GS Drive-train Problem

[DaveDragon]

The GS started making a new noise on the ride home this afternoon.
A rather loud Roaring Noise coming from the Drive Shaft Area when under load and back loaded as in engine braking.

Coasting clutch in is silent and smooth, same for coasting in neutral.

Final drive replaced last year this time in Nashville 24,000 miles ago.
FD has another year of warranty but it's not like a FD failure, more of a drive shaft bearing kind of noise.

Perhaps the Tranny output shaft bearing.

Tranny, Final drive & Engine lube replaced 2 weekends ago, by me.
Checked FD & Tranny fluid levels and both are good. Tranny lube still looks clean.

[murray]

Dave first off that bites !

Is the noise present with steady speed and throttle ?

Any new vibration noted ?

The trans output shaft and bearing continues to spin with the clutch in, and no noise reported may support the output shaft bearing is good.

Since it is under warranty I would take it to the shop, or time to get dirty.

Good Luck!

[DaveDragon]

I changed the Tranny & Final Drive Lubes to see if there were any metal shavings to indicate the problem.

The Tranny lube was clean with no metal particles.

The Final Drive lube told a different story.

When I pulled the speed sensor from the Final Drive it was covered with a large amount of metal particles. The lube once drained also had metal in it.

There is no side play or slop in the final drivel just a bad roaring sound once above about 20 mph. The faster the louder the roar.

Good news is this Final Drive has another year of warranty on it as it was replaced last summer by Bloodworths in Nashville.

I guess I'm stuck with BMW of Tampa Bay to do the warranty work, unless I can get Dusty to send a truck down from Tallahassee for it.

[Patric]

I doubt it ...but it might be the rubber in the drive shaft starting to let go ...

[DaveDragon]

I doubt it ...but it might be the rubber in the drive shaft starting to let go ...

You doubt what?

[Patric]

The Drive shaft damping rubber is starting to separate from the two steel drive tubes . If the rubber lets go , all power to the final drive goes with it . It just might be starting to go , and is trying to tell you with the new noise ....But probably not ....

Also ...My alternator belt came loose on the Dempster Hwy. a few hundred miles short of Inuvik last year . It sounded like something major was about to brake . So when we go into Inuvik , I started looking the bike over . I found the alternator belt was real loose , so I tightened it up ,and all was well.

[DaveDragon]

I got a call back from Joe, the owner of EuroCycles of Tampabay.
He's calling Bloodworths in Nashville to get the FD warranty info from their replacement last summer.

He's supposed to be making arrangements for their truck to swing by the Casa to pickup the GS.

[Jim]

Dave,

Was the current one replaced as a whole unit or just the bearings?

[DaveDragon]

Dave,

Was the current one replaced as a whole unit or just the bearings?

I'm not positive.

Feels like the input shaft bearing is the culprit, and if they didn't replace the entire unit then I still had the factory bearing.

[Jim]

Well, good luck with it. Should be interesting to see what they find.

[DaveDragon]

I just called Scott Esteran, Service Manager of Bloodworth Motorcycles and he verified the Final Drive is Under Warranty and there should be no issues at all in getting it completely covered by BMW Warranty.

Specifically, they replaced part # 33117694845 on 6-30-2007 and closed the ticket on 8-3-2007 with BMW.

26,430 miles on the clock. Now at 60,000 miles.

[DaveDragon]

Well, it's been two days since hearing from Joe at Eurocycles of Tampabay.

The info from last summers failure and replacement was faxed to Eurocycles yesterday by Scott at Bloodworth BMW and as Scott told me yesterday "you should have zero problems with getting this fixed under warranty".

I think it all depends on just how interested Joe is in getting my GS fixed.

Did not hear from him yesterday or so far this morning.

[Jim]

I just called Scott Esteran, Service Manager of Bloodworth Motorcycles and he verified the Final Drive is Under Warranty and there should be no issues at all in getting it completely covered by BMW Warranty.

Specifically, they replaced part # 33117694845 on 6-30-2007 and closed the ticket on 8-3-2007 with BMW.

26,430 miles on the clock. Now at 60,000 miles.

That part number looks like the entire rear end, not just a bearing replacement. If that is true these things aren't lasting you very long.

[DaveDragon]

That part number looks like the entire rear end, not just a bearing replacement. If that is true these things aren't lasting you very long.

