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Where to buy shims...valve adjustments

5K views 12 replies 11 participants last post by  dshealey 
#1 ·
I'll be doing a 24k service later this summer and am doing some logistics ahead of time. Got a 12k kit from beemerboneyard and feel fairly confident about getting the service done over a weekend.

A thought/concern I had was if I needed to shim a valve, where would I get a shim from? Can you order them online? If the bike needs to be down for a few days until one arrives in the mail that is doable. But I would like to have a plan in place, rather than start a call tree on a weekend trying to hunt some down.

Cheers,
 
#2 ·
More commonly known as 'buckets' on the LT. They are available from your dealer or on line. The issue will be you need to check your clearance and pull the bucket to see what size it is before ordering replacement(s). Some dealers offer a swap out service where they take your old one and give you or sell at a reduced price a bucket removed from another bike. Search for valve adjustment and you will find lots of info.
 
#3 ·
mjordans2000 said:
More commonly known as 'buckets' on the LT. They are available from your dealer or on line. The issue will be you need to check your clearance and pull the bucket to see what size it is before ordering replacement(s). Some dealers offer a swap out service where they take your old one and give you or sell at a reduced price a bucket removed from another bike. Search for valve adjustment and you will find lots of info.
doing your homework ahead of time makes sense. Some dealerships, Carolina BMW, claimed that they no longer stocked them when I tried to buy them at the counter, they were happy to order them for me. Frankly I think it is to discourage DIY I simply can't imagine a dealership of that size not stocking a routine maintenance part.
 
#4 ·
jeffklt said:
doing your homework ahead of time makes sense. Some dealerships, Carolina BMW, claimed that they no longer stocked them when I tried to buy them at the counter, they were happy to order them for me. Frankly I think it is to discourage DIY I simply can't imagine a dealership of that size not stocking a routine maintenance part.
Wow, sounds like a dealer that wants to correce you into paying them for an expensive 12K service. My dealer (Irv Seavers in Orange, Ca) is very helpful with buckets but I still find it helpful to keep records of what buckets are currently in the bike. By knowing what buckets you have you can check your clearance, do the math to fiqure out what you need and pick them up before you pull the cam(s). Very helpful if the dealer is closed on your chosen project day, a long way away, or has to order the parts. Beats having your bike torn apart for days on end.
 
#5 ·
My dealer's counter people don't know what a shim or bucket is. They call them cam followers. Until you do the valve check and pull the cams you won't know what size to purchase. Good luck in finding what you need without having to order them.
 
#6 ·
When I re-shimed my Honda I took the old Shim's and they exchanged them for the correct ones.(free)Some dealers will do that and some won't. You can call some of your local Motorcycle shop's. Seem's like they were like $6.00 apiece. I hope this help's Dave
 
#7 ·
I replaced 7 buckets at my 48k service with the next thinner bucket. I ordered them from Max BMW's online parts fiche.

Some of us have spares sitting around after doing this, so you might find someone (me included) willing to help you out when you find what sizes you need.

Joe
 
#8 ·
Daveh said:
My dealer's counter people don't know what a shim or bucket is. They call them cam followers. Until you do the valve check and pull the cams you won't know what size to purchase. Good luck in finding what you need without having to order them.
Actually, doing the valve check does not entail pulling the cams (just did a 48k and no bucket changes so far) so unless you are in need of unnecessary pain, you won't know what you have until the first time you find one that needs to be replaced. I'm working on a 'tool' that will do the calculations for me based on what size buckets need replaced and by how much. But I need to know how the buckets are sized (the readings on the buckets and the (spacing?) between sizes. Any help would be appreciated and I'll share the 'tool' when it's finished. (A friend developed ShimCalc for KLRs, works very nicely, I'm doing the same for the LT)
 
#10 ·
browad said:
I'll be doing a 24k service later this summer and am doing some logistics ahead of time. Got a 12k kit from beemerboneyard and feel fairly confident about getting the service done over a weekend.

A thought/concern I had was if I needed to shim a valve, where would I get a shim from? Can you order them online? If the bike needs to be down for a few days until one arrives in the mail that is doable. But I would like to have a plan in place, rather than start a call tree on a weekend trying to hunt some down.

Cheers,
Adam, PM me your address and I will send you a pack of 18 buckets I have accumulated. Mail them back after your tech session.

Dan Martin
Houston,tx
 
#11 ·
DanMartin said:
Adam, PM me your address and I will send you a pack of 18 buckets I have accumulated. Mail them back after your tech session.

Dan Martin
Houston,tx
What a nice thing to do Dan!:thumb:
 
#13 ·
McRuss said:
Actually, doing the valve check does not entail pulling the cams (just did a 48k and no bucket changes so far) so unless you are in need of unnecessary pain, you won't know what you have until the first time you find one that needs to be replaced. I'm working on a 'tool' that will do the calculations for me based on what size buckets need replaced and by how much. But I need to know how the buckets are sized (the readings on the buckets and the (spacing?) between sizes. Any help would be appreciated and I'll share the 'tool' when it's finished. (A friend developed ShimCalc for KLRs, works very nicely, I'm doing the same for the LT)
As already stated, the buckets (BMW calls them cam followers, buckets is slang for them) come in 0.05mm increments, which is for all practical purposes 0.002". No need for a calculator at all. measure with inch feeler gages, and almost always you will need the next step down. Only if one is quite a bit too tight will you need to go more than one step.

I will go the second step down if it will bring the valve something less than 0.001" looser than the required clearance, as that one will not need adusting again for some time, and slightly too loose is MUCH better than slightly too tight!
 
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