Sealed for life final drive - any thoughts?

[brianbeemer]

My bike has the sealed for life final drive. The dealer is happy to change the fluid for me if I want to, but what are your thoughts? Should I leave well alone or do you think it's worth changing the oil at, say, the 6k service?

[dwsdad]

be careful when they tell you something is "for life". Is it your life or the items? So if the final drive fails, does that mean that's the end of it's life?

[JPSpen]

They figured out real fast that that was not a good thing. Get it flushed at 600 and then go for the future.. Personally I'd change the oil every chance I got.


John

[hopz]

"Thoughts"... yes I have thoughts....

I think BMW ought to take responsibility for the apparent difficulties with the final drives.

I think it is a disappointment that bikes of this quality" induce this uncertainty.

I think it makes sense to service the final drive, carefully and often.

I think I am going to purchase the extended warranty.

[Gizmo1137]

Inquiring minds want to know, if it is "sealed for life" how would one, dealer or do-it-yourselfer, change the fluid?

[cfell]

yup.. a "disposable", one use device/item. "Life" is the variable...

[grifscoots]

Oil wears out, the rear end isn't hermetically sealed, so still will draw some water, dirt, etc., and then there's shear from gears. Changing it is cheap insurance.

[dwsdad]

From what I've seen (and I haven't looked REAL close), there's a plug on the backend. I assume that's the one you pull, then yank the bike up on the rear wheel to get it to drain......or pop a wheelie for about 1/4 mile. 75w-90 for replacement?

[brianbeemer]

Thanks for the comments. I'm a 'change it regularly' guy - my wife's Festiva lasted 15 years and STILL passed the CA emissions test!

The dealer didn't do it at 600 because 'it wasn't on the spec' so I plan to do it at the start of the next riding season. The bike is going into store at the end of this month and I plan to give it a service before it goes up on blocks. I like clean engine oil in there, especially after recent hard riding.

By the way, these bikes keep on pulling way beyond 120 mph (I chickened out at that speed - 125 indicated, 120 on the gps, and 6500 rpm). One day I'm going to take it down the Autobahns.....

[messenger13]

Yep...sealed for life. Unfortunately, the "life" of my 1st final drive was approx. 19K miles. May it rest in peace. http://www.advrider.com/forums/images/smilies/pope.gif

[DaveRT]

From what I've seen (and I haven't looked REAL close), there's a plug on the backend. I assume that's the one you pull, then yank the bike up on the rear wheel to get it to drain......or pop a wheelie for about 1/4 mile. 75w-90 for replacement?
Does that mean you are going to do a Brakie or a Stoppie to fill it? :p

[Gael]

Actually, from what I am reading over on the Chromeheads.org forum (R1200C) the rear drive is hermetically sealed and that is at least part of the problem. I guess the 1150 series had some sort of vent but the 1200 series does not. Thus, when the gearbox gets hot and the oil expands, it has nowhere to go but past the seal, past the gears and out onto the pavement. There has been some talk about adding a vent but it is unclear how this could be done. I thought a hole in the filler plug would suffice but was told that this wouldn't won't work as the hole would be right in the flow of the oil as it is thrown around inside and would leak profusely. I suspect if someone could figure out how to add a vent then at least part of the final drive problem would be solved. Surely someone could engineer a replacement vented final drive oil plug?????

Gael

[messenger13]

Actually, from what I am reading over on the Chromeheads.org forum (R1200C) the rear drive is hermetically sealed and that is at least part of the problem. I guess the 1150 series had some sort of vent but the 1200 series does not. Thus, when the gearbox gets hot and the oil expands, it has nowhere to go but past the seal, past the gears and out onto the pavement. There has been some talk about adding a vent but it is unclear how this could be done. I thought a hole in the filler plug would suffice but was told that this wouldn't won't work as the hole would be right in the flow of the oil as it is thrown around inside and would leak profusely. I suspect if someone could figure out how to add a vent then at least part of the final drive problem would be solved. Surely someone could engineer a replacement vented final drive oil plug?????

