Driveshaft Noise

I have just returned from a weekends riding in North Wales. I was washing the bike down and happened to rock the back wheel backwards and forwards...a knocking sound can be heard in approximately the position of the rear universal joint, just behind the gearbox, if I move the wheel in either direction continuously there is no noise.

If anybody has five minutes spare could they try the same thing on their bike and post a reply. I'm going to be paranoid until I find out if this noise is normal or not.

Thanks

Rob Farmer
Loughborough.
Leicestershire

95 R1100GS

Its hosing it down outside at the moment so I haven't checked this but I'm fairly certain I get the same noise. I always assumed it was just a bit of slack being taken up.

Paul

Sounds like the Paralever bearings need replacing or shimming up!

Rob, I've got an R1100GS with 49,890 Klm's on the clock as of now.

On June the 2'nd I pulled the shaft out to check the universal joints and lubricate the shaft splines, all three of them. I noted that there was no noticeable play on any of the universal joints and I then cleaned the male & female splines and then lubed them with spline grease (from local BMW club).

This weekend I've just done about 1,500 Klm's in the Snowy Mountains having fun in our winter playground. I 've just read your email and I went out to the bike and tested it. Here's what I found:-

No real noticeable noise, but............. there is the faintest clicking sound doing what you said you did. Backwards and forwards motion that is. I'm sure that there is no play in my universal joints so I'm thinking that there may be some slack in the male female splines. I know that mine are recently and correctly lubricated, maybe there is no lube in your splines and that is the noise that you are hearing.

However if you are hearing a noise then drop the wheel off, pull the brake caliper (& ABS if fitted) off and hold them around the footpeg frame, peel the rear of the rubber gaiter off and pull it forward, then remove the paralever bolt, then simply pull the reduction axle housing off (Diff to you and me).

Then you'll at least be able to see what condition that the rear universal joints are like, there are two of them that you can see at the rear end.

If you use 2 screwdrivers then you can easily pop the universal joint attached to the diff housing off for a good gander. If you also wish you can pull the shaft out and check the top universal joint as well. But pulling that one out requires a heat gun to loosen off the Loctite that BMW uses and a bloody great torque wrench to tighten the locknut up and an extremely small torque wrench to tighten up the allen headed bearing bolt retainer.

I would suggets that if not for peace of mind, then so that you can sleep, pull the diff off and have a gander.

It isn't that hard, after all if you have an 1150 GS then to check out the front universal joint at the gearbox end you have to remove the entire swingarm! That's obviously the price of progress, eh? I reckon the 1100GS is a better bike, don't you?

Mick.

Thanks for the replies. My bike has a major service coming up in a thousand miles, I will examine the drive shaft as Mick suggested.

I will be at edge hill tommorrow (11th June) if you see somebody on his knees rocking peoples wheels back and forth..don't worry it will be me!

Thanks for the help

Rob Farmer
Loughborough
Leicestershire

95 R1100GS

NOISE!!

HI ROB, I'VE OWNED 3"OIL HEADS" NOW + ONE THAT HAD A GEARBOX PLOBLEM , I PRITTY WELL CERTAIN WHAT YOU DESCRIBE IS STANDARD SLACK IN THE DRIVE TRAIN ITS WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL CONTINUSLY AND YOU GET CLUNKING MEANS THE BOX HAS A PROBLEM! HOPE THIS PUTS YOUR MIND AT REST ANDREW

Hi Rob,

I kept thinking there was to much play in my drive shaft, I could hear the slack being taken up with a distinct clank and with the bike in gear I could rotate the back wheel fore and aft about 3 inches.

At my local BMW dealer I tried the same on 3 other GS's and they where all the same and do you know what... Now I know it's all OK I can't hear the Clank!

Cheers Wreford