Gearbox & Final Drive oil

[MDel]

Recommended GEAR oil for R1200GS/A LC. K51.

Would using Castrol Gear oil SAE 75W-140 make much difference to using 75W-90 GL-5 hypoid gear oil as recommended by BMW?

Hornig Gmbh sent me their recommended Castrol GEAR OIL.
Hornig's reply to my query about their recommended but different oil:
"thank you very much for your email.
No, there was nothing wrong on our side.
You ordered and received almost a year ago “Castrol Gear / cardan oil SAE 75W-140”:
https://www.motorcycleparts-hornig.com/BMW-R-1200-GS-LC/Spares/Transmission-oil.html
And it is still, like we recommend it on the product page:
„We recommend: SAE 75W-140“ because it covers a wider range of temperature (expacially higher temperature).
So we would recommend:
Use it and have fun with a great motorcycle."

I wonder if I have an issue with the gears/drive down the road will Hornig cover the cost of a new FD and/or gearbox .. I hope to keep this bike a long time so ..

Bmw recommends:
The rear drive (final drive) oil capacity for the BMW R1200GS LC (K51, 2013-2018) is 180 ml (or 0.18 liters). The recommended oil type is a high-performance synthetic 75W-90 GL-5 hypoid gear oil.
Key Details for Service:
Capacity: 180 ml is standard for servicing.

 

[TIJ650]

Any, but do change it often. White grease on bevel gear too every couple years. If there’s any metal flakes on magnet, I’d do twice.

 

[Udders]

I use beetroot juice in mine.

 

[TaskMule]

snip

I wonder if I have an issue with the gears/drive down the road will Hornig cover the cost of a new FD and/or gearbox .. I hope to keep this bike a long time so ..

snip

Unless your bike is under warranty there is absolutely no situation under which BMW or anybody else will pay for a new final drive

 

[siddo]

Unless your bike is under warranty there is absolutely no situation under which BMW or anybody else will pay for a new final drive

There is. They do mine FOC at 35k miles.

 

[TaskMule]

There is. They do mine FOC at 35k miles.

That's a drive shaft, this thread is about final drive units. OP is wondering if he puts the wrong oil in the final drive will someone else pay for all new unit

 

[siddo]

That's a drive shaft, this thread is about final drive units. OP is wondering if he puts the wrong oil in the final drive will someone else pay for all new unit

Fair enough. I thought that was a different term for the same thing.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Recommended GEAR oil for R1200GS/A LC. K51.
Would using Castrol Gear oil SAE 75W-140 make much difference to using 75W-90 GL-5 hypoid gear oil as recommended by BMW?

Hornig Gmbh sent me their recommended Castrol GEAR OIL.
Hornig's reply to my query about their recommended but different oil:
"thank you very much for your email.
No, there was nothing wrong on our side.

I use and I suggest to my friends and people that I have serviced their bikes for 20 years to use the heavier stuff in FD's

In Fact I think mine is 85W140 GL5, its just a better quality of oil with Higher "shear strength" values

No black magic about it ! Don't overthink it! I change my oils and oil filter every service Can't go wrong that way

Want to keep it for years?? Pay attention to the battery condition and wiring !!! or get an 1150

What will kill the modern generations of bikes is the extra bullshit that has been added and the complex electronics burning out or simply corroding Anyway what ever it is It is KerrChing!!

(Hex heads onwards I guess !)

 

[bowser]

me I have used the redline heavy duty shock proof gear oil in everything I can for over 20 years and it is fantastic stuff

 

[malcopopolo]

You can buy a good used rear final drive for around 250 pounds.
I purchased one from a bike that did less than a 1000 miles complete with rear disc, brake caliper for 275 5 years ago just in case.
Plenty of spares available so do not stress about keeping bike a long time.

And change fluids regularly

 

[Nick V]

BMW 'compact' final drives need a full-synthetic fluid conforming to the GL-5 specification. They're a hypoid bevel design with gears that generate a LOT of friction, and are VERY hard on their oil.
A few years ago, the only option available that fit the BMW specs for the 'compact' final drives was Castrol SAF-XO.
Castrol then re-branded 'SAF-XO' as 'Syntrax Long Life 75W-90'.
Nowadays, there's more than one option on the market. Liqui Moly has one, and I know at least two others do as well.