I'm saying!http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif

It was the entire FD unit.

[DaveDragon]

I just called Joe, the owner of Eurocycles of Tampa Bay since I had not heard from him since Monday. He's saying he"s not sure it's covered under warranty.

Scott from Bloodworth BMW faxed them the repair sheet with all of the warranty info. Scott tells me there should be no discussion on weather warranty will cover it as it's inside the two year warranty on the FD.

I guess I've been hope'n against hope that Eurocycles would do the right thing, but I'm not feeling the love, at all!

[JPSpen]

You're gonna get the "We didn't do the repair so why should we have to warranty it.."
I guess you could pull the drive and send it to Bloodworth...

Another BMW Turdhunt.

That's why I buys'em used and fixes'em myself'es.

"Good Luck Dave" Says H.A.L.


John

[messenger13]

You're gonna get the "We didn't do the repair so why should we have to warranty it.." :confused: I'm not following your logic here John. As far as I understand it, warranty work is some of the most profitable for a dealer, regardless of who did the original work or why the warranty work is being done.

Sounds to me like Eurocycles of Tampa Bay is just making doubly sure that they're going to get paid for this work, that's all. Of course, I could be wrong.

[DaveDragon]

:confused: I'm not following your logic here John. As far as I understand it, warranty work is some of the most profitable for a dealer, regardless of who did the original work or why the warranty work is being done.

Sounds to me like Eurocycles of Tampa Bay is just making doubly sure that they're going to get paid for this work, that's all. Of course, I could be wrong.

They will be paid regardless of it warranty covers it as I have to have the bike fixed in any event.

Eurocycles has a less-than-stellar reputation here in Tampa but they are the local dealer where I purchased the LT in 2002.

[JPSpen]

:confused: I'm not following your logic here John. As far as I understand it, warranty work is some of the most profitable for a dealer, regardless of who did the original work or why the warranty work is being done.




If that were true Joe, Don't you think these dealers would be jumping through their asses to do anything they could under warranty ??????

I'd certainly do warranty over regular work if it paid more... And be out looking for more to do...But they have to push it by BMWNA or who knows...

As David says, There should be no question about whether this is warranty..

But yet, there still is.....


John

[DaveDragon]

The Truck from Eurocycles arrived at 1:30 this afternoon and hauled her away.

Todd, the service manager called me to tell me there is a $100.00 fee for transporting the bike from my home to the shop. Nice.

Also, I have to prove that the Final Drive lube was changed at the 600 mile break in interval. Nicer yet.

We were on the road when it failed and was repaired the first time.

The morning I picked it up from Bloodworths we headed north to Kentucky via every twisty road in south central KY and stopped for the evening in Glasgow Kentucky (http://davedragon.rilysi.com/2007/07/ride-about-2007-7-3-07.html) where I changed the FD lube in the in the lot in front of the room with the bottle of Lube I kept in the side case.

I wrote the mileage & date on the side of the lube bottle with my sharpie, 27000 miles on the nose, 550 miles on the new FD.

If they wont take this as proof then we're gonna have a problem.

[hdfan]

The Truck from Eurocycles arrived at 1:30 this afternoon and hauled her away.

Todd, the service manager called me to tell me there is a $100.00 fee for transporting the bike from my home to the shop. Nice.

Also, I have to prove that the Final Drive lube was changed at the 600 mile break in interval. Nicer yet.

We were on the road when it failed and was repaired the first time.

The morning I picked it up from Bloodworths we headed north to Kentucky via every twisty road in south central KY and stopped for the evening in Glasgow Kentucky (http://davedragon.rilysi.com/2007/07/ride-about-2007-7-3-07.html) where I changed the FD lube in the in the lot in front of the room with the bottle of Lube I kept in the side case.

I wrote the mileage & date on the side of the lube bottle with my sharpie, 27000 miles on the nose, 550 miles on the new FD.

If they wont take this as proof then we're gonna have a problem.

Didn't I just read in MC news that BMW ackowledge the rd issue finally, and although there is nothing in writing that says they will do this, they will be fixing them regardless of warrantee?? Worth a read (again for me). Maybe I misunderstood.

[Dick]

Hmmmm - you might wanna drop one of your bidness cards on the service manager's desk, with the forum's URL highlighted - just in case he has some free time to take a gander while your scoot is in 'his' bosses' shop!!

