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Final Drive fluid change and dismayed

2K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  deanwoolsey 
#1 ·
How much junk should be on the final drive plug when changing the fluid? Up to this time I haven't seen much but found a bit on the plug this last change. I realize it's a "wear item" according to BMW...just don't know how much to expect.
 
#4 ·
While you have both the drain plug and the fill plug out, rotate the wheel and listen for any noise and feel the FD. I believe it will give an indication of failure long before it fails. It's a gradual process............imho.................. :rolleyes:
 
#6 · (Edited)
jetfumes said:
Reid I'm new here as well but I just did mine this past week and here are pictures of what mine looked like
The drain plug looks great IE NO METAL but..... that fluid looks nasty. If it was my bike I would change the fluid again after 'bout 1000 miles just to make sure you have all the old fluid out.

What type gear oil did you put into it Dino or Synthetic? Most of us here use synthetic. I change mine every 12K but I just changed it at 6K as I'm going to CCR (3500 miles) and wanted to look at the oil before I left. It was a clean as the day I put it in .
 
#7 ·
I don' mean to hijack the thread but not so much that I won't do it! And hey! I'm new at these LT's too.

I appreciate your 1 K mile suggestion. I used dino in the crankcase and Royal Purple 75-90 in the gear box and FD because I like the color! Purple oil/ purple motorcycle.

Never read anything negative bout Royal Purple.

Loren
 
#8 ·
I used BMW Dino oil, bike just rolled 19000 miles. Doesn't hurt to change at 1000 miles as suggested with dino.

The plug had some sludge appearance to it, but i tried using a magnet to see if it would lift and nothing i just cleaned it off. The plug was photographed once it came off the final gear.

When I changed the final gear I didn't run but maybe 10 minutes on it.
 
#9 ·
The pictures of the plug and oil in the photos above look very normal. The plug should come out with some "fuzz" on it but no metal chunks. The oil should look pretty much like it did when it went in.

I have used synthetic in the rear drive and transmission of mine since the 600 mile service, bike now has 64k on it. I usually change both at 24k. The only reason to change more often is to check the magnet on the plug for metal to try to catch a failure before it causes a breakdown. It's been determined the rear drive failures are not lubrication related.
 
#10 ·
wa1200lt said:
I don' mean to hijack the thread but not so much that I won't do it! And hey! I'm new at these LT's too.

I appreciate your 1 K mile suggestion. I used dino in the crankcase and Royal Purple 75-90 in the gear box and FD because I like the color! Purple oil/ purple motorcycle.

Never read anything negative bout Royal Purple.

Loren

I use Royal Purple in every gear case I've got... Its shearing quality is rated very high... Used it in my dually pulling a ditchwitch 4010 and it held up just fine... I'm guessing that using any good quality gear oil and changing it regularly is the key to success.............Pete
 
#11 ·
Tnx guys...mine is pretty much "fuzz" no chunks...it just seems like it's a good bit more than I had last time I changed the fluid. Using synthetic and it is the same color as when I put it in (the green stuff). OK...I'll not worry about it but will keep an eye on it.

73,
Reid
 
#12 ·
I'm certainly no expert but here's a guideline that I use. Black fuzzies = normal wear and shiny pieces of any size = impending failure. You can take the magnetic plug and swish it in a cup of mineral spirits paint thinner to get a better idea of what you have. Any substantial iron particles will stay adhered to the magnet while the black normal wear fuzzies wash off. If you are using a glass cup, you can then see any aluminum particles settle out in the bottom of the cup if there's a spun bearing. You will normally see just a few very small metal particles on the magnet if you do this so not to worry unless the whole magnet is covered.
 
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