I love reading Matt Parkhouse's column but every time I read one I start fretting abut maintenance issues. My 1983 R100 RS has about 64,000 miles on it; I've owned it since 1985 when it had about 4000 miles on it. Over the years, I've asked two dealers (one in Chicago and one in St Louis) about service on the wheel bearings. Both said the bearings weren't serviceable. I'm wondering if I should have asked them if the bearings should be replaced periodically. I don't see anything in the owner's manual about wheel bearings. So I thought I would see what the Forum might yield on the subject.
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1983 R100RS Wheel Bearings
- Thread starter 217don
- Start date
stevenrankin
Active member
Bearings
The wheel bearings can be removed, cleaned, inspected and if need be replaced. You will have to buy new seals at least but they are available.
I don't know why an airhead mechanic would tell you they weren't serviceable except maybe to sell you new ones you may not need. Not all dealerships are honest and trustworthy. That just makes it harder on those of us who have to rely on them to do work for us.
Does your dealership do airhead work or are they like the dealer who replaced my original dealer (a BMW boutique experience) who said my bike is too old and If I want work done by him, I would have to buy a new bike from him?
Thank God, my original dealer's mechanic opened an airhead only shop after he was out of work when the original dealer was told to go boutique or close. Now many years later, the shop is in the hands of another dedicated airhead mechanic. No problems getting wheel bearings inspected and repacked there.
Guys like Matt are a treasure and I read his column every month. It is about all I read in the magazine. Too bad BMW put guys like my original dealer and a few others in my area out of business years ago so we could have the BMW experience. Like my friend now, Matt has enough to keep him busy and still enjoy riding. I Pray he can continue for as long as he wishes.
By the way, every third rear tire I inspect and repack my wheel bearings. I don't know for sure the mileage on them but it is over 150K. As for the front bearings, same thing, every third tire they get inspected and packed. Sorry, I don' go by milage, if the wheel has to be off to do a tire, then is the time to check bearings at some point. St.
The wheel bearings can be removed, cleaned, inspected and if need be replaced. You will have to buy new seals at least but they are available.
I don't know why an airhead mechanic would tell you they weren't serviceable except maybe to sell you new ones you may not need. Not all dealerships are honest and trustworthy. That just makes it harder on those of us who have to rely on them to do work for us.
Does your dealership do airhead work or are they like the dealer who replaced my original dealer (a BMW boutique experience) who said my bike is too old and If I want work done by him, I would have to buy a new bike from him?
Thank God, my original dealer's mechanic opened an airhead only shop after he was out of work when the original dealer was told to go boutique or close. Now many years later, the shop is in the hands of another dedicated airhead mechanic. No problems getting wheel bearings inspected and repacked there.
Guys like Matt are a treasure and I read his column every month. It is about all I read in the magazine. Too bad BMW put guys like my original dealer and a few others in my area out of business years ago so we could have the BMW experience. Like my friend now, Matt has enough to keep him busy and still enjoy riding. I Pray he can continue for as long as he wishes.
By the way, every third rear tire I inspect and repack my wheel bearings. I don't know for sure the mileage on them but it is over 150K. As for the front bearings, same thing, every third tire they get inspected and packed. Sorry, I don' go by milage, if the wheel has to be off to do a tire, then is the time to check bearings at some point. St.
stevenrankin
Active member
Lost
While cleaning my garage long time ago, I misplaced my service records for my RT. So I can't check the miles on the bearings I have on the bike now. Memory serves me I "may" have changed them at one time. I can say for certain, the bearings I have in now have been in a lot of miles.
Kurt is right, the darn near last forever if maintained. So does a lot of other things on airheads. St.
While cleaning my garage long time ago, I misplaced my service records for my RT. So I can't check the miles on the bearings I have on the bike now. Memory serves me I "may" have changed them at one time. I can say for certain, the bearings I have in now have been in a lot of miles.
Kurt is right, the darn near last forever if maintained. So does a lot of other things on airheads. St.
jad01
New member
I have one of the Cycleworks wheel bearing greaser tools that I have used with success to extend the time between having to pull the rear wheel bearings to service. Good pics of the tools on post #37 on Adv Rider.
The dealers I asked (Chicago and St Louis) have both been around for some time and the one in Chicago seems to be knowledgeable about airheads so I don’t know what’s going on there. The front wheel was replaced under warranty a long time ago (1998 or so) so it is possible the bearing was replaced, too, with the newer style. Rear wheel came with the bike, though. Are there instructions or a video anywhere on how to repack the bearings? I have modest mechanical skills so tend to leave critical tasks to professionals (if I can find them!).
I'm not aware of the "newer style" bearings. Are the wheels snowflakes? They have aluminum hubs and require heat and special "persuasion" to drive the bearings out. A member has a pictorial of what he went through to replace the bearings on his snowflake rims.
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?46970-Wheel-Bearing-Replacement-Snowflakes
The regreaser mentioned above can be used to push out the old grease with new grease. You have to remove the wheels from the bike.
I believe Chicago has some active Airhead clubs...maybe there's a TechDay coming up in the future where you could get some hands-on help. Good thing to be a member of the Airheads Beemer Club, too!
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?46970-Wheel-Bearing-Replacement-Snowflakes
The regreaser mentioned above can be used to push out the old grease with new grease. You have to remove the wheels from the bike.
I believe Chicago has some active Airhead clubs...maybe there's a TechDay coming up in the future where you could get some hands-on help. Good thing to be a member of the Airheads Beemer Club, too!
