Motorworks exchange gearboxes?

solidstate100

solidstate100

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Anyone here had any experience? Looks like I need a gearbox overhaul PDQ and casting the net around looking at options it seems (at least on the surface) that the delivered price of about £500 quid (£90 of that is a refundable deposit so £410 once the return has been sent back) seems a resonable deal for a fully rebuilt 1 year guarentee unit.

The reason I looked at this was that I was tempted to do the rebuild myself but once you buy all the parts, gaskets, and crucially the tools required, plus postage here to the Isle of Wight it becomes cost prohibitive for a one off.

Yes I know there are those on here that can offer a rebuild and likely as not thats the way I will go, but the question is about the Motorworks offering.........

:beerjug:
 
ive seen a few gearboxes that have been exchanged and haven't lasted long at all in terms of mileage. Some have had cheap bearings of the wrong spec, others have had badly worn parts that are beyond or close to the wear limits.

I've even seen a mix of old and new selector gears on the same plate with the new owner being told the stiff gear change would "bed in" over time.

I think the price forced on the external guys doing the gearboxes doesn't leave much in terms of profit.
 
I think most of their "reconditioning" work is farmed out and not done in house.
 
Rob Farmer said:
ive seen a few gearboxes that have been exchanged and haven't lasted long at all in terms of mileage. Some have had cheap bearings of the wrong spec, others have had badly worn parts that are beyond or close to the wear limits.

I've even seen a mix of old and new selector gears on the same plate with the new owner being told the stiff gear change would "bed in" over time.

I think the price forced on the external guys doing the gearboxes doesn't leave much in terms of profit.
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That's a bit of a sweeping statement Rob!(edit,but I certainly don't doubt what you are saying)
I cannot comment on what may have been the case historically,
And I don't know who else reconditions motorworks boxes for them,
What I can tell you is the gearboxes that I do for them do not have cheap incorrectly specced bearings!
If internal parts are worn or broken they are replaced,
Neither motorworks or myself want warranty issues given the cost of postage and shipping
Just sayin like:thumb
 
My 1990 R100gs had a Motorworks box fitted at approx. 30,000 miles by a previous owner. The bike has now done about 43,000 the gearbox is doing OK. Not mega miles I know, but I only do about 1000 miles a year on this bike.
 
Sunny Jim said:
Motorworks - a long established company with a very, very good reputation for all things BMW:thumb2
Click to expand...

Any time I've ever wanted somthing they always seem to be able to help. I wouldn't be their biggest customer by any measure but what I find about them is their helpful advice. JJH
 
mikeyboy said:
That's a bit of a sweeping statement Rob!(edit,but I certainly don't doubt what you are saying)
I cannot comment on what may have been the case historically,
And I don't know who else reconditions motorworks boxes for them,
What I can tell you is the gearboxes that I do for them do not have cheap incorrectly specced bearings!
If internal parts are worn or broken they are replaced,
Neither motorworks or myself want warranty issues given the cost of postage and shipping
Just sayin like:thumb
Click to expand...

I did say a few and I didn't specifically say it was Motorworks but I have seen a few that have been badly reconditioned that were exchange boxes.

I used to only use Motorworks for parts (spent thousands with them over the years) but after a steady amount of parts that were unacceptable quality I switched allegiance.
 
I've been having the same problem with some pattern parts from an alternative supplier in the UK, namely o-rings of lower specification than the originals, (nitrile not viton), plus oil seals totally different to the originals.
The last example was the large, rear crankshaft oil seal for the K series. This had the inner sealing lip about 3mm further inwards than the original part.
I'm sourcing more and more parts direct from BMW, there's not much difference in the price but you can be assured that they will work.
 
I get all my parts from BMW unless they are NLA then I have to look elsewhere..
 
Thanks for the feedback so far. Purely on a cost basis Motorworks may well still be worth a punt, but I have also reached out to Mikeyboy and am in discussion...........
 
Am I right in saying some gearbox restorations only have three bearings replaced, a proper full restoration would change five bearings .... ie all the gearbox bearings ?
 
