Final Drive Maintenance

[81delorean]

Decided to get around to doing the drain/fill on the FD on my '05. Not really bad to do at all. There wasn't as much grease on the splines as I would've expected there to be but everything looked pretty good inside. I'm guessing it's factory original at 29,000 miles but who knows. I got the splines cleaned up and new grease on. Drained the fluid, it didn't look bad either. A little dark but still acceptable in my opinion, Topped it off with some new oil and stuck it back together. Now I'm down to the ABS flush/bleed and I think I'll be set for a while as far as maintenance goes. Hope you all are having a good weekend. Ride safe. 

[dirtrider]

12 hours ago, 81delorean said:

Decided to get around to doing the drain/fill on the FD on my '05. Not really bad to do at all. There wasn't as much grease on the splines as I would've expected there to be but everything looked pretty good inside. I'm guessing it's factory original at 29,000 miles but who knows. I got the splines cleaned up and new grease on. Drained the fluid, it didn't look bad either. A little dark but still acceptable in my opinion, Topped it off with some new oil and stuck it back together. Now I'm down to the ABS flush/bleed and I think I'll be set for a while as far as maintenance goes. Hope you all are having a good weekend. Ride safe. 

Morning  81delorean

 

That dark gear oil on the 2005 final drives is normal. The original (early 1200 hexhead bikes) came with filled-for-life final drives (that is why the draining process is not easy). Later in the 1200 model run BMW found problems so they then recommended regular gear oil changes. BMW also lowered the fill amount as the early final drives were not vented so the lower fill level helped decrease seal leakage & decrease crown bearing grease wash-out.  

 

BMW put a LOT moly additive in that early (never-change fill) so it was black right from the factory. It takes a number of gear oil changes to get that dark moly out. 

[dmsantam]

I've also got an 05 hexhead, and as DR mentioned, make sure you put the revised amount of gear oil in - 180ml rather than the original recommended amount of 250ml. I found using a hair dye bottle very useful for slowly filling from the speedometer sensor hole. I do wish there was a normal filler and drain at the bottom like my other bikes. 

[dirtrider]

6 hours ago, dmsantam said:

I've also got an 05 hexhead, and as DR mentioned, make sure you put the revised amount of gear oil in - 180ml rather than the original recommended amount of 250ml. I found using a hair dye bottle very useful for slowly filling from the speedometer sensor hole. I do wish there was a normal filler and drain at the bottom like my other bikes. 

Morning  dmsantam

 

The updated amount of 180ml is correct (for a gear oil change).

 

But the 250ml was never the recommended amount (for a gear oil change). That 250ml has been incorrectly mentioned in a number of places. That 250ml was for filling a new DRY final drive, or filling a final drive after an overhaul (completely DRY final drive).

 

 

 

[dmsantam]

ah you're correct DR. 220ml was the recommended refill amount, and 250ml for initial fill, as you said. my memory failed me 😅