The Beat Goes On!

[black1200lt]

The beat goes on, the beat goes on:

Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain.
La de da de de, la de da de da.

Day four of my 10 thousand miles in ten days ride, I awake at 3AM and was greeted by a fine mist and heavy clouds, but hey it's an adventure. Let's go see how the weather is in Montana today. I get my starting receipt, and the gas guy and I are nearly on first name basis after four 4AM visits. I have plugged in all my Gerbing gear, donned my Gore-Tex set my CB channel, que my iPod, turned on my V1 and filled in my ride log...RTR! (Ready To Roll)

I take off up the pass and of course the fog is in your face, the truckers are slowly plugging up the pass and I stay in the middle lane, no traffic as I get to the top of the pass: I am hearing and feeling more than the bass that is just not quite on que with my music. (Not that I have ever had THAT experience before.) I take the next exit and call a tow truck. I'm betting REAR DRIVE FAILURE. Do I hear an Amen?
Ali is be diagnosed as we speak.
I'll keep you advised.

[KBandit]

jeez ... i hope it's something else. what year is your bike?

[black1200lt]

2001 and, it sure is pretty!

[RMoore007]

Good luck Coni and Ali.:p Hope it's nothing.:( Or something that some good folks/diagnostician's can take care of quickly.:D

[dshealey]

Oh no!

Darn Coni, sure sorry it happens to you when you need it most.:(

Well, at least it wasn't on the NINTH day!

[grifscoots]

....and raining to beat the band.

Dayem gal, Ali will be brand new after this.

[Mitch_Rider]

Coni,
Here's hoping that it just a bad tire cord or something minor. But if not, then maybe "Ali" is trying to tell you that he wants to switch his name to a new GT!
Grins,
Jeff

[sanjaun2]

Coni,
Sorry to hear about your trip/journey being interupted.Its to bad we didn't do your rear drive at the last tech session. It was off the bike and everything!! Keep us posted. If you do need a "17" ball bearing and they do not have one local, give me a ring and I can get one for you from SouthSound. Brian

[black1200lt]

Gerhard, Thanks for your concern. :)

Roger, Right you are! :bmw:

David, Don't think I wasn't thinking of you once or twice out there. Of course I wasn't going to say a word about it till it was done...hey who has time to sit at a computer when doing one of those. BUTT now I have all this time on my hands. :eek:

Grif, I haven't hugged you lately so I know why it wasn't raining to beat the band.;)

Jeff, Funny you should say that I need a new GT. That was the *first* voice I head in my head while standing in the fog and the rain at 5AM, and the first words to my dealer where "when can I test ride the new GT!" Seems that they don't have one, and the ones that they got are sold. What surprised me is they don't think they will have a demo bike, yet they promised to call when they get one in. :abduct:

Brian, W hat have you been doing hanging around the parts department? Hope all is well.:)

Well, the service department just called and I need a new ring bearing. Since I did this dance last year and the part has a 2 year warranty on it, it will all be covered by BMWNA. My sister took me to lunch to console me and said that there is a reason that this happened. As I told Keith the owner of Ride West: No one was hurt during the filming of this insanity.

I'm still trying to figure out the reason.:confused:

[Dick]

My sister took me to lunch to console me and said that there is a reason that this happened. As I told Keith the owner of Ride West: No one was hurt during the filming of this insanity.

I'm still trying to figure out the reason.

Man oh man - me too!! Since you've been on "My Heroes" list from day one when I met you in Santa Fe, it comes as no surprise that you take events like this with such grace and composure. Some folks woulda gone screaming and kicking when that first bearing went south (weren't you on an event ride when that happened?); and now, the second one while on a 10K/10 - I'da at least cussed alot!! :mad: I imagine having Keith in your corner is reassuring, although I know you'd rather not be meeting him too often like this!! I know you have faith that this too shall pass.

On a lighter note for the moment - on your next run thru our 'hood, I'll give you a change in exit numbers for the *$$ hangout! Boerne is getting it's own, right on IH-10!!! Won't be quite as far coming in from Junction, and is easy off/easy on. Sure hope you make a run sooner than later - it's been too long since we've seen ya.

Best to ya, Coni. Thinkin' of ya. And Toad sez to wish Ali a speedy recovery. :bmw:

[black1200lt]

Dick,
I have missed you too, I hope the new Starbucks is as nice and cozy as the old one. I will bet the group has grown as well.
I was crushed when I heard that I don't get to see you at CCR this year. Don and Bean Arthur are both going to be there and it just won't be a party without you. Any chance of a schedule change?
Ali is chomping at the bit to get out of recovery and can't wait to rally with Toad.

[Mitch_Rider]

Coni,
If you get the urge to ride a GT, just come on down! I am pretty sure that Ken, Ernie and Bryan, in addition to myself, will vouch for it being the real deal.
In fact, the bike will even be close as Judy and I are going to be up in Vaughn (NW of Tacoma) tomorrow night. Just give a call of you're interested.
Jeff

[curt1945]

Coni, I don't know you but sure feel your pain. Good luck and God speed. Curt

[Mitch_Rider]

Coni,
Never heard the final result of Ali's crown bearing. I assume that it has been replaced. Did they have any clues as to what caused it's failure?

