Creaking Suspension

[Drufus]

My 2004 RT with 53k miles had begun making a creaking noise in the rear suspension. I put a video to illustrate below. Has anyone had this noise before? Pivot bearings near the driveshaft? Pivot bearing higher up on the swingarm? Shock mount? U-joint?

 

I cannot feel any play in the rear wheel when I try to move it.

 

Thanks!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-IGk...ature=youtu.be

 

 

[dan cata]

The video you put is not valid.

 

The noise is most likely coming from the 2 paralever bearings, being dry. You can use new ones or go for bushings (way better)

 

Dan.

[Drufus]

Strange, the video works for me....

 

Do you mean the needle bearings near the rear, or the roller bearings nearer to the transmission? If I had to guess, I think it would be the needle bearings.

[ESokoloff]

Strange, the video works for me....

 

 

Not for me.

Here's what I get.

An error occurred during validation.

Sorry about that.

[dan cata]

Yes, the needle bearings. When you open those I guess there will be a lot of rust in there, hence the weird sound.

 

Have that repaired ASAP or needles might get loose and get your bike this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dan.

[Drufus]

Haven;t ridden the bike much since I started hearing the noise. That and the fact that I have a 3 week old daughter. She's my first and I don;t want to put my wife over the edge just yet!

 

OK, I am going to plan to fix this over the long weekend. Any other parts I will need besides the bearings and new zip ties for the rubber boot?

 

I cannot check the video now, as I am at work and youtube is blocked.

[Drufus]

Looks like they changed the URL on me. Try this:

[dan cata]

100% it's from there

 

Dan.

[Drufus]

I am currently in the midst of replacing my pivot bearings. I got off the left side locknut and nut after a little difficulty. I have never done anything like this before. Initially the inner bolt would not come out, but I think I over-heated it causing the bolt to expand. I let it cool and then used my torch to just heat the aluminum housing, and it came right out.

 

Now I am on the right side. I put my torch right in the socket recess, then I tried to turn it out, but it is not budging and I really don;t want to strip anything. Is the heat expanding the bolt? With the design of the bolt (large head) I don;t think I can heat elsewhere than the middle. If this will work, how long should I heat it for? Do i just need to heat the aluminum driveshaft? I doubt I would be able to heat the shaft with a torch as it might cook the paint. Ideally How hard to do I need to turn it to get it out? I don;t want to strip anything!

 

Another thought, if I use a torque wrench to loosen, whats the most Ft lbs I should be using? So if I am hitting xxx ft pounds, stop before I break it?!?!

[Alfred02]

Drufus

I did mine on my old 2004 1150RT.

It requires 10~15 minute heating with a paint stripper gun going around and round in circles on the edge of the bolt and case.

Even then, a larger socket handle then a ratched was required to break the bond. I am fortunate that I have a heat sensing gun that can read the temperature of the case as I was heating it.

So just check your watch...do it with a paint stripper gun for 15 minutes using a slow circular motion and then just crack it. It will take a bit.

 

Afterwards, clean the threads, both bolt and case as good as possible, picking out the old loctite and follow up with a degreaser.

Then use Loctite243 to re-tighten.

BMW went way over the top with the other loctite.

I can assure you that assuming you cleaned the threads reasonably well, the 243 will NOT come loose.

But is a hell of a lot easier to undo if or when required.

[Drufus]

Drufus

I did mine on my old 2004 1150RT.

It requires 10~15 minute heating with a paint stripper gun going around and round in circles on the edge of the bolt and case.

Even then, a larger socket handle then a ratched was required to break the bond. I am fortunate that I have a heat sensing gun that can read the temperature of the case as I was heating it.

So just check your watch...do it with a paint stripper gun for 15 minutes using a slow circular motion and then just crack it. It will take a bit.

 

Afterwards, clean the threads, both bolt and case as good as possible, picking out the old loctite and follow up with a degreaser.

Then use Loctite243 to re-tighten.

BMW went way over the top with the other loctite.

I can assure you that assuming you cleaned the threads reasonably well, the 243 will NOT come loose.

But is a hell of a lot easier to undo if or when required. [/quote

]

l

Heading out to get a heat gun tomorrow. Wil report how it goes! This project is a needed distraction, as I have a 4 week old daughter, who is extremely colicy. I have been running out to the garage to get away from the cries! (after tending to every immediate need of my wife and baby of course, but when mom is taking control I get out for a few minutes!)

[Alfred02]

This project is a needed distraction, as I have a 4 week old daughter, who is extremely colicy. I have been running out to the garage to get away from the cries! (after tending to every immediate need of my wife and baby of course, but when mom is taking control I get out for a few minutes!)

Been there...done that....three times.

The joys of parenthood.

Hope she is better soon.

[Drufus]

Heat gun worked like a charm! Now to replace the bearings, put humpty-dumpty back together and hope the creaking goes away.

[Alfred02]

Beaut

If you are replacing the bearings then I would suggest to use the heatgun again, install shells with heat, tighten a bit harder then as per final setting and loosen....do this multiple times to ensure that the needle bearing shells inside have definitely fully seated. Don't worry about the locknut on the wheel side for the moment until you have completed the above. Keep using the heatgun on the aluminum of the final drive.

Once you feel really confident that the shells "are" fully seated, let the whole lot cool off for at least a couple of hours to room temperature.

Then just use three runs 120degree apart of loctite243 across the threads...don't drown the threads in it!

 

At least on my previous 1150RT 2004 model, I spoke to the Mechanics and they told me that they would re-adjust them every 10000km and replace them every third time.

That at least tells me that they didn't fully seat the bearings properly in the 1st place.

 

I checked the play (after fixing mine) when I met the guy that bough my bike. By then it had done a bit over 2000km since I fixed the problem and on inspection it showed zero play.

[Drufus]

Any tips for phasing the u-joints? I was looking up the driveshaft tunnell, but I can;t seem to make out the u-joint orientation. Would unbolting the shock let move the swingarm for a better look?

 

[Drufus]

I figured it out. I hope. The hardest part was fitting the final drive and u-joint in the driveshaft. Several times I thought I was up the creek, but at around 2am it finally went together.

 

Creaking is gone. Hopefully it will not come back! Initial shakedown ride around the neighborhood proved uneventful, which I was grateful for.

[Drufus]

Almost forgot, thanks to everyone for the advice! Ride safe!

[Galactic Greyhound]

I figured it out. I hope. The hardest part was fitting the final drive and u-joint in the driveshaft. Several times I thought I was up the creek, but at around 2am it finally went together.

 

Creaking is gone. Hopefully it will not come back! Initial shakedown ride around the neighborhood proved uneventful, which I was grateful for.

 

Hi Drufus,

 

Re the difficulty in getting the final drive back back onto the driveshaft - See Geoff Thompson's post in this thread for next time:

www.bmbikes.org.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=14261&p=87696#p87696

 

Glad you got it fixed!