www.boxertrix.com

Any advice please;

I noticed quite a bit of play at the back wheel. Traced this to the pivot between swingarm and final drive. No worries, I thought, it's a taper roller bearing that I can adjust. But no...

Pulled the whole lot apart; the bearings have been moving on the two bolts (one fixed and one adjustable). So I now need to buy the two new bearings and new bolts.
I'm I at the mercy of BMW / Motorworks / JS for these parts, or can I get them cheaper elsewhere? The bearings are £26.28 each alone at JS. With new bolts I'm looking at over £85.

Glad the play wasn't the final drive anyway!

Any tips or advice on what else to check whilst it's in bits?

Cheers

the only alternative I've seen is

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/bushings.html

If you've got the sizes, SKF might have an alternative, Prob better than OE.
Whenever I've replaced bearings in previous bikes (almost bloody monthly with the Buell) I've always looked there 1st

Thanks for the replies.

Right; I've done a load of searching. Seems a common failure. So they are FAG bearings supplied uniquely to BMW. I'll try and blag a discount at Williams. Not ready to buy the Chicken ones yet!

Cheers

slparry wrote:the only alternative I've seen is

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/bushings.html

90 quid delivered

Stanley wrote:Any advice please;


Any tips or advice on what else to check whilst it's in bits?

Cheers

Depending on the mileage , if you've removed the bevel box have a good tug at the swing arm to see if the bearings are ok, or if you're in the mood remove and regrease. While in there maybe have a look at the clutch slave cylinder checking for corrosion/leakage, or gear oil leaking down the push rod.

[QUOTE] "To my knowledge a roller bearing is designed to roll. Not rock back and forth, wearing a groove in the race and a flat on the roller." I've often wondered about that myself. A bush does seem to make more sense. There must be a reason why manufacturers do it.

People have been fitting needle roller bearings to swing arms for years thinking they will improve handling, They don't A bronze bush has much more surface area and will actually work better

My guess is that needle roller swing arm bearing became "the thing to have" and probable cheaper to mass produce for the manufactures.

DaveH wrote:

slparry wrote:the only alternative I've seen is

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/bushings.html

90 quid delivered

Thing is Dave the OEM bearings are about 50 or 60 quid plus P&P .... so IF these are better, and as the guy reckons a one off replacement then the £90 delivered is a reasonable investment maybe?

I had my R1100s for 5 years and added 50k miles I replaced teh pivot bearings twice (about £40 from Motor works) did not change the pins the wear is in the bearings. So if you intend to keep the bvike and do mega milage put bushes in if you are not then just put new bearings in - simples

slparry wrote:

DaveH wrote:

slparry wrote:the only alternative I've seen is

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/bushings.html

90 quid delivered

Thing is Dave the OEM bearings are about 50 or 60 quid plus P&P .... so IF these are better, and as the guy reckons a one off replacement then the £90 delivered is a reasonable investment maybe?

Quite agree, but it's the IF that worries me...

take a look at the facts - how many bikes are fitted with headstock bushes -?? - exactly the same operating principle yet taper rollers are the way to go.

Similarly, modern swingarm and shock linkages are all bearings and not bushes these days.

The bearings in these applications WILL rotate until some contaminant finds its way in there and then thats when the trouble starts.

I'm not saying that these tapered bushes don't do the job but I reckon that once pre loaded they will not rotate AT ALL so where does the movement translate ??

I reckon the only movement will be between the inner surface of the oilite bush and the pin... it will wear oval eventually in the vertical (load bearing) plane and like as not ridge the pin in the process (£££)

My GS has now done 43K miles I have changed the bearings once - it's a piece of p*ss and they can be adjusted just as easily as bushes if the play is minimal, but strip em out and regrease first !

It's something I can live with...I'm sure BMW don't rely on the sales of paralever bearings so if their best option is to go with bearings rather than bushes, that'll do for me.

Hi all
Tapered bearing need maintenance. Check regrease and adjust frequently and they will last a long time. They will need replacing at some point as all bearing do. Get the tools and look after your bikes. Doesn't anyone read " zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" anymore?.
Gus

gus wrote:Hi all
Tapered bearing need maintenance. Check regrease and adjust frequently and they will last a long time. They will need replacing at some point as all bearing do. Get the tools and look after your bikes. Doesn't anyone read " zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" anymore?.
Gus

Hi Gus! It's next on my list mate. I'm still wading thru the Argos Catalogue at the mo.

What's all this talk of tapered needle rollers. The bearings as fitted are Not tapered thay are just plain old needle roller bearings

The Teutonic Tangerine wrote:What's all this talk of tapered needle rollers. The bearings as fitted are Not tapered thay are just plain old needle roller bearings

What's all this talk about bearings?

It's all balls - to me

Al