I'm pondering the same question for my 2010 bike. Is it much of a job to fettle the drive shaft?
Driveshaft Check?
- Thread starter GlynnJ
- Start date
I might get shot down here. But the spline issue was/is big on the LC bikes because a subtle change in geometry means there is zero sliding between the shaft UJ to the FD input splines. Consequently, if there was no lube in there, they are able to rust and join - because of the geometry, it has no effect on how the bike rides. It's when you come to drop the FD the mess becomes apparent!
On the 1200 oil cooled bikes, the geometry means there is actually a small amount of sliding at the same junction, essentially keeping the two apart (but also probably another good reason to get a little molly brushed in there!). I have read about some becoming seized but that seemed to be on really badly maintained/barely used bikes.
Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk
When I got my 1250 I tried to lube the shafts but couldn’t easily separate the shaft from FD and wasn’t going to beat the shit out of it.
Thankfully, Bahnstormer had the bike in soon afterwards anyway for the shaft check and rubber drain mod campaign, they had to replace the shaft and FD on my two year old bike as it was seized solid.
I did ask if I could keep the old parts but was told a firm no. Ten minutes with the oxy torch and hammer/wedges and I’d have had them apart and kept them as garage spares.
Thankfully, Bahnstormer had the bike in soon afterwards anyway for the shaft check and rubber drain mod campaign, they had to replace the shaft and FD on my two year old bike as it was seized solid.
I did ask if I could keep the old parts but was told a firm no. Ten minutes with the oxy torch and hammer/wedges and I’d have had them apart and kept them as garage spares.
Good to know, thanks.
It's not a difficult job to check the splines if your already changing the final drive oil, while you are at it drop the final drive on its pivot and have a look it will take you 10 minutes longer to complete.
Remember , these bikes were originally ‘sealed for life ‘ final drive and no maintenance schedule whatsoever on the final drive .
A few failures ( and I mean a very few in proportion to numbers sold ) and we now have maintenance , breathers , cardan shaft drains and now a 37,000mile free of charge shaft replacement .
( I believe 50,000miles on newer models , says chatGPT).
Hey don’t worry , but nevertheless change the rear drive fluid each year and at the same time lube your final splines .
( I’ve never lubed my front splines and it’s not a service recommendation either )
A few failures ( and I mean a very few in proportion to numbers sold ) and we now have maintenance , breathers , cardan shaft drains and now a 37,000mile free of charge shaft replacement .
( I believe 50,000miles on newer models , says chatGPT).
Hey don’t worry , but nevertheless change the rear drive fluid each year and at the same time lube your final splines .
( I’ve never lubed my front splines and it’s not a service recommendation either )
that's the key to any BMW shaft bike getting good mileage
in USA they changed all schedules for replacement and servicing across the board going back to 2003
the main issue stemmed from the fitment of the drain plug - it meant people could never touch the splines and change the bevel fluid and believe they were looking after the bike
many 1200 LC bikes in the USA are getting a free driveshaft as this wasn't in the service schedule - 1250's below x mileage get a servicing and replacement schedule
1300 came with a new shaft every 36k miles anyway
basically this is BMWs approved changes
every 12k miles drop the bevel during routine servicing - look at shaft, check universal joints and lube splines
every 36k miles fit a new drive shaft regardless
- Joined
- May 17, 2023
- Messages
- 2,064
- Reaction score
- 1,891
I'm not sure that is correct. How I read it was they'll only service the shaft if asked to and that is additional cost. They didn't do mine on 12k service.
USA or UK ? don''t expect BMW UK to do anything sensible - I know the thread is meant to be about old bikes - but the info, issues and required maint is identical - its just they no longer care about old stuff
Dec 2023 USA update - if you ride off road do the shaft strip and check every 6k miles ! and warranty extension !!!
Addition to the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty for Motorcycles and Scooters
(Valid only in the U.S.A. including Puerto
Rico)
Drive shafts will be replaced under warranty
every 36,000 miles or for failure due to a defect
in materials or workmanship for unlimited miles
for all K5X models up to model year 2023.
K5x models include; R 1200 GS (0A11), R 1200 GS
(0A61), R 1250 GS (0J93), R 1250 GS (0M03), R
1200 GS Adventure. (0A12), R 1250 GS
Adventure. (0J53), R 1250 GS Adventure. (0M13),
R 1200 RT (0A13), R 1250 RT (0J63), R 1250 RT
(0L03), R 1200 R (0A14), R 1250 R (0J73), R 1250 R
(0M73), R 1200 RS (0A15), R 1250 RS (0J83), R
1250 RS (0M83).
Don’t think there is any preventative maintenance you can do. I recently pulled mine to lube both ends, it’s worth checking that the UJs move freely and when looking along it axialy both UJs are in line with each other.
the lubing of the shaft is advisory at additional cost, at the 12,000 mile interval on all LC bikes, 1200 or 1250
for the 1200LC & 1250 bikes included in the service bulletin, EU, UK or USA, the first inspection is free as is fitting the duck bill drain. Shafts will be replaced for free before 37500 miles if they fail the inspection or at 37500 miles and every 37500 interval thereafter.
No, single cam.
As the shaft wrecked the swing arm, I replaced it with a shaft/arm/FD from a later TC with breather.
my 2015 1200r went in for recall 15 months ago at 15000 miles. they inspected the shaft and replaced it FOC
free drive shafts for UK owners on LC bikes https://www.advrider.com/bmw-will-replace-r1200-r1250-driveshafts/
Thanks for the info. This thread is really about the 1200 TC, but hopefully others can benefit from the info too.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Missed this.
It's a little frustrating that the geometrical 'perfection' BMW achieved with zero sliding at the splined joints has lead to a chick up simply due to no lube being used
Saying that, maybe there are other factors going on we don't know about that has ended up with this 'whole replacement' saga. Obviously the accountants have been in charge!
Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk
RadioFlyer
Registered user
Missed this.
It's a little frustrating that the geometrical 'perfection' BMW achieved with zero sliding at the splined joints has lead to a chick up simply due to no lube being used
Saying that, maybe there are other factors going on we don't know about that has ended up with this 'whole replacement' saga. Obviously the accountants have been in charge!
Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk
Accountants and lawyers. The latter recommended the free regular replacement as a way of mitigating potential future lawsuits over the injury (or worse) sustained following a catastrophic shaft failure.
Hey , just saying … the driveshaft failures that I’ve seen on YouTube, ALL involve the knuckles or joints or whatever the correct term is , but NOT the spline joint .
(It’s the spline joint that I lube .)
Dare I suggest that our lubing of spline joints does not stop failures ?
Top joint noisy and FAILED ;
(It’s the spline joint that I lube .)
Dare I suggest that our lubing of spline joints does not stop failures ?
Top joint noisy and FAILED ;
All mechanical failure has a root cause and the low cost of lubing the splines is a possible "free get out of jail card", albeit with a bit more substance than the "pound of butter in the fridge" which I rely on as a security device. Siezed splines turn a flexible length shaft into a fixed shaft.
Much cleverer people have posted on the subject to whit - Fred JB (sadly no longer in membership?) And Jim Von Baden.
As a result I carried out annual spline lubing on my K25 and K50. The intervening CB1300 GS650 and FireBlade did not seem to require such ministrations.....
