Final drive failure, bad timing.

[madmax]

Just spent the day going over my 06 GSA doing the final prep, ready for next weekends start to our 2 week trip into Spain & France.
And to say i'm not a happy tosser is an understatement, bloody bad timing alround.
Found my pannier rail to frame clamps fractured/splitting on both sides, as if that wasn't bad enough, as I replaced the rear brake pads things got a whole lot worse, I discovered that my final drive appears well and truly shagged, rocking the wheel top to bottom I can feel more than enough play to throw a big spanner in the works.
Looks an easy enough job to swap if I can get hold of one, is there anything I should know before i start ringing round, e.g. are newer F/Ds interchangeable with pre08/06 anything else i may need or come across.
Oh well not as much spending money as first thought.
And yes I still love the bike too bitz.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

They do move a lot, at least mine does, so are you sure it's shagged

 

[capt geeze a five]

They do move a lot, at least mine does, so are you sure it's shagged

How much movement, have you in your final drive? cold then warm?
cheers.

 

[madmax]

I'd say quite a bit more than the 1mm specified.
You can really feel it rocking.
Motorworks have a used F/D advertised, 1 for pre 08/06 Used - Bevel box silver 31:11 pre 08/06 (R1200 GSA) | TRE94845 £475.00 INC VAT
Final drive unit. 31:11 = 2.82:1 This is supplied WITHOUT the rotational speed sensor or the output flange.
And 1 for 08/06 on, Used - Bevel box silver 31:11 08/06 On (R1200 GSA) | TRE05744 £475.00 INC VAT
Final drive unit. 31:11 = 2.82:1 This is supplied WITHOUT the rotational speed sensor or the output flange. The rotational speed sensor mounting changed 08/06. A drain plug was fitted 09/07 onwards. This part number covers all 08/06 on types for this bike.
But I dont think the later one will fit, due too mine being the servo ABS type.

 

[MIKE R]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Why not take the bike over to RGM at Croston for a second opinion?

Mike

 

[RickG]

The FD changed in late 06 with the fitting of a larger pinion bearing, a drain plug and at some time around then a different speed sensor. Mechanically the new FD will probably fit the old bike but the issue is the speed sensor and whether, even if you have the right sensor for the FD, it will be compatable with the old bikes electronics/programming. This issue has been posted before so it's worth a search for a definitive answer.

Don't expect a second hand drive to necessarily be OK, I've had one from a reputable source that was as equally as sha**ed as the one I was trying to replace. If you get the chance, try wiggling the short input shaft which should be rock solid if you attempt to move it from side to side.

Some people have suggested the play is sometimes not in the FD bearings that support the wheel but in the splines of the output flange. The output flange should be a press fit on the axle splines with no play whatsoever, though due to differential expansion rates some play may deveop in some FD's when the drive gets hot but I've not experienced this.

If it is the splines, the alloy output flange may have taken all the hammer and left the steel 'axle' relatively intact. Maybe.



Good luck

 

[madmax]

I know we are all GSer's on here, do all BM's with this F/D suffer the same amount of bearing failures?
Just read a post from yesterday, a 2009 GSA requiring new bearings in F/D, so looks like the problem is still not sorted properly, not encouraging for the future is it.
So do BMW expect us all to keep a rebuilt F/D in the garage waiting for the next failure.

 

[RickG]

I know we are all GSer's on here, do all BM's with this F/D suffer the same amount of bearing failures?

Just read a post from yesterday, a 2009 GSA requiring new bearings in F/D, so looks like the problem is still not sorted properly, not encouraging for the future is it.


So do BMW expect us all to keep a rebuilt F/D in the garage waiting for the next failure.

The evidence from posts on this site suggest failure is pretty random and that low milage failures may be due to poor assembly and setting of the pre-load and alignment of the gears. The fact that the box was upgraded in 06 and the drain plug fitted indicates BMW were seeing a pattern in the failures. Unfortunately the failures seem to continue. There's little news of FD failure from the likes of RT owners etc. probably 'cos we don't look on their sites much!

