Paralever bearing needs adjusted or replaced ???

[StevenM]

My 04 RT is currently in having the 6000 mile sevice performed. I just got a call from the dealer telling me they had found that my paralever bearing needed to be adjusted or replaced. They wouldn't know for sure until they tore into it. Said the bearing and other associated parts would be about 200 dollars plus 2 hours labor. Said not covered under warranty. I cannot imagine how that bearing could go out unless it was faulty when the bike was built. I'm the original owner and know the conditions this bike has been operated under. This bike hasn't been abused in any way. I personally can't tell any differnce in the way the bike handles now compared to the day I rode it off the showroom floor. When I found out it wasn't warrantied , I became slightly upset. Told them to do the work (6000 mile)that it was originally brought in for, and nothing else. I need some of your expert advice on this matter. I read the oilhead wrenching posts' every day and I've never seen mention of this problem. Why wouldn't this be warrantied? Is this a major job that requires specialized tools and skills or can I do this work myself.Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thanks to all of the contributors to this great site.

[Barglowski]

Steven:

 

There's been a few posts about "Final Drive bearings" and how they give some play on the rear wheel. I found thisFinal Drive Post but I didn't see the one about Final Drive looseness (check vertical and horizonal wheel play with/without the brake applied, one)

 

If they're talking about the final drive bearing, that's a completely different and potentially harmful issue -- when it goes, the rear wheel seizes!!! Check for post with "Final Drive" to research that...

 

BUT...I'm assuming that the "paralever bearings" that their talking about are the tranny to (paralever) swingarm bearings. There's another set that connect the swingarm to the final drive. Both are very similar, with the axis of rotation horizontal and the same removal/torque technique.

 

[sheesh...this is gonna be a long post...I know it!]

 

For you to replace these bearings (I don't know if they can be adjusted???) you'd have to take off the rear wheel, (remove the final drive -- don't know if necessary), and remove the two "bolts" holding the swingarm to the bike. Oh, the rear shock, too. You'd need a 150nm torque wrench, a 12mm allen socket, and a 30mm socket. A heat gun for 5 min on those bolt is necessary to loosen/melt the locktite.

 

I could go on, but I'm not sure we're even talking about the same bearings now.

 

Tell us more, if you can!

 

Later,

jan

[Ken H.]

Said not covered under warranty.

That's absurd. Pivot bearings have been known to fail at 40K and out of warranty, but on an '04 with 6K, it's not under warranty? No way. Insist that it be covered 100% and if you don't get anywhere escalate it to BMWNA. There is no way this is correct. Bad dealer, berry, berry bad.

[Boffin]

I agree that's definitely a warranty repair. My dealer just told me the rear shock on my '04 RT with 21K miles will be replaced under warranty. Sounds like the dealer is trying to get a bigger margin than BMWNA give him on the job.

 

Cya, Andy

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Its not a warranty item cause its considered a wear item, just like swing arm bushings have been since motorcycles have had suspensions. Same for light bulbs, brakes, tires, batteries, etc.

 

The bearings go bad because they are extremely sensitive to installation as they depend on torque settings for their proper internal clearance. Trouble is the torque is tiny, the clearances are small and the threads are large. All combine to make setting the things properly a somewhat hit or miss proposition.

 

To replace yourself, your gonna need a pretty good sized heat gun, some Loctite 2701 for re-assembly, a calibrated small torque wrench and some luck. I don't use a torque wrench preferring to tighten till I can detect tight and then back off a bit. So far, so good.

[smiller]

Should be 100% under warranty, no question about it. Bring it up with the owner, I'm sure he will take care of it and apologize for the error.

[SageRider]

Its not a warranty item cause its considered a wear item...

My paralever bearings on my RT were replaced under warranty. I never had to say anything. Dealer detected problem and recommended warranty replacement. 18K miles at the time.

I would say fight this one. Non-warranty on a bearing at 6K miles is ludicrous.

[StevenM]

Thanks to all that have replied.I'm hoping that I can get this covered by warranty. Seems it should be.

Hey Ed...I read your posts and you seem very knowledgeable about matters concerning BMW motorcycles. I pay attention to your responses to others request for mechanical issues with their bikes. Are you suggesting that I should just bite the bullet and repair this myself, or pay the dealer to do it? Most responses say that this should be warranty except for you. I could see being responsible for this if I had been beating the crap out of the bike , but that simply is not the case. Anyway,thanks again to all.

