Repair or Replace the FD?

[Qmouse]

My FD bearings are now a service item

I have the vibes again as I go around corners and I it feels like my FD bearing is on its way out. This will be the 4th one in 23K/ 4years of my ownership.

The previous ones have all been fitted professionally

One bearing only lasted 3K and the one that lasted the longest the cage had completely broken up and pushed the oil seal out

Is it now time to say bollox to this and get a S/H FD, get the bearing replaced again or does anyone do a reconditioned exchange unit yet?


Brian

 

[uncle dick]

It's interesting that the guys who have fd problems once get them again which leads me to think that there are issues with the factory build which is basically being repeated when you replace the bearings.
My 1100 has now done over 90k on the original bearings so it's not about normal wear and tear so I'd go along with the plan to get a s/h unit. TBH I wouldn't even bother to change the bearings if there's no play.

Dick

 

[Canuck]

What do you mean by professional? I've spoken with my local dealer and they outsource their work ...so I did it myself and found that it was shimmed too tight... I'd say take a weekend (if it is your first time) and do it yourself... measure shims and of required order some new ones. My bike certainly benefitted from it.

 

[Qmouse]

What do you mean by professional?

I meant independant mechanics and members of this parish. Who I do trust to do a proper job.

Just checked the receipts, I did get the 3K wrong it was 5K.

The bearing was been replaced at 20586, 25170 and 36529 miles. For those of you that love a good bearing picture this is the one that was replaced at 36k. The others were just worn and the cages intact.

Brian

 

[Canuck]

If it keeps failing than something is obviously wrong. Did the measure the shimming? I'm a big believer in not assuming anything... like it was done correctly at the factory.

I'd go for a independent mechanic over most dealers any day if I didn't do the work myself. Good luck with it...at least if should be a cheap fix... I completed my fd rebuild including new shims (mine was shimmed too tight and it was difficult to push the bike... new shims installed it rolls much easier and there is no grinding noise the the back end) for about £90 (I think) which included new oils, bearing, greases, a bearing puller etc. I also changed the paralever bearings whilst at it. Good luck with the bike!

 

[davegs]

F.D

Sounds liike it was wrong to start with and been replaced as such ever since.
Send it to Steppers he'll sort it out properly.

Dave GS

 

[Welshman]

Mine are most likely "not right" but I start getting a seal weep (a few spots on the rim) every 55,000 kilometers and I replace the bearing, at first change I left the old seal, no leaks, second time I changed it, at that rate I am not gonna bother with reshiming

 

[cookie]

Sounds liike it was wrong to start with and been replaced as such ever since.

it certainly does.

i've not done a bmw, but i've done a few guzzi bevels. takes ages and seems more of an art than a science. you can piss about with engineers blue 'til the cows come home, but it seems to come down to feel in the end.

 

[DutchBryn]

A local indie did a re-build on mine, then a couple of weeks later (and just before a long-planned UK trip), it started to grumble like hell, mostly on the over-run.

With a couple of days to go, they re-did everything, declaring that it had been badly shimmed.

All was A1 till I got to Kent, at which point 'things' could be felt again.
Back home now and after almost 2k miles, it doesn't seem to be getting any worse. The shop have declared it to be the tyre. ( It could be, but they agreed it was fecked last time around, after similar symptoms..)

So I had a look at the BB oil. No silver sheen floating on the surface, this time, but the magnet looked like a O-level physics experiment (just like last time around). They said not to worry if some swarf appeared on the magnet, but long shiney strands? Hmm.

Somehow I don't think this is solved or over.

My FD bearings are now a service item

I have the vibes again as I go around corners and I it feels like my FD bearing is on its way out. This will be the 4th one in 23K/ 4years of my ownership.

The previous ones have all been fitted professionally

One bearing only lasted 3K and the one that lasted the longest the cage had completely broken up and pushed the oil seal out

Is it now time to say bollox to this and get a S/H FD, get the bearing replaced again or does anyone do a reconditioned exchange unit yet?


Brian

 

[Qmouse]

WOW what a difference

I got the FD swopped out for a S/H one yesterday by Motoscot together with a service, it is now a different bike.

In the 3K miles since the bearing had been replaced, the old bearing was already showing signs of breaking up with splinters of metal attached to the magnetic plug and as I mentioned above the vibration going round corners.

Another thing I did notice there is no longer a vibration at around 80mph, I suppose as it had always been there I thought they all did that. What has returned is my confidence in the bike, Garmish here I come

Brian

 

[DutchBryn]

How did the 2nd hand one cost, please?

(Probably going to be the Final Solution for my one, too).

 

[Qmouse]

How did the 2nd hand one cost, please?

(Probably going to be the Final Solution for my one, too).

Sherlocks charged £250 for my one inc p&p. Twice the cost of just getting the bearing replaced.

 

[DutchBryn]

Thanks for the info. If it helps, that was a full 1 X what I paid to get everything re-newed over here. So much for the Stella principle. Ho hum.

May I wish you an excellent trip to Bavaria!