were stuck fast (penetrating oil, heat, a rubber hammer and loads of swearing were required). If you decide the change the clutch fluid, remember it's hydraulic oil, not brake fluid. Also remember to tie the front down securely as you'll be using a lot of force at times. Best of luck.

 

[Steptoe]

Leave the wheel and swingarm attached to the subframe, makes it easier to wheel around and refit once you’ve replaced the clutch/gearbox

 

[Wayne 5599]

Hiya - I did mine last year (2009 GS). Some good videos on YouTube showing the basics and the Haynes manual is superb. I didn't have any special tools, other than a scissor platform engine lift to hold the front half steady, a rounded tyre lever to ease the driveshaft off the spring coupling on the gearbox output shaft and a long socket (with a rod through held central with two nuts) to centralise the new clutch plate. I changed mine at 45K miles as I needed the gearbox rebuilding and it seemed "best practice" to do it at the same time, yet the clutch was hardly worn. I removed the wheel, rear drive and shaft assembly and subframe separately, although I see some people pull it off as one assembly - I wasn't brave or strong enough to do that. Photograph everything as you strip it down, especially cable and wiring routing and zip-tie placement. Take careful note of the gearbox mounting bolt locations as they're different lengths (and watch out for the sneaky one at the very bottom). The gearbox is located onto the engine with two dowels and mine were stuck fast (penetrating oil, heat, a rubber hammer and loads of swearing were required). If you decide the change the clutch fluid, remember it's hydraulic oil, not brake fluid. Also remember to tie the front down securely as you'll be using a lot of force at times. Best of luck.

Thank-you for sharing your experience. I have an old camera which will be perfect for photographing this job. My clutch has 4.8mm and I think I will keep this bike for a few more years, so I will have a go this coming winter and change the clutch. Many thanks for your input.

 

[TLSgazza]

I'm just wondering how many miles your bike has covered?
I believe a new plate is 6.4 mm thick. So 4.8 is probably a little over half worn. Assuming the minimum thickness is around 4mm. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm expecting to replace my clutch sometime soonish.
But at 144.000 miles it is not showing any signs of problems though I've not checked it's thickness.
Why replace it if you may still have 20-30.000 miles of life left in it?
That could be a few years of riding for most people

 

[Mistacat]

New plate approx. 6.5 and service limit 4.5 Changed mine at 4.8 after 90k miles .
you can measure the plate thickness if you drop the starter motor out and use shim steel / feeler gauges etc.
The worst I have changed was 3.6mm on a RT but it had been slipping very badly for some time. ( Not my bike)

 

[Wayne 5599]

I'm just wondering how many miles your bike has covered?
I believe a new plate is 6.4 mm thick. So 4.8 is probably a little over half worn. Assuming the minimum thickness is around 4mm. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm expecting to replace my clutch sometime soonish.
But at 144.000 miles it is not showing any signs of problems though I've not checked it's thickness.
Why replace it if you may still have 20-30.000 miles of life left in it?
That could be a few years of riding for most people

My bike has 133,000KM. This coming winter I will have the time to do this job. Plus I enjoy keeping my bike
well maintained, I would hate to be stranded in the middel Europe due to poor maintenance.
Due to the fact I wish to keep this bike for min the next 5 years I think I might as well do it now and have the peace of mind.
As Mistacat has stated service is 4.5mm, and I used the feeler gauge method to measure the current thickness.

 

[TLSgazza]

My bike has 133,000KM. This coming winter I will have the time to do this job. Plus I enjoy keeping my bike
well maintained, I would hate to be stranded in the middel Europe due to poor maintenance.
Due to the fact I wish to keep this bike for min the next 5 years I think I might as well do it now and have the peace of mind.
As Mistacat has stated service is 4.5mm, and I used the feeler gauge method to measure the current thickness.

My bike has covered 100.000 Kms more than yours on its original clutch so I think I'm doing ok. I still feel yours could still give you much longer service but that's your decision.

Maybe I need to check mine at some point.

 

[Wayne 5599]

My bike has covered 100.000 Kms more than yours on its original clutch so I think I'm doing ok. I still feel yours could still give you much longer service but that's your decision.

Maybe I need to check mine at some point.

The guy I purchased my bike from was a new rider this was his first bike.
He also live in a city and used it to commute, so maybe he was a little heavy on the clutch. I have the time now and I will just have peace of mind if I do any big trips in the years to come.
( I just want a winter project )

 

[botus]

does the engine breather on the twin cam misbehave?

my clutch at 9 k miles from new seemed to slip - but also seems at times to not want to rev out even with traction control off.... it seems to get stuck as 7k and when you focus its more like some weird behavior and noticeable clutch slip

then I noticed the moron dealership that sold it seem to have added lots of oil, whilst doing some servicing, I pulled the air cleaner and found the bottom of the filter box swimming in oil - pulled this gunk out the airbox and swapped the oil to decent stuff of the correct grade.... and the bike pulled hard in to the red and no slip at all, and the engine performance was totally transformed

with my head muddled I figured it must have been so full of oil, it puked a load in the airbox and was really a misfire / rough running rather than clutch slip...

it was fine for a few months then I ragged it about for 80 miles and with the oil level def no longer over filled, its back to square one - runs like a pig and seems the clutch is slipping and the performance changed (backwards)....

