Replacing alternator belt R1200RT

[skyking96w]

My shop manual (Haynes) shows a special BMW tool for installing a new alternator belt. I checked on line, and it lists for $192.44!! I am hoping someone on this forum has developed a cheaper way to install a new belt. Perhaps "walking" it onto the pulley while turning the crankshaft?

 

I should have mentioned that in the last week I have been hearing a brief "screech" when cranking, so I am assuming it is the belt. The one on the bike is probably 50K old. (And I realize that the tool would be less at Chicago BMW.)

[Bernie]

I think BMW wants you to change it every 36 K.

I changed mine at my last service, using a large crescent wrench to turn the large nut on the front of motor. I could help you change it.

Make sure you get the right one from the dealer of your choice.

 

[Dave_C]

No special tool needed, I use an appropriate size wrench to turn the large nut like Bernie says above, then I use something flexible like an old belt to grab the belt and slide it off the pulley, reverse to install the new one. Local P.D. told me theirs gets changed every 30k miles, so that's what I do. Pretty easy, just make sure it's fully on both pulleys.

[SuperG]

Ok, he ( above ) beat me to it, but here it goes.

 

It doe not require a special tool. ( mine didn't)

The alternator has no adjustment to tighten or loosen the belt.

 

You basically "walk it off" and "Walk it ON"

 

Ignition OFF for sure, remove the key for safety

 

Once the cover is removed, use a large socket or wrench as mentioned above.

 

turn the crank shaft.

Option 1 : cut the old belt if you are not intending to keep it as spare.

Option 2:

Use anything with a hook other than your fingers to apply pressure to the belt (toward the front to the bike) as you turn the crankshaft.

Some people use a large screw driver to "walk" or pop the belt off.

 

install:

line up the new belt with the crank, rest the belt on the alternator pulley, turn crank slowly while walking the belt on the alternator pulley.

 

It is a piece of cake.

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

 

It is a piece of cake.

I wouldn't. It is doable. Proper socket is important. I watched the DVD on the chore upon a GS and could not for the life of me do that way on an RT.

[skyking96w]

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I know it is supposed to be changed at 36K. Somehow that little chore just escaped me.

[Hall Vince]

When I replaced mine on my ST I put the bike in gear and spun the engine over by rotating the rear wheel with my foot.

 

Get the correct Belt, The BMW ones are stretchy, I had a replacement from a third party supplier and although the correct size, it did want to go on. I bought a BMW belt and it went on easy.

 

Or option two. Pay dealer 1/2 hr labour to fit. Cheaper than the tool, well round my way it is.

 

\v/

[johnlt]

I've done several and it is not difficult at all (unless if you're from Coarsegold ). It does help to remove one of the spark plugs from each cylinder.

[Don_Eilenberger]

It can be made even simpler.. take an old water bottle or soda bottle (soda bottles tend to be thicker plastic - which is good..) and cut a slice out of it like a cylinder (open at both ends) about 1.5" in length.

 

Wrap this around the bottom pully as you rotate the engine, it will lift the belt up and you can slide it right off. Ditto on install. I imagine it would work well used on the top pully also if that's your thing.

 

Takes about 60 seconds to swap them once you can see them (made much easier on my '07 R1200R by removing the foam inner liner on the plastic cover.. which BMW discontinued shortly after my bike was made, they were trapping water and causing the engine cover to corrode..) With no inner foam liner, the cover slides right off with a bit of wiggling..

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Or option two. Pay dealer 1/2 hr labour to fit. Cheaper than the tool, well round my way it is.

 

That's the easy way, but I'm glad to know how to DIY without special tools, so I can change it myself when I'm in the middle of a road trip, 300 miles from the nearest BMW dealer. This is less of a problem in Europe, but in the US (especially out west), we've got some wide open spaces between dealers, and it's nice to not have to burn vacation time waiting for parts/service, and/or paying to have one's bike towed to the dealer.

 

My previous bike ('991100RT) had a mysterious tendency to eat alt belts, despite being correctly tensioned. First belt broke on the road at 30K miles, fortunately just a couple of miles from home, so I was able to ride home on battery power. I made a habit of inspecting later belts more frequently than the 36K interval specified in the manual, and found that they were often starting to disintegrate after just 24K miles. Don't know what my '09 1200RT will do, but I'll be ready if it does shed a belt away from home...

[Ken H.]

I've done several and it is not difficult at all (unless if you're from Coarsegold ).

Label me from Coursegold then. I have a dickens of a time doing it on the R1200xx series. And in general I think I’m pretty mechanically apt. I’ve even tried the pop bottle bit, and all I end up with is a bunch of cut up pop bottles they now won’t except at the recycle centre!

 

Takes about 60 seconds to swap them

Hey Don, we need video showing how the heck you do this in 60 seconds!

 

[johnlt]

Ken, I use no tools at all. As someone else said, I just walk it off then walk the new one on. It does help to pull a plug on each side so the engine turns over easier. I wish I had a socket large enough to fit that nut but but I don't so use a large cresent wrench.

[malcolmblalock]

I've changed mine, using the plastic bottle trick, and it was simple. In truth, it's much easier to do it (once ready to change the belt itself) than it is to write about it. Takes more time to get to the belt than it does to change it.

 

I travel with a spare, but don't carry the plastic--usually you can find one in the area.