[mikefigielski]

Steve,

As Ed mentioned, those bearings are very sensitive to torque and will wear very fast if they were overtorqued from the factory. Since the factory and the dealer were the only ones to touch them, it should be covered, especially with that low mileage. I'd insist on it. Good luck!

Mike

[GordonB]

If it's the Final Drive Pivot Bearing, it can be adjusted for about $35 bucks if you don't want to mess with it. I had mine adjusted and it's been fine ever since. But there is a chance the bearings are worn, whereas mine were not.

Good luck.

[StevenM]

I just got off the phone with the service dept. manager regarding this issue. I had called and spoken to him earlier after reading all the reponses I had gotten from everyone. I had told him that I had contacted some very knowledgable friends about this issue and we all agreed that this should be covered by the warranty. He wasn't aware of the situation and said he would get back to me when he had more info. One thing I didn't mention in the original post was that the mechanic had suspected leakage from the pinion seal???Anyway, the manager said they had gone ahead and adjusted the paralever bearing and after closer inspection they had decided there was no pinion seal leak. . Not knowing any better, I'll just have to take his word for it. Again, thanks to all for the advice. Where would I be without you?

[Rich06FJR1300]

While i was at Lima I attended an oilhead tech session. They told me those pivot pin bearings almost always fall apart upon removal...they are very fragile...said the right side bearing will definitely break as it is under stress. They may have a fix in the works but its still in testing...they may go to a sintered bushing in place of the right side bearing (a little stronger and wont break upon removal).

 

But that's long term so keep it in mind and its being tested by gearheads, not sure about BMW.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

...we all agreed that this should be covered by the warranty.

 

Um, not all of us. My paralever bearings died young, too, within the warranty period. I inquired at the dealer about replacement, and he referred me to a placard I had received when I bought the bike that explained, in no uncertain terms, exactly what was and was not covered by the warranty. There, in black-and-white ink, I found that suspension bearings were specifically excluded from warranty coverage.

 

If you bought your bike new, then you probably have this same placard; if you don't, ask your dealer for one. It's possible that coverage has changed since '99, but that placard will definitively tell you whether the paralever bearings are or are not covered by the warranty.

[bmwmick]

Steven,

I too think your bearings should be replaced under warranty if nothing else, under the Goodwill $$$ that the dealers get to spend each month.

Here is some data on the paralever pivot BUSHINGS that Tom Cutter is now making available:

 

What are JL Paralever Bushings???

 

 

A guy in the midwest came up with a redesign of the crummy Paralever bearings from BMW. In his words:

"Thank you for your interest in my Final Drive Pivot Bushings for the BMW Paralever Swingarm. I developed these after purchasing a '93 R100GSPD and hearing stories about Drive Shaft failures. I decided to inspect the Drive Shaft

every 2500 miles. The one recurring failure I found was the Final Drive Pivot Bearings, anything from rough bearings to one set actually seized up from shattered rollers. All lubing and preload was per BMW specs.. I will say the

bike is not stock and goes where I point it. To my knowledge a roller bearing is designed to roll not rock back and forth, wearing a groove in the race and a flat on the roller. My Bushings are a direct replacement made from 660

Oilite Bronze that is oil impregnated and self lubricating, matched to a Timken Bearing race. They provide a Much Larger contact surface than the rollers since the Full Face of the Bushing contacts the race. I have developed and tested these for three years in my GS with great success, the present set has 15k miles with no measurable wear. If any wear does occur it will be negated when adjusting preload. I have also installed a set in my ' 94 K1100LT. These Bushings fit ALL Paralever Final Drive Pivots ' 87 to present. I am confident these Bushings are a one time investment and you will be happy with there performance. "

I have made arrangements to begin selling these bearings after a lengthy test on my own motorcycle and two others locally. The best feature about them

besides the reliability, is the ease of refitting the paralever assembly after any servicing. On the road this could prevent a trip-stopping failure of the OEM tapered needle bearings.

 

A complete bearing replacement kit is US $119.00. Orders may be placed through my website.

 

Thanks for the inquiry. I really believe that we BMW riders need this product.

 

Tom Cutter

Yardley, PA

Rubber Chicken Racing Garage

Your source for Wilbers Suspension, JL Paralever Bushings

Full Transmission and Engine Rebuilding services

http://www.RubberChickenRacingGarage.com

 

Mick