6,000/12,000 mile check "Check steering damper"??

[SWB]

This is a follow-up to my previous post on "Annual" versus "Periodic" maintenance.

 

I'm reviewing BMW's maitenance schedule while planning maintenance on my 2001 R1100RT(P). I noted that there are several items which are "R" or "RS" specific. For example, "Check steering damper" apparently applies to the R850/1100R bikes only. When should the RT steering race be checked or lubricated, or is it a "fix upon failure" type item? What about centre stand lubrication (my bike has one; maybe civilian RT's don't??)? It's only recommended for the R1100RS. Same goes for the windshield adjustment shaft (R1100RS). There's moving parts on my RT windshield assy; aren't there lubrication requirements for that as well?

 

I've been looking at bearing replacement in general, since I have a police bike with over 50,000 miles on the clock, and can't be certain what kind of wear and tear or maintenance it's had. When I rebuilt my old dirt bikes, I pretty much went through and replaced every bearing in the bike from the swing arm, wheels, to the steering race. From what I can read, the front bearing is no big deal (ditto for dirt bikes), but the rear bearings, swing arm pivot bearings, etc. are all a PITA to replace. On the other hand, the final drive is a weak point on these bikes, so I don't want to skip anything. I'd feel better if I checked and/or replaced the bearings myself. (Then again, I just checked the final drive procedures in the manual; LOT's and lots of bearings, bevel pinions, etc., so nothing gets replaced that ain't actually broke).

 

Has anyone replaced the steering components on their RT? I can't find a reference (yet) to a "steering race". I see the teloscopic fork, "leading link", shock, and a "fork bridge". Maybe RT's don't have a steering race with bearings inside. I'm not even sure there's a regular maintenance check on the front end, other than wheel bearings, at least none that I can see.

[Boffin]

The BMW telelever suspension removes the suspension load from the steering head, so there are no 'steering races' in the traditional sense. There is an 'angular contact' bearing in the upper fork bridge, but without the shock-loading steering rtaces normaly get it should be a low-maintenance item. The lower fork bridge has a ball-joint coupling to the A-frame, this carries the shock loading but is a much better design than a bearing race for the task, as such that is also low maintenance.

 

As for the centre stand, as part of my (intermittent) cleaning routine, I wash out the pivot with WD-40, then re-grease with white chain lube - ditto side-stand.

 

Andy

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Scott,

No need for any maintenance work on the final drive. It is a fix upon failure thing. Andy covered the steering head thing. I think only R1000S and Rocksters have steering dampers. Almost all the items you mentioned are of the inspect and repair if necessary items. I haven't had a wheel bearing failure since 1988 or so when I had my wheels powder coated and the guy doing the job failed to properly mask the wheel bearing seats and ruined the clearance for the bearings. He pounded them in anyway.

 

Inspect away and by all means do the brake system flush thingy, but, for the most part, 6 and 12K inspections are nothing more than valve adjust, fluid change and depending on where you are in the interval, fuel filter and air filter replacements. My bikes live outside so things like side stand and center stand pivots do get greased but that is usually no more than a spray with a water displacing lubricant followed by some chain lube as I hate mucking about with the springs.

[SWB]

Ed, Boffin, thanks a bunch, guys.

 

It takes me forever to move on stuff. I study it to death first. But when I do move, I'm a detail-orientated perfectionist about how I get it done.

 

I'm going to R&R the clutch and check/lube the drive splines, so I was going to take a look at the rear drive and replace any bearings in disassembled areas. I've heard that the clutch job can be done without disassembling the final drive (maybe it was Boffin pointed this out). So, I guess I'll just do the "wiggle and pull" test in the rear tire and swing arm, and if there's no movement, leave it at that, and just focus on the clutch and splines (plus the fuel regulator, because the fuel lines are crushed).

 

I just don't want to go into this area (final drive/clutch/tranny) twice while I own this bike. I'm taking my ream of maintenance notes previously collected, and breaking them down into tasks and parts and tools and procedures.

 

BMW serviced the bike at 48K and 54K miles, but since I wasn't around at the 48K service (bike was still in LEO service), and I didn't do the work at 54K miles, I'm going to re-check a lot of service items myself. Example: Check/maybe replace Poly-V belt, Redline in the tranny and final drive, external fuel filter mod, cam chain tensioner upgrade, GS Manifold and cat code plug mod, inspect and probably replace rubber vacuum tubing and "O" rings on the throttle bodies (plus clean the brass bypass screws), R&R neutral switch(s), R&R shocks (probably with Works), Lentini's tuning items (TPS 0-0, valve lash, rocker arm adj., etc.), brake bleed, caliper maintenance, and brake pad/rotor check, R&R clutch, throttle, and cold-start (idle advance) cables.

 

Kind of a long list. Should be fun, and if my bike behaves well through the work, I might even repaint the fairings. Hmmm ... or if not, part it out.

 

Thanks again.