 

My experience...

[Bullett]

And be careful where you place your fingers during the removal/ installation process!

[lawnchairboy]

or...

 

1) take a dozen dunkin donuts to the shop

2) inquire about and purchase the belt from said shop

3) ask to borrow the "uber-tool"

4) use "uber-tool"

 

that's what I did. Took about 10 minutes start to finish (I cut the old one) and the tool really does make it easy, although I'm not going to pony up for one, I just rented it for a dozen donuts. Of course, like Mitch says about knowing how to DIY it, that won't mean squat out on UT-95 somewhere on the side of the road....

[JayW]

I could not do it on my RT. I could get the old belt off with the cut up plastic soda bottle but, try as I might with teenage children assisting, could not get the new belt on. I was able to get the old belt back on with ease. It still looked just like the new one, so in the end I left it on, put another 10,000 miles on it, then paid the dealer to intall the new one.

 

Jay

[CoarsegoldKid]

I could not do it on my RT. I could get the old belt off with the cut up plastic soda bottle but, try as I might with teenage children assisting, could not get the new belt on.

 

Jay

Maybe you should move to Coarsegold? Ken too. I'll show you my method. @#*&%$#*&^**()*&^%$#@!

By the way if anyone is considering this chore and you have Ohlins shock up front it will take longer. Lots longer because the spring on the Ohlins won't allow you to remove the belt cover. You must remove the bottom shock bolt then get the cover off all while your assistant is pushing the rear end down then replace the bolt. By then you too will be saying @#*&%$#*&^**()*&^%$#@!

[RichardSpag]

I have Ohlins, but can get the cover off without the degree of aggravation that you mention. It just takes a little bit of patience and strategic wiggling and tugging of the front cover - but it can be done as a one person job quite easily. Note that lubrication with the alcohol of your choice will usually make the job progress more "smoothly". As per Dons earlier posting - a cut down soda bottle gets the belt off and back on again very well.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Don_Eilenberger]

I could not do it on my RT. I could get the old belt off with the cut up plastic soda bottle but, try as I might with teenage children assisting, could not get the new belt on. I was able to get the old belt back on with ease. It still looked just like the new one, so in the end I left it on, put another 10,000 miles on it, then paid the dealer to intall the new one.

 

Jay

Was the new troublesome one from BMW? If it isn't a stretchy belt, it's not going on.. and there are listings floating around the Interwebz for ones that are claimed to fit - but aren't stretchy..

[JayW]

I could not do it on my RT. I could get the old belt off with the cut up plastic soda bottle but, try as I might with teenage children assisting, could not get the new belt on. I was able to get the old belt back on with ease. It still looked just like the new one, so in the end I left it on, put another 10,000 miles on it, then paid the dealer to intall the new one.

 

Jay

Was the new troublesome one from BMW?

 

Yes it was. It looked a little shorter than the old one though. I took it back and asked the dealer to confirm that I had been given the correct part number: Yes. They said it just wasn't stretched out like the old one yet. I took out the plugs, put the bike in 6th gear, got the new belt lined up, but could not turn the rear wheel to get it walked up onto the pulley. My 17 year-old athlete son couldn't either. I am not one to give up easily but was afraid that even if we could get it on, it would put a lot of strain on those pulley bearings. The old belt went back on in a few seconds. 10,000 miles later I forgot to take that new belt with me when I went to the dealer so had to pay for another one, which they installed with their special tool. Maybe the first one was mismanufactured or something?.

 

By the way, even at that point, the original factory belt still looked new, even at 60K miles.

 

Jay

[Don_Eilenberger]

Was the new troublesome one from BMW?

 

Yes it was. It looked a little shorter than the old one though. I took it back and asked the dealer to confirm that I had been given the correct part number: Yes. They said it just wasn't stretched out like the old one yet. I took out the plugs, put the bike in 6th gear, got the new belt lined up, but could not turn the rear wheel to get it walked up onto the pulley. My 17 year-old athlete son couldn't either. I am not one to give up easily but was afraid that even if we could get it on, it would put a lot of strain on those pulley bearings. The old belt went back on in a few seconds. 10,000 miles later I forgot to take that new belt with me when I went to the dealer so had to pay for another one, which they installed with their special tool. Maybe the first one was mismanufactured or something?.

 

By the way, even at that point, the original factory belt still looked new, even at 60K miles.

 

Jay

The new belt I put on mine was identical - including length - to the one that came off. If it wasn't - they were BS'ing you - they gave you an oilhead belt.

 

As you found - when I did mine at 36,000 miles - the one coming off looked just as good as the one going on (so it's sitting on a shelf as a spare..)

[Nomad Indy]

Replced mine at 67,000 miles.

Remove one spark plug each side

Transmission in 6th gear, bike on cnter stand

wife turns rear wheel guide belt with palm of hand, keep your fingers in the clear.

5 minute job.

Do not forget to adaquately reward your helper.

old belt exctly like new belt, now taken as a spare.

 

If you are going to carry a spare anything, put the new part on and carry the old as a spare, you know it fits, new spare parts are not always interchangeable.

[skyking96w]

OK -- got the belt changed without too much drama, but the "screech" I was hearing on start-up is still there. It never really sounded like a belt slipping anyway. Have finally concluded that it is probably the starter solenoid not retracting quickly. Shaft needs a little lube, I suspect.