Pulling the gearbox - 1100RT

Posh Pete

Still got a pulse.
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About to pull the box for a refurb and this is the stage I've got to. Only took a couple of hours.:D
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Now having a cup of tea while contemplating the next stage which will take place inside the lock up once the silencer and cat have been removed via the angle grinder despatching the heavily corroded nut on the exhaust clamp.:mad:

However ... I am not totally sure re lifting the rear subframe to get access to the gearbox. Does it lift over the airbox ok or does the airbox have to be removed? I've also read somewhere that the ABS controller has to be nudged forward?

Words of wisdom welcome!
 
If I remember correctly I lifted the subframe up and the airbox stayed down, I then removed the airbox, I did not need to move the abs controller.



 
Be careful not to pinch any wires if lifting the frame by yourself. Do everything slowly and you will be ok. I just did mine a little while ago. I found that the wiring harness on the left side can catch onto the corner of the airbox as you lift and lower the frame! In my case I managed to stretch the wires, though stopped before breaking them!
Good luck!
 
Did you slacken the bolt across the engine at the front of the subframe or not?

Makes for an interesting realignment conundrum
 
the long engine bolt that goes through the lugs that are marked

If you don;t slacken the the lugs bend and its a bollix to get the rest to line up again

You only forget once!
 

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Aha! Remove the Allan bolts and slacken the hex nuts so the sub frame actually pivots on them? Enlightenment dawns o wise one!
 
Thought I might turn this thread into a diary of the job for others planning to do it. As long as they are not in a hurry - I'll be taking my time over the winter.

Today's task was to remove the cat. The angle grinder came out of hibernation since the nut and bolt on the clamp were completely fused with rust. 5 minutes in a shower of sparks - job done. Only to find that the two 13mm nuts securing the belly of the cat to the centre stand sub frame were not inclined to budge. So a pause while I get a cup of tea and obtain a better quality spanner than the ALDI cheapie which serves for the easy jobs. OK, buy cheap, buy twice etc etc.

To be continued ...
 
An early Xmas pressie

Bought a set of these. They also have the "professional" versions available at £3 a pop but the Adv Prof seemed a decent deal and got good reviews.

However. sod's law operating as ever, even my new shiny spanners could not tackle years worth of corrosion so the grinder came out again. One of the silentbloc mountings for the cat had already sheared so it took 30 secs for the disc to go through the other one on the offside. Being VERY careful as it is pretty close to the sump!

Once that was done, it took seconds to pull off the cat and silencer and use mole grips to loosen the frame fixings on the silentblocs. I'll probably demount the whole sidestand / centre stand sub frame later and do a bit of paint refurbishment while I'm at it. I'll remove the nuts from cat before refitting with new silentbloc mountings.

These jobs just grow and grow!

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That's all for today. Next step is to pull the starter. (Migh as well re-condition that while I'm at it!:augie) Then lift the sub frame and we're onto the main event!
 
I'll remove the nuts from cat before refitting with new silentbloc mountings.

Don't bother fitting new rubberbloc mounts. BMW stopped fitting them in 2003/4 on all bikes including RT models.
 
Thanks Neil. To be clear though: the cat only needs to be secured at the front (exhaust clamp) and rear (silencer / rear sub frame mount)?
 
Yes. That's how the exhaust on my 1996 1100RS is secured (same thing). FWIW my 2000 850GS never had the silentbloc bushes from new. I wrecked one on my RS a few years back; even then Motorworks told me that BMW no longer makes them, even for the older ones...
 
Thought I might turn this thread into a diary of the job for others planning to do it. As long as they are not in a hurry - I'll be taking my time over the winter.

Today's task was to remove the cat.

To be continued ...

There's a (retired) man with plenty of time on his hands!

Must pop over to have a gander at his work. If only I didn't have my work to go to!!
 
There's a (retired) man with plenty of time on his hands!

Must pop over to have a gander at his work. If only I didn't have my work to go to!!

The workers of Britain have my deepest gratitude for keeping me in gold plated luxury! :beerjug: More seriously, after 40 years of grafting, it's really great to be able to take my time over a job.
 
Busy afternoon in the lock up …

1. Whipped out the starter motor. Only two allan bolts but a bit fiddly as the wiring to the sidestand had been zip tied to it. Snip and job done. Also tied (blue rope in the pic) the centre stand to the front wheel to prevent the bike dropping off the stand.

2. Off with the gear lever. Note to self: replace it on the gearbox BEFORE refitting the box. Should be quicker and easier.

3. Off with the rear caliper and the ABS sensor. NB – ABS sensor fitted with a wossname bolt. Why? Allan bolts everywhere else!

Tied the calliper and the sensor to the sub frame.


4. Removed the remote rear shock adjuster ready to drop the shock out later. Yes, I know you don’t need to remove it but it’s heading for replacement or refurbishment.

5. Off with the rear wheel. Doh! Should have put the bike in gear BEFORE I removed the gear lever. A size 10 boot wedged the tyre while a section of Hoover tube provided the leverage.

6. Supported the rear drive as shown and removed the lower bolt of the shock. Supporting the rear drive makes it a bit easier to get the bolt out.


7. Getting the top bolt out meant removing the adjustable seat height mechanism for a few minutes.

8. Secured the subframe with a support strap which allows me to raise the sub frame gently and with one hand free.

9. Time to remove the four allen bolts which hold the rear subframe and loosen the 15mm engine bolt above the front one. (Thanks Jay!)


10. Raised the sub frame a couple of centimetres. At this point, the rear shock dropped and is ready for re-furbishment.

So I’m now ready to raise the sub frame and pull out the gearbox and final drive. Need to organise a trolley to do that first.

To be continued.
 


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