Corrosion on my GSA final drive large spacer

[kevingrahambutler]

I picked up my GSA four months ago from BMW coppers, the spacer that goes through the final drive, you can see though the back wheel had corrosion on it, I kept an eye on it and it's getting worse, before I take it in to have it looked at, is this normal for this to happen in four months, it never left the garage for the first three months of the bad weather, I've just ran it in for the 600 miles service, from day one I sprayed it with cf50,,,,,

 

[autogs]

well you didnt spay acf 50 there did you?.not the first time this area has corroded if you do a search.you can polish it up and then keep it clean.

 

[Gazzabart]

Same - well sort of
i Have a 2006GSA - mintish - had a final drive for 6 years - pipe through the middle mint for 6 years
Then i had a new final drive fitted
didn't last three months - mine looks like yours now - and you won't be able to clean it
yes the final drive had the new drain plug fitted - so that sorted the previous problem out
but that new bit of pipe is defiantly not the same quality as in the old drives
just another piss poor decision by BMW to save a couple of quid at our expense and fit a bit of shit metal through the drive
Reminds me of the pathetic decision not to cover the starter motor - and this saved how much for asthetical reasons ????

 

[kevingrahambutler]

well you didnt spay acf 50 there did you?.not the first time this area has corroded if you do a search.you can polish it up and then keep it clean.

Ok dad

 

[kevingrahambutler]

I'll polish it then, are the fitting you get that clamp onto both sides any good, if once polished grease it up then put the clamp thing on. Or is air suppose to travel though for some reason

 

[oddshapedballs]

Mine is worse than that, the bikes 2 years old, if you find out how to polish it out please post it...I couldn't find a definitive answer.

 

[Reddivedog]

FWIW... I had the same problem on my new 2011 GSA which was ACF50'd by the dealer before it had turned a wheel.

The tunnel part was replaced FOC at the first service.

The replacement has now got the same way.

So either... I'm a bike abuser - or they all do that, sir.

RDD

 

[Gazzabart]

Kev heres mine as it was for the first six years (full bike pic) - wd40 on a cloth then just shove it through the hole
The wheel only pic shows the drive after 12 weeks
At the moment its not got any worse - but they had it right once - god knows why they changed the type of pipe

 

[kevingrahambutler]

Mine is worse than that, the bikes 2 years old, if you find out how to polish it out please post it...I couldn't find a definitive answer.

Wire wool but it's going to be fun getting my six year olds sons hand in to do it,,,,

I can polish the inside, it's fussy but can be done, it's the edges that the challenge with out damaging the plastic cover, the other side is easy,

I'm thinking that see if I can have it done under warranty see if I can have the old one back polish it then put this back on,,,,,,result,,,,,

 

[autogs]

Ok dad

no prob son you will learn,electric drill with small polishing mop etc,mine hole is greased and has one of them hole fillers either end.

 

[Bendy toy]

Powder coat it


Sent from my phone with mangled spelling

 

[jogo]

I'll polish it then, are the fitting you get that clamp onto both sides any good, if once polished grease it up then put the clamp thing on. Or is air suppose to travel though for some reason

When BMW introduced the final drive with the hollow shaft they stated they made it hollow to improve the cooling of the final drive. If you put caps on both side the cooling will be reduced, no doubt. How much and if it is significant, I do not know.

As the FD is known to be a somewhat weak design it might be worth considering the reduced cooling in connection with where (ambient temperature) and how (how much power do you put through the FD) you ride.

 

[APE]

I had this problem with my previous GS. I now squirt ACF 50 in there from time to time and it hasn't reoccured - yet.

 

[birdseye]

Its a bit of stainless steel tube, not very high grade and so suffers from road salt / chemicals etc. To polish it up again you need to abrade the surface. For a similar job I took a 6 inch piece of half inch dowel and put a 25mm saw cut along the length. Into this cu I put a piece of emery paper - maybe 6 inch long. Then put the other end of the stick into an electric drill and insert it up the tube working it in and out like you were ... well you know. Wear goggles.

You could use scotchbrite. Or even a small polishing mop. The discolouration is only surface.

I wouldnt waste time going to a dealer. Even if they did replace it, the next one would be exactly the same. And no dealer work is without risk of a cock up.