John Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 2009 RTSE. ~7800km, no problems (so far). Link to comment
Dave_C Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 the FD in my '06 went bad at 35k miles(thankfully right before the end of the warranty). The new FD has a drain plug at the bottom. I change the fluid at regular intervals and use the new reccommended amount(180ml, see hex&cam). It should be fine, I think the "lifetime" fluid was a bad idea. Link to comment
mxharris Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 17k miles so far so good. Oil change every 6k. Darn ESA is hooped though. Link to comment
woodnfly Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 36000 on my 07 RT no problems Link to comment
sardineone Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 No problems with my final drive on my 06' R1200ST at 21,000 miles other than a slight weeping of oil at the outside seal before the revised oil level. I did have a problem voting on your survey though. Once I log on to our site I have no option to vote. When not logged in I see the voting selections but, promted to log on before my vote can be recorded. Has BMW engineering now entered our polls? Link to comment
Mike T Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 21000 on my '06 RT. FD fine. Gas gauge doesn't work. Link to comment
Twisties Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 No problems with my final drive on my 06' R1200ST at 21,000 miles other than a slight weeping of oil at the outside seal before the revised oil level. I did have a problem voting on your survey though. Once I log on to our site I have no option to vote. When not logged in I see the voting selections but, promted to log on before my vote can be recorded. Has BMW engineering now entered our polls? You probably voted in 2007 when this was started. You can not vote again, or change your vote. So, for instance if Ken Deline voted all ok back then, he could not now record his FD failure. Link to comment
planepaul Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 36K, no failure. 12K fluid changes, even before the "lifetime" claim was rescinded. Paul '05 RT Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 05GS, 40K miles, only had it for 20K miles but have done one oil change in the FD. Link to comment
Tim Wilson Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 06RT, 28K miles, seal failure resulting in minor leak of FD fluid at 18K, fixed under warranty. Link to comment
betty Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 07 RT crown bearing went bad at 41860 miles. Link to comment
DoctorC Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 R12ST 18K miles. FD lube 12K. No problems so far... Link to comment
drgnhtr Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 01 GS 50k no problem. 08 RT 11k no problem. Link to comment
Green RT Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 I didn't read every post in this thread so forgive me if this has already been mentioned. The problem with the design of the poll is that the respondents are self selected. It is quite possible that people who have had final drive failures are more interested in the problem and more likely to read the thread and respond to the poll. Or maybe the opposite, people who haven't had a problem wonder what the odds are and participate. Either way it means that the results are very unlikely to represent the actual rate of failures. So while it is always interesting to see numbers like this, they don't tell us much about the odds. A slightly better, though more difficult approach, would be to find out, for every 1200 owner on the board, whether they have had a FD failure. But even this wouldn't be statistically valid since people with problems might be more likely to subscribe to the board than people without. Lots of noobies come here because they have a question. Link to comment
BerndM Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 05 R1200RT with 28000 miles, NO PROBLEMS AT ALL 06 R1200GS with 28000 miles DITTO Link to comment
Motodan Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 I didn't read every post in this thread so forgive me if this has already been mentioned. The problem with the design of the poll is that the respondents are self selected. It is quite possible that people who have had final drive failures are more interested in the problem and more likely to read the thread and respond to the poll. Or maybe the opposite, people who haven't had a problem wonder what the odds are and participate. Either way it means that the results are very unlikely to represent the actual rate of failures. So while it is always interesting to see numbers like this, they don't tell us much about the odds. A slightly better, though more difficult approach, would be to find out, for every 1200 owner on the board, whether they have had a FD failure. But even this wouldn't be statistically valid since people with problems might be more likely to subscribe to the board than people without. Lots of noobies come here because they have a question. Don't take polls seriously, they're just a way to pass time...like sports. Link to comment
essman Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Recently bought an 05 with 8000 miles and an 06 with 29,000 miles--no weeping of fluids or grinding of gears on record or so for these RTs Link to comment
Dave_zoom_zoom Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 R1200RT 2006 47,3353 m All is good. WHAT A GREAT BIKE!!!!!!! I love it! Link to comment
Dave_zoom_zoom Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Ha Ha---I can't but be amused to see some folks who use that old "so far" caveat in their reply. To me it's like saying "Well I'm 88 years old and I haven't died so far." But of course this problem could occur at any time. (as could the wheels fall off my bike) Link to comment
Dave_zoom_zoom Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Over on the R1200C forum a member who is a trained BMW mechanic with his own shop indicates that: "it really is unfortunate that BMW decided to "do away" with the breather on the rear drive for the 1200 series. This was probably the only real mechanical problem with these bikes. Without a breather, when pressure goes up in the rear drive (by getting hot) the pressure has no where to go. What will happen is the pressure will find the weakest link and push itself out there (usually the pinion seal). Not just air get's pushed out but oil too (we all know what happens when you run a mechanical object out of oil). Both crown seals and pinion seals have been been a problem because of not having a breather. I don't really think our rear drives are bad, just a case that has been poorly designed, without a breather." Make sense? Does to me. Makes me want to drill a small breather hole somewhere...... Gael Me three! I want to drill and tap a small hole near the top of the drive. Install a fitting and a flexable tube that would run all uphill to a location under the seat. That way any oil that might enter the tube would just drip back into the drive. It just could be the answer!!!! Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 My only disagreement is this: "(we all know what happens when you run a mechanical object out of oil). " A little smudge of oil outside a seal does not mean running out of oil. I think there is more to it than that. Link to comment
