dmk Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Prior to the R1100 series, rear drive failures were quite rare. BMW started using single sided swingarm design in the mid eighties with the first K bikes and the last generation airhead boxers. Those bikes didn't have the rear drive problems like the 1100/1150's. True about the K-bikes, and even the R1100s didn't seem to suffer from as many FD failures as we've seen recently. That makes me believe the problem is not inherent to the paralever design. It could also be due to a manufacturing process change, a different bearing supplier, or just sloppier assembly quality. Link to comment
James Clark Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Prior to the R1100 series, rear drive failures were quite rare. BMW started using single sided swingarm design in the mid eighties with the first K bikes and the last generation airhead boxers. Those bikes didn't have the rear drive problems like the 1100/1150's. True about the K-bikes, and even the R1100s didn't seem to suffer from as many FD failures as we've seen recently. That makes me believe the problem is not inherent to the paralever design. It could also be due to a manufacturing process change, a different bearing supplier, or just sloppier assembly quality. Wider tires, more power . . . Link to comment
exwingnut Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 1. Inconsistent supplier quality. This was the explanation given for the recall on my 12RT's transmission: "bad batch of parts from a supplier". This would be my place to point a finger, especialy given the seemingly random groupings of failures...kinda like shopping out toothpaste production to china. Sometimes third party quality control can be an issue, just ask chevrolet dealers about soft cams. Oh, thats right, there never was a problem. *wink wink* Link to comment
grayghost Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 "Vee haf no prroblems vith the final drives!" (Just like vee had no prroblems vith surgingk.") Link to comment
Bruce C Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Prior to the R1100 series, rear drive failures were quite rare. BMW started using single sided swingarm design in the mid eighties with the first K bikes and the last generation airhead boxers. Those bikes didn't have the rear drive problems like the 1100/1150's. True about the K-bikes, and even t (www.bmwlt.com)he R1100s didn't seem to suffer from as many FD failures as we've seen recently. That makes me believe the problem is not inherent to the paralever design. It could also be due to a manufacturing process change, a different bearing supplier, or just sloppier assembly quality. Quite simply, the last generation FD has exceeded its design limitations and BMW has chose to sweep the problems under the rug by coming out with a new drive unit(not without it's own gremlins). The combination of more of everything, 30% more power, 25% more weight, larger tires, increased cornering loads, continued use of a ring/pinion design have lead to BMW selling a design prone to failure. If you want to find out about final drive failures, go over to the KLT site www.bmwlt.com and check their forum on the subject. You will get sick reading the horror stories about our fabled BMW and the 4% rear drive failure rate on the LT. Link to comment
Twisties Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 If you want to find out about final drive failures, go over to the KLT site www.bmwlt.com and check their forum on the subject. You will get sick reading the horror stories about our fabled BMW and the 4% rear drive failure rate on the LT. Which forum, can you provide a more specific link, or some browsing directions? I didn't see any forum or sub-forum that seemed to be it. Thanks, Link to comment
Yukon Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 <snip> You will get sick reading the horror stories about our fabled BMW and the 4% rear drive failure rate on the LT. Only 4 out of 100? Link to comment
Bruce C Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 If you want to find out about final drive failures, go over to the KLT site www.bmwlt.com and check their forum on the subject. You will get sick reading the horror stories about our fabled BMW and the 4% rear drive failure rate on the LT. Which forum, can you provide a more specific link, or some browsing directions? I didn't see any forum or sub-forum that seemed to be it. Thanks, Twisties Sorry, you might try this: http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/index.php? If it doesn't work, you might have to join in order to access the forum. It is a very good site if you are also into touring. I use it a lot because the LT has the same running gear as my RS. Link to comment
Twisties Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 If you want to find out about final drive failures, go over to the KLT site www.bmwlt.com and check their forum on the subject. You will get sick reading the horror stories about our fabled BMW and the 4% rear drive failure rate on the LT. Which forum, can you provide a more specific link, or some browsing directions? I didn't see any forum or sub-forum that seemed to be it. Thanks, Twistieshttp: Sorry, you might try this: //www.bmwlt.com/forums/index.php? If it doesn't work, you might have to join in order to access the forum. It is a very good site if you are also into touring. I use it a lot because the LT has the same running gear as my RS. Thanks BruceC, my wife is a member and I had no trouble getting on the site. I did find their survey on the subject, which is fascinating. I just thought you referring to specific forum or thread. I'd like to see where that 4% come from. Link to comment
Bruce C Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Twisties You have to do some poking around in there. There are a lot of stories in the "search" area on losing the big(crown) bearing and all the fixes they have gone through. Also you will note some members use an avatar showing a rear drive puking it's oil with the caption "i'm a 4%er! One other place to look at is the Iron Butt Rally site. I believe one of the leaders lost the final drive on his brand new '07 R1200RT. That's the new design that no tire dealers have an adapter to balance your wheel after they mount your tire. Or look at www.k-bikes.com in the new "k" series forums(you will have to register to get in) on the problems the new bikes have had with the new rear drive. Funny about that, 170hp will tear things up! Link to comment
duckbubbles Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Prior to the R1100 series, rear drive failures were quite rare. BMW started using single sided swingarm design in the mid eighties with the first K bikes and the last generation airhead boxers. Those bikes didn't have the rear drive problems like the 1100/1150's. True about the K-bikes, and even the R1100s didn't seem to suffer from as many FD failures as we've seen recently. That makes me believe the problem is not inherent to the paralever design. It could also be due to a manufacturing process change, a different bearing supplier, or just sloppier assembly quality. My old '85 K100RS final drive has 317,000 miles on it and counting. It is a monolever design. For the last 40,000 miles it has been abused by a 1100 torquer engine. I changed the inner seal about 10 years ago. Other than gear oil changes and spline lubes there has been no other maintenance. (It's probably falling apart in the garage as I write this) I think that setup of the shimming at the factory is a cause of the failures. The rear ends may be outsourced from a vendor. Frank Link to comment
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