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2010 R1200RT Rear/Side Panel and Luggage Rack Removal? Removing Rear ESA shock.

7536

Grampa Tumbleweed
I removed 4 screws each side, (three on side, one on bottom). Not intuitive what next. Looked through the DIY files and they only cover the tupperware on front 2/3 of bike. Anyone had this area apart? These are the panels the saddle bag mounts are mounted on.
 
2010 R1200RT Rear/Side Panel and Luggage Rack Removal? Removing Rear ESA shock

If you go on the Wunderlich website and navigate to the side case protection bars you can download a PDF with info to install them. It may give you some help with removing the side panels.

Dan
R1200RT
Ventura, CA
 
If you go on the Wunderlich website and navigate to the side case protection bars you can download a PDF with info to install them. It may give you some help with removing the side panels.

Dan
R1200RT
Ventura, CA
Thanks, Dan. On further investigation, I found a screw hidden behind each passenger grab rail. Two more were in the tail section. You have to hold your tongue just right to see them.
 
Yup you found the beasts... I tore my ESA off a year ago and sent them in to get them upgraded. The bike was naked as they come with everything off. Those hidden ones fooled me to for a while. While the front is somewhat of an easier access there are still a few tricks to that bugga too.

GL on your project!
 
rear rack screwed!

I need to get the rear rack off on my 2011 R12RT to access the alarm system to change the batteries in such....and....
one of the screws inside the tail/brake light is stripped and will not loosen...it turns but will not come out....the other one came out fine....

now what???
 
I need to get the rear rack off on my 2011 R12RT to access the alarm system to change the batteries in such....and....
one of the screws inside the tail/brake light is stripped and will not loosen...it turns but will not come out....the other one came out fine....

now what???

I've pretty much had most of my 2010 apart, but if you could send a photo of the specific part or bolt you can't get out, I'll see if i can give you any help.

IMG_1156 2.jpg
 
rear rack still screwed

here is the photo...i hope

IMG_20230223_165849498.jpg

its the one downtube on the left.. the right one came right out.
 
So the bolt that wont come out is the torx (as I recall) that goes up through the tube that is an the end of the rear subframe and is attached to the luggage rack? I attached the photo with what I think is the bolt you are talking about.

If this is the one and the head is stripped you probably have to see if you can access it from the bottom and drill it out or at least enough of the top of the bolt to allow it to come off. The once its off you can drill the rest out and rethread or repair it. As I recall there is not great direct access from the bottom and the bolt is near the top of that tube. The other option is if you can remove all other fasteners and carefully use some force to get the head of the bolt to break off by using the rack as a fulcrum/lever against this bolt. Then you will still need to drill out what remains and possibly rethread it. Hope these ideas make sense. Not a great situation and certainly adds a bit of work to an otherwise simple removal.

rackbolt.jpg
 
I need to get the rear rack off on my 2011 R12RT to access the alarm system to change the batteries in such....and....
one of the screws inside the tail/brake light is stripped and will not loosen...it turns but will not come out....the other one came out fine....

now what???
If the threads seem stripped- meaning you are sure that it is not the "head" of the bolt, and the bolt is just spinning because the threads are not holding anything, the bolt should be free in the once threaded area.

Using the supplied photos-

I would-

1) make sure the head is intact and the appropriate tool fits the head. This is in case the bolt head happened to be different.

2) see if you can look in the hole recess and see if the bolt is indeed loose when probed with a piece of wire of similar probe.

3) if it is just "rattling" around in the hole, try a piece of tubing or fuel line attached to a shop-vac inserted to draw the piece out.

4) see if loosening the silver parts enough to insert a thin blade to lever it out a thread at a time. Note- this may take a slow spinning of the appropriate tool that fits the bolt head.

Let us know how you make out.

Good luck.

OM
 
For future reference those screws are threaded into metal inserts in the plastic rack. BMW applied loctite to the threads and heat needs to be applied to the screw head to soften the loctite before attempting removal. Not doing so causes the insert to break free from the plastic and spin with the bolt. Use a soldering iron or similar to apply heat.

As I recall I went ape-**** applying a lot of prying force on the rack to get it off leaving the screw/insert still attached to the framework. After that I was able to separate the insert from the screw. I JB welded the insert back in the hole, cleaned off the loctite and reassembled with anti seize and not much torque. No problems since.

Edit: I seem to recall using vice-grips on one side of the rack where the insert is located. I did my best to protect the surface but recall that that area is pretty well hidden when assembled. Squeezing the plastic allowed me to thread one bolt out. The other side required the force mentioned above.
 
will attempt...

For future reference those screws are threaded into metal inserts in the plastic rack. BMW applied loctite to the threads and heat needs to be applied to the screw head to soften the loctite before attempting removal. Not doing so causes the insert to break free from the plastic and spin with the bolt. Use a soldering iron or similar to apply heat.

