(Yet another) Final Drive failure...

[GSmiles]

Damn. Something back there is getting awfully noisy...it growls when leaning left, but is quiet on straight ahead and leaning right. There seems to be a tiny bit more play than the 1mm that I could feel at the wheels edge a month ago when the "outside" seal was changed. Anybody know quite what it is that breaks up in there? Looking at the micro-fiche diagrams available at http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/fiche.asp there is a needle roller bearing on the outside of the crown wheel and a "grooved ball breaing" on the wheel side. I imagine that the grooved ball bearing has gone into failure and is allowing too much end-float, and the lovely noise I get to hear when going left is the teeth of the crown wheel and pinion meshing too tightly....Anyone got any useful ideas?
I shall try complaining to BMW Spain, and really do think that they should cough and give me a nice new final drive with a decent servicing schedule..I wonder how lucky I might get...?
Bike is 2004 with 70,000kms and has never missed a service.

 

[Kahuna]

As a BTW GS, please keep us informed how you get on at BMW Malaga. I had my F650 serviced there (bought it there) and they seemed professional but very lackadaisical when communicating about bookings etc.

I'll be taking my 12GS to Spain next month so will be getting serviced there for the next year - and It'd be good to hear your experiences!

 

[Gabby]

Sounds like and expensive problem!

Not sure if 2008 FD would fit but there is one for sale on eBay right now if your quick: 230289748284

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=230289748284&Category=76120&_trksid=p3907.m29

Hope this helps.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Sounds like and expensive problem!

Not sure if 2008 FD would fit but there is one for sale on eBay right now if your quick: 230289748284

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=230289748284&Category=76120&_trksid=p3907.m29

Hope this helps.

I'm sure I read elsewhere that the 2008 final drive won't fit because of differences in the speed sensor.

 

[tuckerqvmcc]

Yeah your right, I'm the guy selling the 2008 FD on ebay I bought it off ebay myself to replace my 04 GS12's FD that sh*t itself a few weeks back.....The FD will fit no probs & drive the very best but without ABS & speedo working!
The ABS sensor on the 08 FD is totally different than the 04 & wont pick up the speedo or ABS.
My advice is don't drive the bike anymore cause the play will transfer to the front end of the bike as the play/movement worsens and cause steering difficulties as I nearly fataly found out 2 up & fully loaded overtaking a car on a bend!
Under acceleration & being 2 up with luggage the front end went into a full wobble nearly getting cleaned against a wall on the opposite side of the road.
When decelerating to slow speed you will notice a slight wobble at the front of the bike, this is caused by the back wheel wobbling because the teeth are no longer meshed tighly together in the final drive (just eating away at each other) due to the bearing failing.
The official BMW fix will be a newly upgraded 2005 FD fit complete with drain plug that fits 04 -06 models....(upgraded bevil etc.)
Cost £800 plus out of warranty!
I got a call from a guy with a 2007 GS regarding my final drive on ebay as he has noticed the same problem and is running close to warranty expiration (4 months). He was gonna buy my 08 FD for a spare as well as tackling BMW for a warranty fix!
These units seem to be failing at an alarming rate at the moment from 2004 right through to 2007 from what I'm reading...

 

[Lord Vader]

These units seem to be failing at an alarming rate at the moment from 2004 right through to 2007 from what I'm reading...

You could say that again.Mine is a 06 GSA and i am on my 3rd Final drive and she just done 30000 miles
But i still love her
Here is my little story
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153449

 

[T16]

Mine's a 04 with about 17k on the clock, and am having the same problem of the bike humming/growling in a sweeping left hander. After just having the gearbox seals done (BMW paid 50% of the labour) and a new clutch to boot from oil contamination and replacement rear shock (I replaced the front at the same time to make a matching pair) I think the £850 odd to have this fixed will be best spent on a new bike..........a Triumph Tiger!!! My mate has just picked up a new one, done 4k on it and can't fault it!

My 02 1150 GS Adv was faultless in comparrison, my wallet can't cope with the mile to pounds ratio in repairs with the 1200.

 

[tuckerqvmcc]

Just thought I would follow up on my FD failure scenario as my newly fitted FD has sneaked well past it's 600 mile from new service (EP oil change).
I gave my local BMW dealer a call today to ask if they had to replace the oil to keep my new 2 year FD warranty valid.
Anyway while chatting to the service manager he stated that BMW UK have requested my old FD for inspection to see what caused the failure after a meare 20,000 miles on the clock.....
Could this be the start of an investigation by BMW UK into the increasing number of premature FD failues?
Here's hoping!

 

[DrFarkoff]

More like they want to keep you giving it to the Newspapers or MCN to stop bad press!! But MCN wouldn;t want to sh1t in the nest would they?

Let's face it Tucker that was a close call and BM still made you cough up £500 plus even with their contribution!

It should have been replaced 100% under warrranty! Even if you had to sign a disclaimer so that you wouldn't try and shaft BM with further claims or actions!

Photos and stuff here for anyone that wants a look?

 

[Pukmeister]

GSmiles, I was amazed when my local UK BMW agent fitted a new FD to my bike outside of warranty free of charge because they couldn't get the special tools to strip it and replace the input seal. Now I do my own servicing I doubt they'd be so generous a second time. Better keep my fingers crossed.

I appreciate it's probably not cost-effective for dealers to repair the FD units themselves when they can just bolt on a replacement (time is money), but when us punters have to foot the bill for replacement its a different matter.

I'd like to make my own tools one day to strip and repair these units, Is Steptoe tooled up for the 1200 FD units yet? There is clearly a market now and it's getting bigger......