'07 R1200RT-P Swing Arm Pivot Bearings

[benballou]

I received my rebuilt drive shaft from MSI and discovered Swing Arm Pivot Bearings were full of grit and right side appeared loose. Haynes manual barely mentions bearings. Any help: removing old bearings, best place to buy new bearings and how to install would be greatly appreciated. Winter is closing in, here in Minnesota!

First BMW, purchased this spring, LOVE the bike! Servicing the final drive and drive shaft splines I discovered a "click" in the rear drive shaft universal joint, thankfully MSI in Green Bay, Wisco (attn. Mitch Lamal, 920 339 3000) rebuilt for $290 and turn around time was five days!

Sadly I already trashed right side bearing, so I guess it's as good a time as any to replace both. In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, duh oh! Rather than crying, chalking it up to good old learning curve... 70,000 miles on the bike, so I am sure I have lots to learn.

Thank you, Ben

 

[perazzimx14]

BMW uses SKG tapered roller bearing that is sealed one side and not available unless you get it from a BMW dealership at an inflated cost. The good news is there is a very cost effective work around. Order a 30203 tapered roller bearings (17 x 40 x 13.25) for about 1/5 the cost of OEM and you good. I get Ruleman Art 30203 bearings where I work for about $21 a pair. FWIW I'm an advocate of using name brand bearings like SKF, FAG, Koyo but for the pivot bearings I'll even use chineasium from All Balls if that all I can find. As a pivot bearing they only move a few degrees so its not like a wheel bearing that sees lots and lots of full rotation

The new 30203 bearings will not be sealed one side so you can do one of two things:

1. carefully pry the seals off the old bearings clean them and reinstall them on the new bearings once they are properly packed
2. Forgo the seal as since it sealed one side means it not sealed on the other. Water and dirt will still enter eventually. So properly pack the bearing and go seal-less.

Here is a quick torque reference to help you with you project. Another FWIW is a blind bearing puller make the job a breeze however you will have to use a drift to unseat the right (I think its the right) bearing race. If you use a flashlight and look in ice the swingarm you'll see a cut out in the race casting that exposes the race. One yo get it moved a little them the blind bearing puller will be able to flare out and grab the back of the race for removal with the slide hammer

View attachment BMW R1200GS Swing Arm Torque Spec.pdf