As I recall I went ape-**** applying a lot of prying force on the rack to get it off leaving the screw/insert still attached to the framework. After that I was able to separate the insert from the screw. I JB welded the insert back in the hole, cleaned off the loctite and reassembled with anti seize and not much torque. No problems since.

Edit: I seem to recall using vice-grips on one side of the rack where the insert is located. I did my best to protect the surface but recall that that area is pretty well hidden when assembled. Squeezing the plastic allowed me to thread one bolt out. The other side required the force mentioned above.


Thanks for this info...

I am going to try the pry...how hard? and what is the insert like(size/shape). Would it be possible to break the rack and not be usable???an
 
I would attempt heating the bolt and squeezing the plastic to grip the insert first. If no luck them put an upward load on the rack while turning the bolt (use an impact or drill), the insert will machine itself out of the rack. The rack is very tough stuff... I would think you could lift the bike before it would come close to breaking. Its been a while but I would guess the insert looks something like this https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1007/4332/products/insert-pressure-m5_1024x1024.jpg?v=1464956537
 
I would attempt heating the bolt and squeezing the plastic to grip the insert first. If no luck them put an upward load on the rack while turning the bolt (use an impact or drill), the insert will machine itself out of the rack. The rack is very tough stuff... I would think you could lift the bike before it would come close to breaking. Its been a while but I would guess the insert looks something like this https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1007/4332/products/insert-pressure-m5_1024x1024.jpg?v=1464956537



Looks like I'm gonna have to remove the license plate mount and the fender to be able to use a drill in those holes...:(
 
With the further information supplied, you may be able to drill through the plastic, to the now loose insert, and "wedge" it from turning while you used the "normal" heating method to loosen the Loc-tite with the appropriate driver bit.

OM
 
Drill?

With the further information supplied, you may be able to drill through the plastic, to the now loose insert, and "wedge" it from turning while you used the "normal" heating method to loosen the Loc-tite with the appropriate driver bit.

OM

Drill through the rack...???

Of course now I realize that license plate/fender bracket won't come off until the rack is off...cutting/removing plastic...it is very difficult to wedge the tools into the tube to reach the dreaded bolts.

maybe I should put it back together and have the dealer change the batteries in the dreaded alarm that is rarely used anyway......or not....???
 
Yeah, drill through the place that is supposed to be holding the insert. Small hole, perhaps 1/8” from the inside where it won’t show. When the drill hits the now free threaded piece, stop and take the drill (bit) out and use a scribe or sharpened nail to hold the insert from spinning.

OM
 
double screwed

IMG_20230301_130342346.jpgIMG_20230301_130357851.jpg

OK...tried the heat to the bolt and squeeze the plastic with vise grip....tried three times...nope...

tried the drill hole and hold the brass insert...nope...

tried to pry off the offending bolt and snap...as you can see...

OK, I have to buy the one side that is broken....nope...cannot get the piece off the rest of the rack...the screws must have been loctited....

oh well, I guess I should have taken to the dealership....crap....
 
Maybe some PB Blaster on exposed threads and let it soak and see if you can get that apart, would be best if you could salvage that piece and insert if usable. You might be able to repair that part to usable condition (maybe not perfect looking) by using something like PB Weld Plastic or I have used acrylic plastic that is hardened with UV light to do some plastic repairs that have withstood very well. Always a risk when you run into these problems sometimes they work out and sometimes they break. Hard to say if would have been saved by dealer. Maybe less $$ that way or maybe more $$$$. We have run into some pretty tough problems in our auto shop and sometimes you end up in similar situation like you did and you need to replace a part you don't want to or figure a way to salvage the part and do some MacGyver repairs.
 
So...

I took the offending part to the dealership and they cannot get the grab handle that is the part that is broken off the rest of the rear rack...
They say just over $1,000 to replace the whole rack....well I guess I should have taken it in and let them replace the batteries in the alarm system.

Is there anywhere to get this part from a "junkyard"? and be sure that it will be able to be installed without a mess?

I have tried beemerboneyard and they have it listed but not in stock...($175)...
 
Looks like you could epoxy a hardwood block into the opening and through bolt it?

OM

From another thread-
When I do a repair like this, if I have to do a repair like this, I drill out corresponding holes much like dowling wood together. Once the hole(s) are drilled I use a filler (dowel) which could be a wood sliver or a piece of a paper clip. Yesterday the filler on a plastic part was a bread tie.
Once things are prepared, I use West System G-Flex epoxy which I can recommend as a repair adhesive.
Yesterday’s repair using this method was a plastic part drilled and epoxied was the size of a pencil eraser- drilled, dowled, reinforced and epoxied and looking good.
OM
 
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