Swing arm removal

[Mart75]

Have just removed the swing arm on my 1250GS. First time I've done this - the Haynes Manual says ,
' A retaining ring inside the front driveshaft coupling secures the coupling on the gearbox output shaft by seating in a groove. Insert a suitable bar or strong screwdriver between the two halves of the front driveshaft coupling so that it bears on the end of the gearbox output shaft, then lever the coupling off the gearbox shaft (see illustration) . If required withdraw the driveshaft from the swingarm, noting which way round it fits'

I couldn't see the retaining ring and the driver shaft just came out - am I missing something? So when refitting it just looks like the driver shaft fits into the splines without anything holding it on.

Hope this makes sense

Hope makes sense

 

[Mr Bean]

It sounds like the same as the hexhead bikes, a circlip (of sorts) sits inside of the outer splines, at the gearbox end and you force the drive shaft in to the outer, it then locates.

It does not hold the shaft solidly in place, as it needs a little lateral movement. Others could probably describe it better.

You hopefully are using the correct sealing compound on the gaiters.

 

[Mart75]

It sounds like the same as the hexhead bikes, a circlip (of sorts) sits inside of the outer splines, at the gearbox end and you force the drive shaft in to the outer, it then locates.

It does not hold the shaft solidly in place, as it needs a little lateral movement. Others could probably describe it better.

You hopefully are using the correct sealing compound on the gaiters.

Thanks - I think I know what you mean now / where they are - was going to use silicone grease - is that the right stuff?

Also - do you know if the rear wheel sensor be sitting in / covered in oil - when I removed it, it was?

 

[Deleted account 251024001]

Just done this on a 2010 GS. Not sure if it is same on a 1250 but this is what I found.

If you have this grove on the gearbox output shaft then there should be a spring clip inside the drive shaft that snaps round it. It can feel like it is fully fitted but may still need a bit of a tap with a mallet. I found once it snapped into place I couldn't pull it back off by hand. I used silicon grease on the rubber gaiters and the black grease that you use on CV joints for the splines, not sure if this is right but it seemed ok at the time. Like I said it might be totally different on a 1250 but I can't imagine the drive shaft would be floating at both ends. Good luck putting it back together.

 

[russ996duke]

May not be a circlip
Wasn’t on mine

 

[SBD]

It’s a “pig ring” by the look of it. Round spring wire, with a gap.

 

[Mart75]

Interesting that the drive shaft just came out when i dropped the final drive - didn't seem as though there was any resistance - will have a look in the morning - but I think there is a checkup with a gap - do I need to do anything with it or just push them drive shaft in

 

[Mart75]

Circlip not checkup

 

[Bigcats]

Have you looked on RealOEM to see if there is a part??

RealOEM.com - Select Your BMW Model

RealOEM.com BMW Parts website. This site can be used to look up BMW part numbers and approximate part prices. The Parts are grouped into diagrams and diagrams are grouped into categories and subcategories

www.realoem.com

 

[matgriff]

You don't really need to do anything special with that clip that holds the driveshaft at the gearbox end. If you just give the driveshaft a firm pull (I used a slide hammer) it should pull free. Once you've lubed everything back up just push the driveshaft back into place, you feel a slight resistance before the clip seats correctly, I used a hide mallet to gently seat it back. Then just swing the FD unit up into place whilst juggling the splines into place. I've done the swing arm bearings and driveshaft maintenance on both my aircooled RT and water cooled GS, both are very similar, the driveshaft clips in the same way on both.

 

[Mr Bean]

Thanks - I think I know what you mean now / where they are - was going to use silicone grease - is that the right stuff?

Also - do you know if the rear wheel sensor be sitting in / covered in oil - when I removed it, it was?

Can't help on the sensor question for an LC model, but on the hexheads' it was always covered in oil upon removal.

The correct grease is staburags nbu 30 ptm. It's a thick, very sticky compound. Having had a cardan shaft snap due to water ingress I'll never use anything else. Not an experience I'm keen to repeat.

 

[Mart75]

Can't help on the sensor question for an LC model, but on the hexheads' it was always covered in oil upon removal.

The correct grease is staburags nbu 30 ptm. It's a thick, very sticky compound. Having had a cardan shaft snap due to water ingress I'll never use anything else. Not an experience I'm keen to repeat.

Is that similar to red rubber grease

 

[russ996duke]

Is that similar to red rubber grease

Nope
Lithium grease thinly on splines and
It’s white grease to try to seal the bellows at FD end

 

[Mart75]

You don't really need to do anything special with that clip that holds the driveshaft at the gearbox end. If you just give the driveshaft a firm pull (I used a slide hammer) it should pull free. Once you've lubed everything back up just push the driveshaft back into place, you feel a slight resistance before the clip seats correctly, I used a hide mallet to gently seat it back. Then just swing the FD unit up into place whilst juggling the splines into place. I've done the swing arm bearings and driveshaft maintenance on both my aircooled RT and water cooled GS, both are very similar, the driveshaft clips in the same way on both.

Interesting - so have found the clip on Motorworks - the 'driveshaft snap ring' - so will order one - however there really doesn't seem to have been one on there - it's not on the driveshaft or the gearbox shaft - or in the swing arm or on the floor! I know that the driveshaft was replaced by BMW about 15K miles ago just before I bought it - wonder if it was just missed off. Or maybe it's deemed as no longer needed in the new world of drive shaft replacement every 36K!

In other news - the reason that I've removed the swing arm is that the thread on the shock lower mounting bolt had stripped. The rear shock had gone (just over 30K) - T-Tech suspension did a great job on rebuilding it. Anyway just back from Hamlins Engineering in Bridgwater where they took 30 mins to sort out the thread - brilliant place to go if you have any sort of engineering and are in the South West

 

[Mr Bean]

Is that similar to red rubber grease

Nothing like, or any other grease I've seen - it's a bit pricey per ml but you need very little to seal the gaiter.

It is very sticky.

My drive shaft snapped on the M25, in the rain and at night. Sliding between lane 3 and 1 with the rear wheel locked in front of a Polish 40' trailer was not fun.

I know of others on here who've tried cheaper products and they've failed.

Optimoly paste was recommended for the FD to cardan shaft splines - not sure if that's still recommended. It's a silver coloured grease.

Neither cheap but only a small amount needed.

 

[matgriff]

Interesting - so have found the clip on Motorworks - the 'driveshaft snap ring' - so will order one - however there really doesn't seem to have been one on there - it's not on the driveshaft or the gearbox shaft - or in the swing arm or on the floor! I know that the driveshaft was replaced by BMW about 15K miles ago just before I bought it - wonder if it was just missed off. Or maybe it's deemed as no longer needed in the new world of drive shaft replacement every 36K!

In other news - the reason that I've removed the swing arm is that the thread on the shock lower mounting bolt had stripped. The rear shock had gone (just over 30K) - T-Tech suspension did a great job on rebuilding it. Anyway just back from Hamlins Engineering in Bridgwater where they took 30 mins to sort out the thread - brilliant place to go if you have any sort of engineering and are in the South West

From what I recall, you can hardly see the snap ring, it's pretty much recessed in a groove, and it doesn't take must effort to seat or unseat it. I guess once everything is in place the the drive shaft can't move much beyond it's design limits anyway ? I have also used T Tech for suspension rebuilds on m RT & GS, top guy with great service.