Has your FD exploded yet?

[Magwych]

Not in 52416 miles. But a drive shaft UJ did, so I fixed the problem. Radical!

On my previous one it was fine up to 48,000 miles whev I sold it. I have not seen Jaws post a failure so I guess that is fine too, does that count as 2 votes ?

 

[BlueBird]

ITS Ok

55k of abuse still ok,

clutch suspect though

 

[BBB61]

No problems in 36k, but I did have a final drive bearing fail on my 1150GS.

 

[earthmover]

43000miles, not gone yet, If mine goes now I'm blaming you.
Mark

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

No 250000 miles and fine

 

[Rasher]

Spoke to someone who specialises in BMW engineering and have been told it is best to change oil every service as it does get full of crud which turns into grinding paste.

Anyway, now I have found someone who would be able to rebuild it with decent bearings I am happier to accept the relatively high chances of failure, and try to stave it off with yearly oil change.

Still not good enough though Mr BMW, luckily for you someone else can do a better job of fixing your F*** ups, otherwise I would be heading to my local Triumph dealer right now!

 

[Gizmo]

Anyway, now I have found someone who would be able to rebuild it with decent bearings I am happier to accept the relatively high chances of failure, and try to stave it off with yearly oil change.QUOTE]

Can you share the contact details Rasher if you have not already posted them. There are enough people who would have a use of this service.

 

[Barry G]

Good to see there's some good one's out there

Mine gave up at 18k and again at 23k.

 

[Jonnie Boy]

72000 miles FD is fine, as is the origional fuel pump controller! Doh! Im doomed now!!

Rear shock is knackered now though!

 

[MorayGSer]

So the vast majority don't thank goodness.

 

[Demongroover]

At the moment we are running at 1 in 6 fail.

That's not a good statistic for any manufacturer!

.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

At the moment we are running at 1 in 6 fail.

That's not a good statistic for any manufacturer!

.

How did you work that one out

edit...I just read the poll

 

[Farmer Palmer]

80 miles and so far so good......!

FP.

 

[Rasher]

Can you share the contact details Rasher if you have not already posted them. There are enough people who would have a use of this service.

Other people have mentioned the chap before.

It is Jim Cray at Cray Engineering, I think he does a lot of tuning work as well, he is very familiar with boxers and the failings of the 1200 FD, he is not cheap, but probably no worse than a BMW dealer and I would guess as a "proper" engineer would do a damn fine job.

Main thing for me is it would not be getting rebuilt with the same crap components that failed in the first place.

 

[Wapping]

At the moment we are running at 1 in 6 fail.

That's not a good statistic for any manufacturer!

.

You are looking at nothing of the sort.

You are looking at what is now 63 responses to a silly YES NO question.

Of the sixty three that have responded, 10 p/o 63 have had an explosion (the definite minority) whilst 53 p/o 63 (the clear majority) have not. That is all that you can say. Statistics depend on a lot more.

 

[Rasher]

But it shows a pattern of regular failures, I bet if I ran a similar poll on the ZZR1400 site about replacing chains there would be less - and they're a cnsumable item, a shaft drive should not be!

Bet if you asked how many had thrown a rod / melted a piston / bent a valve the results would be very different.

This is (or was) a "sealed for life" unit, not something you would expect even 1 in 20 owners to have had fail.

Simple poll, simple result - it is a weakness in design and more than likely gonna cost every long term owner at some point.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

But it shows a pattern of regular failures, I bet if I ran a similar poll on the ZZR1400 site about replacing chains there would be less - and they're a cnsumable item, a shaft drive should not be!

Bet if you asked how many had thrown a rod / melted a piston / bent a valve the results would be very different.

This is (or was) a "sealed for life" unit, not something you would expect even 1 in 20 owners to have had fail.

Simple poll, simple result - it is a weakness in design and more than likely gonna cost every long term owner at some point.

I disagree. No way can it be shown as a pattern. If all the contributors on the site bothered to join the poll I'd wager a good amount of money that the FD fails would be very low. Not good but low all the same. I'm not so sure it's a design fault more likely a component fault. If it were a design fault wouldn't there be a 100% fail rate

It's like any poll, only people who have an interest can be arsed to answer and of course those who have a problem, shout loudest when most people are riding around oblivious to the impending FD explosion.

There are lies, damn lies and statistics

 

[muppix]

It's like any poll, only people who have an interest can be arsed to answer and of course those who have a problem, shout loudest

Couldn't agree more - well said!

Mup.

 

[Giles]

It's like any poll, only people who have an interest can be arsed to answer and of course those who have a problem, shout loudest

Couldn't agree more - well said!

Mup.

Yeah I agree too - my final drive is fine so I couldn't be arsed to vote

 

[karnevil]

I've voted no 'cos in 3 and a bit years only FD prob has been the oil seal thingy


HOWEVER

I have now spent my vote so what happens if it now fails?Do I get two more votes 1 to vote yes to negate my 1 to say no and 1 more to say yes to register 1 failure to make positive the neutral I made by using my first yes to negate my no

Or should I just have shut the feck up and not voted at all?

OR what if the FD fails so catastrophically that I get throw into the path of an on comming jugganaut and die,should i leave instructions in a sealed envelope with my solicitor to be opened upon my death,with a previso,that it only be opened in the event I die following a failure of my FD.


OR am I getting too deep into this