GaelSo they think a vent is going to cure the final drive failures, huh? :rotf:

[PODMAN]

My bike has the sealed for life final drive. The dealer is happy to change the fluid for me if I want to, but what are your thoughts? Should I leave well alone or do you think it's worth changing the oil at, say, the 6k service?
If BMW saids it's sealed for life and you don't have to change it I would leave it alone. Once it's out of warranty do what you want. Had a K1200RS and changed the FD fluid once in 69,000 miles.

I guess the bottom line is do what you feel comfortable doing.

MP

[wilbar00c]

Joe, did your rear shaft ball bearing (p/n 6013-2RS) with the two rubber side seals (ie. the grease packed bearing) fail?

[messenger13]

Joe, did your rear shaft ball bearing (p/n 6013-2RS) with the two rubber side seals (ie. the grease packed bearing) fail?I don't know what part number failed, or the specific details of the failure. I only know that I had at least 1/4" of play if not more, and the rear wheel did not want to spin freely. If that doesn't sound like major bearing failure, I don't know what does.

I am 99.999% convinced that it's either the design of the bearing, or the process in which they are being assembled. I sure wish that BMW would let a completely new engineering team have a crack at these final drives. The current design and/or specs is obviously not working too well.

[highroamer]

Joe, What signalled 'end of life' at 19,000 miles? I've got an oil leak that appeared at 22,000kms.

Kevin.

[messenger13]

Joe, What signalled 'end of life' at 19,000 miles? I've got an oil leak that appeared at 22,000kms.

Kevin.One minute I was doing 130mph down the highway, and the next minute, I was coasting up to a gas pump and it felt like my rear caliper was sticking. No real warning . . . just speculation. In hindsight, it seems my rear wheel was always covered with dirt, grime, oil, what-have-you. Perhaps that seal was leaking all along. I don't know...just speculating here.

[cccpastorjack]

Joe, What signalled 'end of life' at 19,000 miles? I've got an oil leak that appeared at 22,000kms.

Kevin.



A Harley Rider who walked up and said, "Man, those BMW's really do leak, don't they?" :histerica :histerica

[ka5ysy]

The 2007 specs require a 600 mile initial inspection oil change of the FD. I just did the 6000 mile service and had the shop change the gearbox lube and the FD lube again. Easy enough when the bike is up for service anyway, and I plan to change it every 6000 miles pending oil analysis of samples.

I did replace all the dinosaur oil with full Synthetics (AMSOIL) so the good stuff is protecting my engine and the FD !. :D

To change the FD, you have to drop the FD off the shaft at the U Joint to drain/add oil. There is not a lot in that thing, so synthetics are the way to go for me. :D

[cccpastorjack]

Just changed mine using a really large syringe with a long piece of small diameter (1/8") tubing attached. Did it through the drain hole!

Fed the tubing down to the very bottom of the drive, sucked it all out real good...added a little fresh gear oil...turned the wheel a few times...let it settle and sucked that small portion out...then refilled with with 220ml of fresh fluid (and on my 07 GT 220 ml filled it to just beginning to run out of the drain hole) buttoned it up and was ready to go in less than 25 minutes. No rear drive removal!!!! :D Worked like a champ! :dance:

[IanW]

Just changed mine using a really large syringe with a long piece of small diameter (1/8") tubing attached. Did it through the drain hole!

Fed the tubing down to the very bottom of the drive, sucked it all out real good...added a little fresh gear oil...turned the wheel a few times...let it settle and sucked that small portion out...then refilled with with 220ml of fresh fluid (and on my 07 GT 220 ml filled it to just beginning to run out of the drain hole) buttoned it up and was ready to go in less than 25 minutes. No rear drive removal!!!! :D Worked like a champ! :dance:

Jack
On the RT the drain hole is below the normal level of the FD. The FD has to be filled through the speedometer sensor hole. I do not know if it is the same on the GT but other RT owners should not consider the syringe method unless they fill through the speedo hole.

Ian :)