The Castrol data sheet (attached) states that Syntrax conforms to the specification for - among others - 'BMW (Non LS Rear Axles)'.
To establish whether any of the newcomers are any good, you'd need to compare what that specification actually says with the written specs of each newcomer.
Were I to do that, I'd be paying specific attention to the oil's shear resistance, and resistance to breakdown under heat.
Personally, I can't be bothered; here in SA, I can buy a litre bottle of Syntrax from any Autozone, any time I want, and that litre bottle lasts for 50 000 Km worth of routine servicing.

EDIT: I once bought and repaired a crash-damaged K1200S. When I serviced its final drive, it was obvious the previous owner hadn't used the right fluid. It was still bright gold (so still brand new), but had dark sooty streaks in it (meaning it had already started to break down under the shear load from the gears).
Too many people have a bottle of El Cheapo SAE 90 gear oil in the corner of their garage - and have just enough knowledge to be dangerous.

EDIT 2: If you want a surprise, take any shaft-driven BMW made in or after 2004 for a fast run for an hour or so. Mountain passes are best.
Then, touch the back of your hand to the final drive casing.

 

[TIJ650]

So how the fuck do you know if it’s a good one or not?! lol
If there’s no metal shavings on the drain plug, I consider it a result!!
Oil is like religion - it’s all about the faith without any evidence or affirmation.
The cost can be very real though!!
I use the Lucas stuff cause it’s easy to squirt in my Harley’s primary and hell will freeze when I buy different oils for different bikes.

Synthetic SAE 75W-90 Gear Oil « Lucas Oil Products, Inc.

lucasoil.co.uk

 

[TIJ650]

With BMWs I think the quantity you put in is more critical than the type. Many fuckheads round up to 200ml (to be safe??lol) and this builds up over time.
I use a measuring jug when draining and never put more in than I take out. Up to a maximum of 180ml obviously

 

[TIJ650]

This guy is your friend

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[Nick V]

So how the fuck do you know if it’s a good one or not?! lol
If there’s no metal shavings on the drain plug, I consider it a result!!

Established brand names used to be a good yardstick.
They still are - but it's a bit more complicated now with Chinese pirates making counterfeit oils whose containers look identical to the real thing. Buying from a retailer with a good rep is always solid advice.

Oil is like religion - it’s all about the faith without any evidence or affirmation.

Not really... it's all about how closely the numbers on the manufacturer's product data sheet conform to the numbers of the relevant oil performance spec.

 

[TIJ650]

Established brand names used to be a good yardstick.
They still are - but it's a bit more complicated now with Chinese pirates making counterfeit oils whose containers look identical to the real thing. Buying from a retailer with a good rep is always solid advice.


Not really... it's all about how closely the numbers on the manufacturer's product data sheet conform to the numbers of the relevant oil performance spec.

I don’t buy Chinese oil. The final drive is one of the most overlooked service areas though. It’s only 180ml with no filters etc. - so I change every year. It’s all about the metal shavings on the drain plug……..or lack of
PS. I used to live in Cape Town (well Stellenbosch actually) when it was better.

 

[TIJ650]

PPS. What gun oil do you use??

 

[Bem]

And so to the OP......
I have used 75/140 for several years, change every year, it meets the full spec so its ok, and so is the final drive.

 

[TaskMule]

I just use the BMW oil. This way I don't have to spend even a second thinking about alternatives.

 

[Robbieben]

75w 140 mineral oil is the old standard and still widely used and accepted as the norm in many differentials. It remains a heavy oil at higher temperatures and offers protection at the higher temperatures but being a mineral oil it only has 1/3rd of the life modern Synthetic oils offer. A 75w 90 modern fully synthetic oil offers far more film strength, wear protection & better fuel economy although on a bike you wouldn't notice the fuel savings.