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Windshield supports 2009 R1200RT

IMHO, should have gone with Westco Tools. :dunno

I have, and am very happy with a pair of upper struts made by Westco. Installation and fit were easy and perfect.
Now, I'm faced with a broken lower strut, the left side. (I should mention that I have an Aeroflow windshield.) I spoke with Tyler at Westco, and he said that they're considering making lower struts, but are not yet at the prototype stage. It might be another 6 months.
My dealer was very sympathetic about the problem, but the lower struts are pressed on to the the shaft that is driven by the windshield motor. One is supposed to buy the whole lower unit for some $300. The service manager said that it is usually the left (lower) strut that breaks. No explanation for that...
So: Do I spring for a new lower unit for $300, or try to repair my broke strut? Well, I'm gonna try a repair. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! And then I'll probably buy the whole unit!
 
I have, and am very happy with a pair of upper struts made by Westco. Installation and fit were easy and perfect.
Now, I'm faced with a broken lower strut, the left side. (I should mention that I have an Aeroflow windshield.) I spoke with Tyler at Westco, and he said that they're considering making lower struts, but are not yet at the prototype stage. It might be another 6 months.
My dealer was very sympathetic about the problem, but the lower struts are pressed on to the the shaft that is driven by the windshield motor. One is supposed to buy the whole lower unit for some $300. The service manager said that it is usually the left (lower) strut that breaks. No explanation for that...
So: Do I spring for a new lower unit for $300, or try to repair my broke strut? Well, I'm gonna try a repair. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! And then I'll probably buy the whole unit!

Unfortunately, I was touring South Dakota in June of this year when the lower left snapped. With the need for decent variable weather protection still ahead of me, I bit the bullet and had it repaired - $350 with labor at Sturgis BMW.

Getting a tad annoying that this $17k RT has had about $5k in repairs over seven seasons. :banghead
 
Help is on it's way,,Made up a set to test out,,,,
IMG_0572.jpg
IMG_0575.jpg
IMG_0579.jpg
 
Just picked up a pair of these upper struts from Beemer Boneyard and installed a ZTechnik Z2402 windshield with them. They seem well made and fit like a factory part.

I did notice though that the bottom flat side of both arms touches the black plastic on top of the nacelle in the full down position. I can see the side wind deflectors and my Migsel GPS mount flex just slightly as they push down on the plastic. Anyone else with these mounts notice this? Doesn't seem like it will become a long term issue, but I was slightly surprised that there was any contact. Perhaps that is the price you pay to have stronger struts that won't snap with the added air pressure generated by larger aftermarket shields.

PM sent,,,Tim
 
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PM sent,,,Tim

Just to share publically... After posting about the upper support arms contacting the plastic on the nacelle, Tim, the maker of the 10OVR brackets being sold at Beemer Boneyard, offered to send me a new pair after reading my post. I appreciate when companies stand by their products and would try the lower brackets in the future as well. I'll report back on the new upper brackets when I get them installed.

Tim, any other people notice this or were mine just cut slightly large?
 
Tim -- thanks for the quick work on the lower brackets!

Can you give us the lowdown on the removal and installation process? Does the hex shaft need to be removed from the motor? Will a gear puller be enough to remove the old bracket? I assume you need to tap the new bracket on then secure with the set screw? How much of the shaft should be exposed with the new bracket fitted?

Sorry for the questions, but I am assessing this as a winter project and don't have a terribly wide assortment of tools and shop equipment to work with.

Thanks,
 
It's not a hard job,,,,
1,,Remove upper side panels
2,,remove windshield
3 pull pins (4) to remove bracket that windshield bolts to,,
5 pull off rear view mirrors
6 remove interment cluster cowling
7 Unplug head light and turn signals
8 Run windshield motor to down position
9 remove head light assembly (4 bolts with big washers as seen in pix)
Untitled.jpg
Untitled-1.jpg
IMG_0612.jpg

10 Remove windshield motor assembly (8 torx )
Now you have the motor assembly on the work bench
11, I use the face of the cut off wheel to clean up the ends of the hex shaft ( You could also use a dremel tool or file to do this,(,I think BMW pressed the ends of the hex shaft to keep the arms on,)
IMG_0599.jpg
IMG_0600.jpg

12,Tap the hex rod through with a small hammer and punch
IMG_0602.jpg

13,,clean up hex rod with a little emery cloth and Install new arms and tighten down allen's ......
IMG_0575.jpg

14 put in all back together and ride,,,
 
Thanks, Tim!

Fortunately, I experimented with removing the front nacelle after I purchased the bike and your pictures are a great refresher. You can also find nacelle removal instructions that Luis Roth (Semper_Fi) wrote up for an RT in the Hexhead/Camhead DIY/Tech Library section HERE.

Will call BB this afternoon...
 
Lower Arm Removal

The arms on my 2006RT have circlips holding them on. After removing the circlips, I used a screwdriver to pry the arms from the shaft. It did not take a lot of pressure to remove them. Apparently. BMW used different methods to secure the arms over the years.
Rtwinshieldarms003.jpg


Prying the arm off
Rtwinshieldarms029.jpg


Rtwinshieldarms025.jpg
 
Replacing the windshield bracket on an 06 RT

My left bracket broke on my recent SS1000 trip to New Orleans. No big deal, just lower the windshield, then at the next gas stop sort of push the two halves of the bracket together. That held for another 1000 miles or so, until I hit a good bump.

So now that I'm home, I ordered the Beemer Boneyard replacement set. Good news?they're on sale! $70 for the PAIR! More good news?I ordered them @ around 3-4pm, and the very next morning the package arrived on my doorstep. Amazing.


BMWBracketOEM.jpgBMWBracketsBoneyard.jpg
 
rob

Great information. I'm a newbie with a broken upper arm, but plan to replace both sets of arms on my 2006 RT. Two questions:
1. Is it really necessary to remove the windshield motor assembly? The hex shaft seems completely accessible while still attached to the bike.
2. Re: the ends of the hex shaft being "pressed" to keep the arms on and cleaning up the ends with a file...If the ends of the shaft are already clean, should the arms be easily pried off or does pressed mean that a little bit of metal must be filed off each of the six faces of the hex shaft, on the outside of the arms, to enable the arms to slide off the shaft? I'm leery about forcing anything. How about WD-40?

It's not a hard job,,,,
1,,Remove upper side panels
2,,remove windshield
3 pull pins (4) to remove bracket that windshield bolts to,,
5 pull off rear view mirrors
6 remove interment cluster cowling
7 Unplug head light and turn signals
8 Run windshield motor to down position
9 remove head light assembly (4 bolts with big washers as seen in pix)
Untitled.jpg
Untitled-1.jpg
IMG_0612.jpg

10 Remove windshield motor assembly (8 torx )
Now you have the motor assembly on the work bench
11, I use the face of the cut off wheel to clean up the ends of the hex shaft ( You could also use a dremel tool or file to do this,(,I think BMW pressed the ends of the hex shaft to keep the arms on,)
IMG_0599.jpg
IMG_0600.jpg

12,Tap the hex rod through with a small hammer and punch
IMG_0602.jpg

13,,clean up hex rod with a little emery cloth and Install new arms and tighten down allen's ......
IMG_0575.jpg

14 put in all back together and ride,,,
 
Direx

Those directions are incredibly complex. Too much removal of stuff. I video taped my install procedure in glorious HD, and will share on YouTube when I'm finished.
 
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