Good luck, Dave. Pullin' for ya, cuz like we've all heard before - takes a good dealership to go to bat for their customer.


The Truck from Eurocycles arrived at 1:30 this afternoon and hauled her away.

Todd, the service manager called me to tell me there is a $100.00 fee for transporting the bike from my home to the shop. Nice.

Also, I have to prove that the Final Drive lube was changed at the 600 mile break in interval. Nicer yet.
<snip>
If they wont take this as proof then we're gonna have a problem.

[Jim]

Not to hijack your thread, but just noticed in the North West forum that Ken lost the rear end on his GT.

[DaveDragon]

Just got the call from EuroCycles to tell me the GS is ready for pick-up.

Replaced the entire Final Drive as it was "full of metal" as Todd the Service Manager stated.

Yahoooooooooooooooooo!

[lavamanz]

glad to here they took care of it under warranty for you. this is your second replacement on the GS if my reading is accurate. I'm wondering if there is anything to be gained by getting the fluid analyzed each time it's changed?

[Jim]

No more grief about it being a warranty job I hope.

[DaveDragon]

No more grief about it being a warranty job I hope.
No grief at all.
I told them how it was changed and they accepted it.

Had a Great Ride home in the outer bands of Fay and loved every dang second of it.

Eurocycles treated me right and handled me and my bike professionally.
My faith in the brand is restored by two favorable dealer experiences, and for the first time in a while now I feel I have solid local dealer support.
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Jim]

Glad it work out in the end.

As you approach 90 thousand, you might want to stick close to home. :histerica

[murray]

No grief at all.
I told them how it was changed and they accepted it.

Had a Great Ride home in the outer bands of Fay and loved every dang second of it.

Eurocycles treated me right and handled me and my bike professionally.
My faith in the brand is restored by two favorable dealer experiences, and for the first time in a while now I feel I have solid local dealer support.
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif
Dave , glad to here it all worked out.
Was the FD replaced with the newer FD with the drain plug in the housing ?

[DaveDragon]

Glad it work out in the end.

As you approach 90 thousand, you might want to stick close to home. :histerica

No kidding http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon11.gif

[DaveDragon]

Dave , glad to here it all worked out.
Was the FD replaced with the newer FD with the drain plug in the housing ?

Wow, I didn't even check for that. Thanks for the reminder, I'll check.

I didn't get to Ride this morning as I had to take Sue to the Airport 1st thing, and she didn't want to hold her luggage on the back of the GS, so I drove her little car.

[ronk1200lt]

Dave! How often are you changing the oil in your final drive? I am doing mine every 6000 miles. I was in the dealers shop the other day when he was changing the oil on a GS with about 40,000 miles on it. I was shocked at how much crap the oil had in it and the smell was like limburger cheese. He says they all are like that if they aren't changed regularly. I haven't had any final drive problems on my 2007 GSA, but so far I have only about 15,000 miles on it. I am hoping that changing the oil more regularly works, as riders that I know who are doing it regularly haven't been having the incidence of final drive failures of riders who don't. Here is hoping that the next 100K are trouble free for you.

[DaveDragon]

Wow, I didn't even check for that. Thanks for the reminder, I'll check.

I didn't get to Ride this morning as I had to take Sue to the Airport 1st thing, and she didn't want to hold her luggage on the back of the GS, so I drove her little car.

They installed the New Design.http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
It has a Drain plug but no obvious fill plug (sensor hole).

I'll post some photos tomorrow.

[DaveDragon]

Dave! How often are you changing the oil in your final drive? I am doing mine every 6000 miles. I was in the dealers shop the other day when he was changing the oil on a GS with about 40,000 miles on it. I was shocked at how much crap the oil had in it and the smell was like limburger cheese. He says they all are like that if they aren't changed regularly. I haven't had any final drive problems on my 2007 GSA, but so far I have only about 15,000 miles on it. I am hoping that changing the oil more regularly works, as riders that I know who are doing it regularly haven't been having the incidence of final drive failures of riders who don't. Here is hoping that the next 100K are trouble free for you.

Every 3000 Oil & Filter
Every 6000 Tranny & Final Drive Lube
Every 12000 Clean the Windscreen and Lights
Every 24000 Wipe down with microfiber rag
Every 30000 Replace Final Drive, Do Yearly PM
Every Ride, Ride it like you stole it, all over the US