noob mechanical questions--final drive

[lawnchairboy]

 

rear end

the link above is an image of the rear end of my R12RT...mechanically challenged questions to follow...

 

1/ the circled in blue bolt is the plug to drain the final drive once you have it released and ready to drain?

 

2/ the red circle is the what needs to be released to swing down final drive arm after rear wheel/brakes/abs sensor are released? Specific to brake release...do you need to shim between the brake pads to keep them apart while they are off the wheel or can you just pop that sucker off there after pertinent bolts are released and not worry about it?

 

3/ the green circled rubber doohickey (style points removed for the use of the word "doohickey").. would one have to grab the drive shaft here to prevent it from disengaging from the engine interface before swinging down the final drive or is this a non-issue?

 

thanks to Tim (first_beemer) for prior PM and post (and offer of phone help!) on the subject. At the rate I am putting on the miles, I will probably attempt final drive lube at summer's end and am trying to get more mechanically edjamucated on the subject. I am sure there are at least 10 more mechanical idiots out there who would be educated as well....

 

thanks,,

 

chris

[Boffin]

er, isn't the final drive on the R1200RT lubed for life?

 

Andy

[cjmkerns]

Yes, and the previous version's splines were maintainance free.

 

Regards,

 

Carl

[Ken H.]

1) This is the fill point. There is no drain. Officially the FD is lubed for life.

 

2) Yes. IF you must. This will allow the FD to pivot rearward to drain out its fill hole. Somewhat anyway.

 

No need to block the brake pads. As long as you don't engage the brakes with the caliper off, they will stay in place just fine.

 

3) No way around that. If you pivot the final drive rearward, the drive shaft will disengage, and you will have to reconnect it to the FD when you pivot it back up.

 

I think if I felt I just had to ignore BMW and change my FD lube, I'd figure out a way to suction the old out instead of the above rigmarole.