 

[Wayne 5599]

does the engine breather on the twin cam misbehave?

my clutch at 9 k miles from new seemed to slip - but also seems at times to not want to rev out even with traction control off.... it seems to get stuck as 7k and when you focus its more like some weird behavior and noticeable clutch slip

then I noticed the moron dealership that sold it seem to have added lots of oil, whilst doing some servicing, I pulled the air cleaner and found the bottom of the filter box swimming in oil - pulled this gunk out the airbox and swapped the oil to decent stuff of the correct grade.... and the bike pulled hard in to the red and no slip at all, and the engine performance was totally transformed

with my head muddled I figured it must have been so full of oil, it puked a load in the airbox and was really a misfire / rough running rather than clutch slip...

it was fine for a few months then I ragged it about for 80 miles and with the oil level def no longer over filled, its back to square one - runs like a pig and seems the clutch is slipping and the performance changed (backwards)....

If your bike is under warranty I would take it back to the dealer.

 

[botus]

this thing has 12 stamps and invoices at BM for servicing (in 9k miles) but 12 years in they don't care - I already asked BM UK - the lot that sold it (non franchised) were going to ruin the bike fitting a clutch when it started working properly and I thought thank god my gearbox, frame and swinging arm can keep all their paint... then it went wrong all over again 10 months later...

I think I 'd rather someone skilled did the job properly (AKA me) - but a lack of enthusiasm is holding me back - the earlier one I have is vastly better to ride....

 

[TIJ650]

Open heart surgery!! I’d avoid unless you have good bike lift and other lifting equipment or VERY good friend to help. It’s almost like changing a car clutch!! lol

 

[TIJ650]

……rear wheel drive (car) obviously

 

[widget]

I did mine at 48k. There wasn’t a problem with it, but I wanted to get the subframe powder coated as the paint was about a micron thick and the subframe was rusty in places. Apparently I had ridden the bike in wet weather and BMW didn’t want to know. While I had the subframe off, I thought I might as well do the clutch.

Any how. With regards to photos, take loads….. then take loads more. You will miss some bit of wire routing. …….. apparently
Couple of the smaller bolts on the crash bars snapped, so they were drilled and helicoiled.

The gearbox was Stuck F tight on the bottom dowel … heat , gentle persuasion, more heat, swearing, pkeading, more heat and eventually it came off.

Plate was about 4.5mm thick, the new one should last me out.

I made a tool for aligning the plate, worked fine.

I took the final drive off, and the drive shaft as the boot had a small split which I figured wouldn’t get better. Good time to grease all the bits that need grease.

 

[dirty_t]

There’s some really helpful step by step threads over on advrider that I followed when I had to split my GS to replace the rear main shaft seal. Here’s one - there are one or two others that were helpful as well. https://advrider.com/f/threads/my-r1200gsa-step-by-step-gearbox-removal-process.655998/

The sneaky bolt R1200JK mentioned above isn’t shown in the parts fiche or mentioned in the guides and drove me crazy until I found it. Was really hard to get to as well - had to use a scanner on a hex key or such like (don’t remember exactly, other that it was a pita, and torquing back on was pure guesswork).

 

[Pukmeister]

does the engine breather on the twin cam misbehave?

my clutch at 9 k miles from new seemed to slip - but also seems at times to not want to rev out even with traction control off.... it seems to get stuck as 7k and when you focus its more like some weird behavior and noticeable clutch slip

then I noticed the moron dealership that sold it seem to have added lots of oil, whilst doing some servicing, I pulled the air cleaner and found the bottom of the filter box swimming in oil - pulled this gunk out the airbox and swapped the oil to decent stuff of the correct grade.... and the bike pulled hard in to the red and no slip at all, and the engine performance was totally transformed

with my head muddled I figured it must have been so full of oil, it puked a load in the airbox and was really a misfire / rough running rather than clutch slip...

it was fine for a few months then I ragged it about for 80 miles and with the oil level def no longer over filled, its back to square one - runs like a pig and seems the clutch is slipping and the performance changed (backwards)....

My 2008 GSA was exactly the same, but the clutch was not oil contaminated. Sometimes it would slip when giving it the beans in 5th/6th gear, other times it was fine. It was not the handguard fouling or too high a level in the reservoir. I pulled the clutch at 18k and it was heavily glazed. I fitted a full replacement clutch kit and within a few months I was back to square one with it slipping again. I then replaced the slave cylinder and pushrod and it never slipped again. I can only conclude that the slave cylinder was somehow not returning to its released position and was keeping a bit of pressure on the clutch mechanism, leading to partial slip and glazing.

I replaced the friction plate again at just under 50k as I had the gearbox apart to fix a broken input damper, all clutch parts were still perfect and I ended up donating the original clutch parts I had kept to a GSer in New Zealand who had a knackered clutch (stripped friction plate splines).

 

[botus]

intriguing - thanks for the info

my old 57 plate one slipped at 30k - now on 38k, 4 years on I haven't bothered to look at it - I first spaced back the slave cyl and it seemed OK. Then I pulled the slave apart and found the piston loves to stick in the perfect bore with its unmarked piston. At times it just won't move freely. At one point I wondered if it was liberal use of ACF 50 on non fluid side of the bore confusing things. Now "confident" it must be an Oil leak but can't be bothered to pull the starter to look

But these days oddly it seems a lot of town work and short trips encourages it- If the bike get properly warm on a long trip with little clutch use I get up to 6 month no slip ever....

I think a can of brake cleaner on both bikes and starter removal will get dust and poss oil out and give it a chance to be a dry clutch - it was only on the second ABS2 rebuild I realised a really dim breather at the top of the box allowed all the brake fluid I leaked bleeding and then water I washed it down with brought a wet messy clutch...