Also I ran into Keith Tye at the John Day Rally this weekend and he said that they had more GTs enroute. Hopefully one that you can demo! I have about 4000 miles on mine now and am loving it more with every ride. Going to get the seat redone next Monday and Cee Bailey's windshield ordered. Once you ride one I believe that you will be hooked by the light weight, handling, and the "ease of passing" power.
Jeff

[black1200lt]

Ali was released this morning!
Further inspection found a pinion bearing has also started to disintegrate. Mind you I replaced the 17-ball bearing just before the Iron Butt Rally.
Now, off to the Utah 1088! Just in the knick-knack of time.:D
Thanks so much for the look-see on your bike. I enjoyed seeing you and Judy.
Hope you had a great time at John Day.
Best,
Coni

[sanjaun2]

Coni,
After inspection was your bad bearing a 17 or 19 ball bearing? I assume they verified the new one was a 17! We missed you at wcr.

[black1200lt]

Brian,

It was the new 17 ball bearing.:eek: That was the first I have heard of one of those going bad. Like I said: If you need something broken, give it to me! Now Jeff knows why I didn’t ride his new bike.;)



We were at Coeur D' Alene Idaho...but I was thinking of you guys, having all that fun at WC.R. I’m sure it was great to see everyone.



After July 12th we should see if we can’t get a group together for a RTE or at least a ride.



Best,

[dshealey]

Ali was released this morning!
Further inspection found a pinion bearing has also started to disintegrate. Mind you I replaced the 17-ball bearing just before the Iron Butt Rally.
Now, off to the Utah 1088! Just in the knick-knack of time.:D
Thanks so much for the look-see on your bike. I enjoyed seeing you and Judy.
Hope you had a great time at John Day.
Best,
Coni

One thing I have always worried about when people put a new bearing in a failed drive is metal particles from the failure that have gotten into the pinion shaft bearing area. You can clean out the housing nicely, and even clean out the tapered roller bearing on the axle, but without disassembling the pinion shaft there is NO WAY to get metal particles out of those bearings reliably. They just sit there and wait to either take out the pinion bearings, or move back into the system and take out something else. Now we have TWO early failures of very recent repairs, so now I would not suggest that anyone do or allow a dealer to just replace the main bearing without a COMPLETE disassembly.

If I was going to put in a new bearing now, I would buy all the seals for the pinion shaft and disassemble that also to get everything as clean as possible.

[sanjaun2]

Further inspection found a pinion bearing has also started to disintegrate. Mind you I replaced the 17-ball bearing just before the Iron Butt Rally.
Is it possible that the above pinon bearing contaminated the new crown bearing?

[dshealey]

Further inspection found a pinion bearing has also started to disintegrate. Mind you I replaced the 17-ball bearing just before the Iron Butt Rally.
Is it possible that the above pinon bearing contaminated the new crown bearing?

Not only possible, but likely. Now that we are seeing very early failures of final drives that have had the main bearing replaced, the procedure of replacing them without completely disassembling the whole unit is very suspect.

[meese]

Just catching up on posts, and sorry to hear about Ali (again). At least we know it wasn't the slave cylinder. :)

I'm up for a NW RTE, just say where & when.

Have fun at the Utah 1088. Alas, work wouldn't allow it this year for me, but maybe next year.

[PhillWard]

Not only possible, but likely. Now that we are seeing very early failures of final drives that have had the main bearing replaced, the procedure of replacing them without completely disassembling the whole unit is very suspect.

G'day Dave S and Coni,
Add me to the list of having a rear drive bearing collapse, BMW dealer replaces bearing , then sometime down the track the pinion seal failed. Only caught this one by noticing a couple of drops of oil dripping out of the lower rubber boot on the rear drive.......Also had a second rear drive bearing fail, "due to the case hardening on the inner track failing" ....according to the same BMW dealer mechanic.

Haven't had any probs though in the last 4 years with the rear drive.....

Doh!....that's torn it.................

cheers

Phill
78 XS1100E "The Tardis" (ret)
99 K1200LT "Beryl Beemer"

[black1200lt]

I am happy to report that I made it to Utah with NO TOW TRUCKS!!!!

I talked with Ride West once I got here and the seals were also replaced.

Ali is once again floating like a butterfly.

Best to my buds!

[NCoe]

I am happy to report that I made it to Utah with NO TOW TRUCKS!!!!

I talked with Ride West once I got here and the seals were also replaced.

Ali is once again floating like a butterfly.

Best to my buds!

What part of Utah. Maybe I could shake free for a meet and greet.

[dshealey]

G'day Dave S and Coni,
---------------------...Also had a second rear drive bearing fail, "due to the case hardening on the inner track failing" ....according to the same BMW dealer mechanic.----------------------

Phill

That mechanic has no credibility, since the bearings are not "case hardened". All these type of bearings are typically made from 52100 High Chromium carbon steel, and are "through hardened". Case Hardening is a process which induces carbon into the surface of inexpensive low carbon steel so that only that carbon enriched surface hardens, not the core. That process has it's place, but not in bearings!

[REWDOC]

Dang it, Coni. I'm sure sorry to hear about Ali, but happy to hear that he's fit as a fritter, again. I just can't seem to get that rear end worrying thang out of the back of my mind. I might just have try out one of them thar new GT thangs.

Hope to see you soon,