I assume they expect us to take it to the dealer for an expensive repair and then still buy another GS when the next version comes out. And generally we do of course. Until a real alternative to the GS is churned out by someone like Honda there's no real incentive for BMW to improve especially as most tossers do few miles and will trade in long before the drive becomes a problem

 

[Bem]

I know we are all GSer's on here, do all BM's with this F/D suffer the same amount of bearing failures?
Just read a post from yesterday, a 2009 GSA requiring new bearings in F/D, so looks like the problem is still not sorted properly, not encouraging for the future is it.
So do BMW expect us all to keep a rebuilt F/D in the garage waiting for the next failure.

Sorry to read your bad news story. From where I sit it looks to be as random as many other "structural" faults eg many of the first FD failures came from the first serious production run in 04/05. My March 05 registered is/was up to 33k without any FD problem so is it the exception or the rule? Or how about g/box replaced under warranty at 3k, yet replacement continues to run sweet? Whereas ABS no prob until 30k when one of the two servo pumps failed?
to quote someone from the 70`s (Jimmy Ruffin??) "there are more questions than answers but the more I find out the less I know"

 

[socket086]

i have a spare one you can have it is standing me £250, if you want the only problem is getting it to you as i live in cork ireland.

 

[rocky burns]

thers one on ebay at the moment for sale!!!!! maybe he can help

 

[Lord Vader]

The evidence from posts on this site suggest failure is pretty random and that low milage failures may be due to poor assembly and setting of the pre-load and alignment of the gears. The fact that the box was upgraded in 06 and the drain plug fitted indicates BMW were seeing a pattern in the failures. Unfortunately the failures seem to continue. There's little news of FD failure from the likes of RT owners etc. probably 'cos we don't look on their sites much!

I assume they expect us to take it to the dealer for an expensive repair and then still buy another GS when the next version comes out. And generally we do of course. Until a real alternative to the GS is churned out by someone like Honda there's no real incentive for BMW to improve especially as most tossers do few miles and will trade in long before the drive becomes a problem

Well i was told by BMW that i was overloading my bike

Bike: 06 GSA
52400 miles
now eaten 4 final drives

I do a lot of 2 up and average between 15-20000 miles a year,some trips with camping gear.
My last 2 drives where the newer model with the drain hole and all my drives last around 13000 miles before they go.
New part fitted by a dealer around £1400, my last one i had refurb'ed for £345
and yes i will trade her in now and yes i will get another one

sorry pedro but i do have enough now.Time for a newer one

 

[Big Lee]

where did you get it refurbed at?

 

[Padge]

where did you get it refurbed at?

Was told most dealers got the training and tools required last year to a rebuild.
Got all 4 bearings done on mine for about €600 with a 2 year warranty. Guess UK labour rates would make this cheaper.

New FD from Motorworks was £950... They listed second hand ones but didn't actually had any in stock.

 

[bod]

This may sound a daft question!

When a FD failure occurs - does the wheel ever lock up?

Only I dreamt mine failed last night & it did

 

[RickG]

This may sound a daft question!

When a FD failure occurs - does the wheel ever lock up?

Only I dreamt mine failed last night & it did

The most common failures reported are evidenced by play in the rear wheel bearings which are what support the crown wheel. The pinion bearings cannot easily be checked without swinging down the FD so the input shaft can be wiggled. Clearly it's possible for the problem to remain undetected fo many miles though it seems to be the case that if the oil becomes dark and even more smelly than usual, the bearings are suspect. In other words 'FD failure' is a realtively slow but progressive problem

Unless there was a catastrophic failure of one of the bearings it would seem unlikley that the wheel would lock up.

 

[madmax]

i have a spare one you can have it is standing me £250, if you want the only problem is getting it to you as i live in cork ireland.

Hi Socket086, Thank you for the offer, time is against getting this from you unfortunately, But thank you again.
Regards, Martyn

 

[madmax]

Managed to get hold of a used 06 F/D today after a few days of frantic phone calls and web searching, one of our very own members came up with an offer i couldn't refuse, been and collected today, will change the oil and fit tomorrow, Thank you Dave from Durham. Let you all know how the trip went when we return. Thank you to all those who offered advice and help.