Clutch Lifespan

[Corazon de Pollo]

Just out of idle curiosity: has anyone an idea of how clutch lifespan on Wethead boxers stacks up against previous air/oil cooled models under the same usage?

 

Thanks

[Dave_in_TX]

I would say it "stacks up" very well. My 2007 R1200RT had the original clutch when I traded it in at 140K miles, my 2011 R1200RT needed a new clutch at 110K miles, and my 2014 R1200GS still has the original clutch at 127K miles. One nice thing about a wet clutch like on the wetheads is that it can tolerate slipping much better than a dry clutch generally can.

[Corazon de Pollo]

Thank you very much, that's exactly what I needed to hear.

[ferdiii]

On 3/2/2020 at 1:03 PM, Dave_in_TX said:

I would say it "stacks up" very well. My 2007 R1200RT had the original clutch when I traded it in at 140K miles, my 2011 R1200RT needed a new clutch at 110K miles, and my 2014 R1200GS still has the original clutch at 127K miles. One nice thing about a wet clutch like on the wetheads is that it can tolerate slipping much better than a dry clutch generally can.

And I´ll add thar it is easier to replace it on a rt LC that in a dry clutch model.

[PadG]

21 hours ago, ferdiii said:

And I´ll add thar it is easier to replace it on a rt LC that in a dry clutch model.

Without a doubt!  The clutch pack is accessible by removing the front cover to the engine.

[ferdiii]

The only problem  having chutch beside of front cover is that the alternator is in the other side , and if you have a problem with it, you have to disasemble a lot of pieces to access to it.

[alegerlotz]

20 hours ago, ferdiii said:

The only problem  having chutch beside of front cover is that the alternator is in the other side , and if you have a problem with it, you have to disasemble a lot of pieces to access to it.

 

One is a wear item, one might break.  IMO its much better to have them where they are on the wethead rather than knowing that eventually the bike will need to be split in half to change a wear item.

[dduelin]

It's a wear item but how many riders will accumulate the wear to replace it before getting rid of the bike? My 2007 1200RT had 188,000 on the original clutch but I've had several bikes that needed an alternator or charging system work by half that mileage.

 

I've done a clutch twice and didn't consider it a difficult task. Time consuming yes but I wasn't paying shop rates. I'd like to know what shop hours are allotted for a LC clutch vs a dry one and the same for an alternator. I did see reference to 9 shop hours for a LC alternator. Is that correct?

[lkraus]

I've seen 

Wethead clutch: 12 FRU

Wethead alternator: 65 FRU

Camhead clutch: 56 FRU

Camhead alternator: 17 FRU

I've seen a Flat Rate Unit given as 10 minutes and as 6 minutes, not sure which is current.

 

 Of the two, I'd prefer easy access to the clutch. Probably influenced by the fact that I've never had an alternator fail on any vehicle.  I think BMW improved the LC stator design after some early failures.  

[PadG]

BMW did improve the alternator on the wethead by increasing to coil count from 7/phase to 9/phase, and since the number of turns/phase is retained, this gives more space for better cooling of the coils.

[LAF]

On 4/21/2020 at 9:29 AM, PadG said:

BMW did improve the alternator on the wethead by increasing to coil count from 7/phase to 9/phase, and since the number of turns/phase is retained, this gives more space for better cooling of the coils.

I think I also read they did something with bigger/more/spaced holes for the oil bath part of the stator also?  It is the ONLY thing that gives me pause on these bikes.  I dont know if I could pull and split the motor by myself, but it would be the only way I could continue to ride financially.  I never could pay a dealer 3 K + for that repair.  That said the early 14 bike I saw a pic of the stator and it looked like an 8 year old did the winding, it was really pathetic looking.  And another I remember was a nut or bolt came out and took it out, and BMW did not cover that one.  As I say it is the only thing that scares me repairing this bike myself. 

 

I guess if it ever happens I will deal with it then, but I see very few reported especially on the later year models.