Nomad Indy Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 59,000 miles Final Drive failed. Saw a write up of repairing a final drive, with pictures, have not been able to locate this thread. Do not remember if it was here or another web site. Would appriciate the help. Thank You Link to comment
anvo Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 07 RT, 23k miles, everything fine. Link to comment
Teddy Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 R1200ST 2007 17,000kms FD OK. Teddy Link to comment
Paul In Australia Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 2008 1200Rt 70000 kms . No FD issues. regards Paul Link to comment
Donster Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 '07 R1200RT, 14,000 mi., no problems of any kind. Link to comment
Buffalo Bob Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 2005 R1200ST, 58,000 mi. with no FD problems. Don't ask about the fuel quick-disconnect, though...... Link to comment
JoelInMA Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 2007 R1200RT with 21K miles...no problems with FD (3 sets of front rotors so far, however) Link to comment
Angel Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 2005 R1200RT with 55k, no FD problems. "I'm knocking on wood" Link to comment
jaytee Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I could only vote once, but I have had two R1200xx with 30k miles on one (ST) and 15k miles on the other (S) with no FD problems. Link to comment
rglassma Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 '05 R1200RT with 40,300 miles. No FD issues. The fluid has been changed half a dozen times and all is well so far. Link to comment
BeemerLover Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 2007 R12RT with 13K. No FD issues. Did the 12K myself and the FD oil came out clear. Put 180 ml back in. No wheel wobble. No fuel strip problem, probably because I keep the tank full, always gas up at the end of a trip. Link to comment
RedMac Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 2006 R1200RT. Final drive FAILED at 15K. Bike currently at 30K with no other FD issues. Link to comment
JayW Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 ...No fuel strip problem, probably because I keep the tank full, always gas up at the end of a trip. Hmmm. I also have my original strip and tend to keep the fuel tank near empty when I park the bike, unless it's inconvenient to to so. I figure that the strips are always stored dry before they are installed, so storing it "dry" on the bike (as opposed to soaking it in an organic solvent long term) might help to preserve it. I have no other rational basis for this practice but my logic seems like it sorta might be right. In truth, it probably makes no difference either way, but maybe you know something about fuel strips that I don't. This is off topic, so I guess we can save this discussion for another thread. Jay Link to comment
Den Hieperboree Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 2008 R1200RT with 22k, no FD problems Link to comment
eda Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 '05 R1200RT with 30,000 miles. No FD issues. Link to comment
klondike Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 05 R1200RT with 87,000 miles. No FD issues. In fact the only issue I have every had is with one front abs sensor failure. I am the original owner. Link to comment
DaveinNCMn Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Only 5k, but no problems...."so far" Link to comment
1LIFE2LIVE Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 05 R1200RT with 87,000 miles. No FD issues. In fact the only issue I have every had is with one front abs sensor failure. I am the original owner. Way cool! I just went over 31,000 miles this morning on my 08RT with ZERO FD issues. Link to comment
gordiet Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 2006 1299RT, 47000 miles, no problems! Link to comment
Alan D Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 2007RT with 21K no FD problems. Link to comment
Bullett Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Update: 41K on my '07 R1200RT no final drive failure. Lot's of tires, though. Link to comment
Paco Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 2007 R1200RT 7,500 miles No FD problems seen to date Link to comment
Scot Earl Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 2005 RT - FD failed at 11K Link to comment
dspeer Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 We'll never know what's really going on at BMW as it pertains to FD failures, what little info we do have leads me to believe they have a serious quality problem. Assuming the FD's are made by a supplier, the following applies: BMW's SUPPLIED PARTS QUALITY MANAGEMENT document (https://b2bpapp6.bmw.com/public/en/gdz/logistik/ersatzteile/qualitaet/handbuch_qm_kaufteile/Supplied_Parts_Quality_Management.pdf) states exactly what they require of their suppliers. In particular, starting on page 18, they list acceptable defect rates in the form of mfg process statistics: Cmk, Ppk, and Cpk. For those not familiar with modern quality systems, these parameters equate to defect rates measured in PPM (parts per million). Their requirement for a minimum Cpk at 1.33 equals a defect rate of 64ppm, or .0064% (6 sigma). In this day and age, defect rates over .25% just don't cut it! Current FD failures (be it 3% or even 1%) indicate they are (or should be) in the process of finding a new supplier or (more likely) have concluded the design is at fault and the supplier has been given a pass. Either way, their system dictates the current FD's be 100% inspected/tested at both the supplier and at the factory - and they still appear to fail at an unacceptable rate. Some more industry numbers for comparison: Defect PPM Expectations - GM Purchasing/ Supplier Quality 2003 Stampings : 66 (=.007%) Mechanical Control Systems: 113 (=.011%) Bearings: 21 (=.002%) Oh, the FD on my '07 RT is still going @56k (new seal @25k). However, I'm on my 3rd fuel gauge, 3rd ignition "ring", 2nd rear trans seal, 2nd rear shock, and 2nd set of front rotors. Other than that, it's been a great bike. Link to comment
Dave_in_TX Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 My 07 RT now has over 102k miles with no FD issues. Link to comment
Jon_M Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 2005 R12RT, 16,000 miles, OK so far Link to comment
XTrooper Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 2009 R1200RT, 7000 miles, no FD issues Link to comment
Smoky Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 2005 R1200RT, 75,000 km., no FD issues. Changed the FD oil last year, and will be annual change from now on. Link to comment
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