It's like most things, it's sent out to be done as its cost effective, motorworks ive never ordered something as complicated as a box, so I'm not sure there, I've never had a bad deal with other things from them and there telephone manor is good,
 
There are six bearings in the box, and the expensive one, the special roller on the input shaft rarely seems to be replaced as it is a lot more work and doesnt wear as much as the others - the inner race in particular doesnt usually seem to have much wear.
None of the self styled experts seem to have heard of sealed transmission bearings either, and just stick a stock 2RS bearing where one should be used.
BMW have also changed the spec on end float, but the guys who have been doing it wrong fore years just pretend it hasnt happened and keep on doing it the wrong way.
And BMW current spares suppliers dont always produce parts to OEM spec, RM, the only guy who seems to be checking is constantly finding that BMW is supplying junk.
So it is a lottery, if you replace slightly worn parts you may be replacing them with junk, and if you dont they may fail anyway, so you pays your money and takes your choice.
 
Beemerboff said:
There are six bearings in the box, and the expensive one, the special roller on the input shaft rarely seems to be replaced as it is a lot more work and doesnt wear as much as the others - the inner race in particular doesnt usually seem to have much wear.
None of the self styled experts seem to have heard of sealed transmission bearings either, and just stick a stock 2RS bearing where one should be used.
BMW have also changed the spec on end float, but the guys who have been doing it wrong fore years just pretend it hasnt happened and keep on doing it the wrong way.
And BMW current spares suppliers dont always produce parts to OEM spec, RM, the only guy who seems to be checking is constantly finding that BMW is supplying junk.
So it is a lottery, if you replace slightly worn parts you may be replacing them with junk, and if you dont they may fail anyway, so you pays your money and takes your choice.
Click to expand...

Sounds like getting a proper job done is almost impossible then .
I suppose the old mantra... If it ain't broke don't fix it applies. :D

I'd guess BMW OE bearings are of a poorer quality in this day and age than the originals in old airheads ? Maybe the old stuff still wearing out gradually but working ok is better than the modern replacement equivalent on a preventative maintenance plan ? . :blast
Just curious for future reference but it does seem a bit of a lottery, by who, what to replace, and with what bearings etc etc.
 
Good quality bearings are still available from fag or skf If you order from Motobins you'll get a disappointing mixture of fag, Chinese and unbranded. I usually order the bearings (with the exception of the front inlet bearing) from a local bearing supplier but put in my last order through Motobins. I don't think there was a single bearing from the same manufacturer. Needless to say they haven't been used.

i always swap the front inlet bearing. They do suffer if the oil changes are neglected and many have deep groove caused by the oil seal hardening over time.

As as for the shimming I think voyager and myself both shim to the tighter later spec. Can't speak for anybody else though.
 
I use SKF bearings from: http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/index.php and usually replace the roller bearing on the input shaft - though occasionally I'll just replace the inner sleeve, which is available from Matt Beekers at: http://bmwboxersupplies.com/.

I'll cut a circlip groove in the output shaft if the box doesn't have one - it costs me nothing to do and the circlip is a couple of pence. It could extend the life of the box though.

I take about eight depth readings for each bearing housing in the rear cover and then shim to the tightest with a clearance of 0.05mm. The box is usually running free when warm, but can be tight when cold. I then make a decision - is it too tight ??

If I think it is I'll start again and drop the shimming by a couple of thou'. The aim being to have it turnable by hand when cold but free when warm. The difference in shimming between tight and free is minuscule.

Nowadays I'll put oil in the box and run it in my lathe for a while - making sure that it goes up and down the gears properly. The oil is drained (and checked) before the box is posted back.

Right now I'm rebuilding a Transfer Box from a Toyota Land Cruiser 'Colorado' for a guy in the Isle of Man (he could be a useful contact :augie). It is full of rust and is taking me an inordinate amount of time to sort out. These jobs are fine as long as no-one is in a hurry as I have plenty of my own work to do ;).

Bob.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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