Front Suspension Change

[Lofty]

My 2012 TC went in for a front shock change at the dealer this morning and I now have a snag in that in getting the lower engine bars off they managed to snap 2 of the bar bolts off.

I'm a little grumpy as their suggestion is to simply order a new lower bar at £120+ as it is simply not practical or possible to drill out the remaining stainless bolt.

Any thoughts ? I'm now bike less whilst I make my mind up - they don't hold the bars in stock...


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[Tractors are go]

They broke it, they fix it !

There is a duty of care owed, personally I'd offer to pay £30 and that's it.

Strange how I changed my front shock I only had to slacken off the upper bit of the crash bar's.

Good luck, hope it gets sorted soon.

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[Bendy toy]

Those bolts are a ****ing nightmare. The cross bar fills with water and electrolytic corrosion does the rest. They can be drilled out but at BMW labour rates you'll need a mortgage.

I've got the cross bar on my bike with the tank protectors but removed my engine bars as they did nothing to protect the cylinder covers. On a low speed crash (mud on tarmac) the RHS bar shoved so hard into the rocker cover that I had to remove the cover before I could remove the bent crash bar. The rocker cover bolts were bent. Any more force would have cracked the cylinder head lugs = scrapped head. The Touratech head protectors was also trashed and bent a mounting screw so that also risked cracking the cylinder head.

End result I now have Machine Art head protectors that sit close the the covers (and by the looks of things wont crack the mounting lugs) and no lower crash bars. I don't have any metal tubes around the cylinders.

Get the dealer to fit the problem cross tube and bungee or gaffa tape the upper crash bar in place so you can get it home. Get a local mechanic to drill out the broken bolts and then use stainless screws with lots of copper grease. The originals are M8 so there is probably enough room for M10 hex socket cap screws. The final fragments of screw will remain trapped in the tube and will rattle about. Solve that and the water filling problem with a squirt of filler foam into each end.

These were my crash bar bolts.

 

[Lofty]

They won't be drilling anything out as they don't do that sort of thing. Their only suggestion is a new set of bars. I feel I shall be going back there in an hour to collect it ... At least with a new front shock fitted.


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[Bendy toy]

They will be awkward to drill out as the broken stubs can't be easily ground flat. But any half decent engineer should be able to drill them out. Once done and tube ends filled with filler foam the problem will be gone for good.

 

[alanb2]

A few years ago I took my single cam to a franchised dealer for a service and unknown to me they only refitted the bash plate finger tight. A week and 120 miles later I took it back to have the oil level window replaced under warranty, and when I collected it they gave me the bash plate and said it had sheered off two bolts and they took it off as it was dangerous. I asked to speak to the dealer principal and spoke calmly but forcefully to him and he agreed to collect the bike, at a time/day to suit me, drill out the stubs, refit and deliver back to me. In your circumstances I think that's the least they can do, whether they can or cannot drill out stubs isn't your problem. In my case they managed to do it. As you're in Fareham and I'm in Croydon might it be the same dealer? Alan

 

[SteveM]

Tell them you want the bike back in the same condition (or better) than the condition it arrived in - not unreasonable IMHO.
These kinds of stories always get my blood boiling. I don't know how they have the cheek to ask you to pay for parts that they've broken.....grrrrrrrrr.

 

[kyrano]

I had the same problem here too removing the engine bars, some were quite difficult to undo, but once I had got them all out I used plenty of copper grease on each bolt whilst re assembling the bars so hopefully next time I have to remove them they should come apart a bit easier

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

They won't be drilling anything out as they don't do that sort of thing. Their only suggestion is a new set of bars. I feel I shall be going back there in an hour to collect it ... At least with a new front shock fitted.


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Three words "small claims court"
Hope you get it sorted.

 

[JJH]

My 2012 TC went in for a front shock change at the dealer this morning and I now have a snag in that in getting the lower engine bars off they managed to snap 2 of the bar bolts off.

I'm a little grumpy as their suggestion is to simply order a new lower bar at £120+ as it is simply not practical or possible to drill out the remaining stainless bolt.

Any thoughts ? I'm now bike less whilst I make my mind up - they don't hold the bars in stock...


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BMW bars? They should know about this problem with bolts and have a remedy. They have a cheek JJH

 

[taminator]

Cobalt drill will drill them, if your fussy then spark erode them out, but 99% it will drill like butter with a cobalt drill, all the best.

 

[ninjarich1971]

Three words "small claims court"
Hope you get it sorted.

Two words "copper grease"

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Two words "copper grease"

Yes very smart. I've had bmw break stuff and charge me for the pleasure of fixing it. Bunch of wombles.

 

[Bendy toy]

Lots of boiling piss but If it's out of warranty they aren't obliged to offer anything. See if they will do a goodwill gesture.

It's another design fault. Water gets into the tube and rots the carbon steel bolt. The tube should have bee foam filled or stainless bolts used or drain holes should have been drilled in the pipe ends.


Sent somehow.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

My 2012 TC went in for a front shock change at the dealer this morning and I now have a snag in that in getting the lower engine bars off they managed to snap 2 of the bar bolts off.

I'm a little grumpy as their suggestion is to simply order a new lower bar at £120+ as it is simply not practical or possible to drill out the remaining stainless bolt.

Any thoughts ? I'm now bike less whilst I make my mind up - they don't hold the bars in stock...


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Their problem & not yours

Don't pay

 

[roamer]

I agree they should know being their product, you shouldn't have to replace a part that is repairable because they don't have the ability,
just forcing seized bolts to get the job done, isn't fair on you, and is your problem until they snap them off,
they could have advised and given you the option quoting potential extra costs,, not doing so has been their decision twice !!, that would be my point to their manager,
if standing your ground re can they get it drilled out or replaced at minimal cost, doesn't work, bring it home as bendy suggests and have it done,
Good luck,
Roamer,

 

[patzx12]

S--T happens, i cant see how its the dealers fault that your bolts are seized. They didnt "break it" they would never have come out in one piece.
Is the part with the broken studs removable? If you were near me I would have them out for you.
Its easy if you can set it up in a milling machine and precision drill them.

 

[Bendy toy]

I agree they should know being their product, you shouldn't have to replace a part that is repairable because they don't have the ability,
just forcing seized bolts to get the job done, isn't fair on you, and is your problem until they snap them off,
they could have advised and given you the option quoting potential extra costs,, not doing so has been their decision twice !!, that would be my point to their manager,
if standing your ground re can they get it drilled out or replaced at minimal cost, doesn't work, bring it home as bendy suggests and have it done,
Good luck,
Roamer,

To be fair BMW should know how these things rot and have methods to deal with it. But when left too long those bolts will be both jammed solid and very weak. I was very lucky to have done mine just in time. When the stubs are out at the least drill drain holes or better fill the tube with expanding foam.

 

[Lofty]

Brought the bike back from the dealer's with the crash bar brace loose. I've found a small local engineering firm who should be able to remove it. The stud in the engine MN right be slightly harder but it wouldn't have been resolved any other way.

To be fair to the team on-site they did warn me about the second bolt on the brace but only after the first had sheared off.

Just frustrating overall but I certainly wasn't about to buy a new brace yet. Thanks to all who have contributed.


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[Bendy toy]

That's what my brother's cross tube did. I had a spare so the faulty one is still in his garage somewhere.

Heat should soften the seizure and any tube surface discolouring will polish out (its solid stainless). One option is to drill out the end plug and use a Raw Plug expanding anchor. If the threads get mangled there should be enough space for an M10 socket cap head into the fuel tank tube bottom end.