1074
Active member
Folks. Try not to confuse front wheel bearing differences between twin shock and mono shock models! The 84 and earlier twin shock bikes have a removable seal and servicable tapered roller bearings.
The later ones use sealed bearings like you'd find on a K bike. As far as I know the routine on the sealed bearings is to`check them in position to determine if they are worn or damaged and replace if bad. BMW says that they are not servicable!
The later ones use sealed bearings like you'd find on a K bike. As far as I know the routine on the sealed bearings is to`check them in position to determine if they are worn or damaged and replace if bad. BMW says that they are not servicable!
stevenrankin
Active member
83
I agree, we should not confuse the year bikes, however, this is an 83 bike and the bearings ARE repack able unless the owner has replaced the front end of the bike with a 84 or newer unit, I doubt that.
I am sure you might be able to find a video online of how to do the job at hand. Brook, has a video I found in a quick check. Give it a look and see what you think, he is VERY good at his how to stuff and has saved my bacon more than a few times with his write ups and videos.
As for cleaning the old bearings, well, if you don't have a parts washer on hand, lots of degreaser an old toothbrush and elbow grease will clean out the old grease. There are tools available to hook to a grease gun to pump new grease into the bearings nice and neat however, if you don't have one of them, you can just pack them by hand. The key is to get the grease into the rollers and the more grease the better.
Anyway, here is the link to Brook's video, good luck, St.
https://brook.reams.me/bmw-motorcyc...t-index/36-bmw-r100rs-replace-wheel-bearings/
I agree, we should not confuse the year bikes, however, this is an 83 bike and the bearings ARE repack able unless the owner has replaced the front end of the bike with a 84 or newer unit, I doubt that.
I am sure you might be able to find a video online of how to do the job at hand. Brook, has a video I found in a quick check. Give it a look and see what you think, he is VERY good at his how to stuff and has saved my bacon more than a few times with his write ups and videos.
As for cleaning the old bearings, well, if you don't have a parts washer on hand, lots of degreaser an old toothbrush and elbow grease will clean out the old grease. There are tools available to hook to a grease gun to pump new grease into the bearings nice and neat however, if you don't have one of them, you can just pack them by hand. The key is to get the grease into the rollers and the more grease the better.
Anyway, here is the link to Brook's video, good luck, St.
https://brook.reams.me/bmw-motorcyc...t-index/36-bmw-r100rs-replace-wheel-bearings/
yes they are the snowflake wheels. We were overseas for a number of years and when I got back I had the bike serviced at a BMW dealer who told me the front wheels had been recalled and they mounted a new one. This was in 1998 or so. I guess it is possible they put in a newer bearing. I’ll have a look at the pictorial you mention. As far as I know the rear wheel would have the original bearing in it. I have owned the bike since early 1985 and I don’t recall replacing the rear bearing.
As far as the degreaser you mention, do the bearings have to be removed to use it?
stevenrankin
Active member
Lets not get confused
So on the 83 Snowflake wheels, in order to remove them front and rear, you need to remove the seals only, unless the bearings are shot, the races don't have to be removed in order to clean inspect and repack the bearings.
Here is a link which may help/explain. https://brook.reams.me/bmw-motorcyc...t-index/36-bmw-r100rs-replace-wheel-bearings/
The tool Kurt is talking about and I have is similar to this one https://locknlube.com/products/lock...UazKvHcqNzmmnadu5pg_XfKF8xlFUl6QaAvkLEALw_wcB
The bearings can be degreased or all the old grease flushed out with degreaser and a tooth brush, elbow grease and time or, as Kurt says, it can be pushed out when using the tool or a similar tool. I have a parts degreaser tank so for me, it is less mess to clean the parts with paper towels then flush out the old grease, dry, and pump in new grease using a tool similar to the one I have the link to.
All the bearings can be taken out and repacked without a lot of fuss, but like Brook says in his article, be careful to do the reassembly correctly. Seals can be put back in wrong.
All the extra messing about pulling races, and preload only is needed IF the bearings are shot and need replaced.
Does this help? Good luck. St.
So on the 83 Snowflake wheels, in order to remove them front and rear, you need to remove the seals only, unless the bearings are shot, the races don't have to be removed in order to clean inspect and repack the bearings.
Here is a link which may help/explain. https://brook.reams.me/bmw-motorcyc...t-index/36-bmw-r100rs-replace-wheel-bearings/
The tool Kurt is talking about and I have is similar to this one https://locknlube.com/products/lock...UazKvHcqNzmmnadu5pg_XfKF8xlFUl6QaAvkLEALw_wcB
The bearings can be degreased or all the old grease flushed out with degreaser and a tooth brush, elbow grease and time or, as Kurt says, it can be pushed out when using the tool or a similar tool. I have a parts degreaser tank so for me, it is less mess to clean the parts with paper towels then flush out the old grease, dry, and pump in new grease using a tool similar to the one I have the link to.
All the bearings can be taken out and repacked without a lot of fuss, but like Brook says in his article, be careful to do the reassembly correctly. Seals can be put back in wrong.
All the extra messing about pulling races, and preload only is needed IF the bearings are shot and need replaced.
Does this help? Good luck. St.
stevenrankin
Active member
re install
Yep, I agree, if I pull a good bearing, inspect, clean and repack, it goes back in the same place it came out of. I am sorry I forgot to mention this point. Best thing to do is work on ONE bearing at a time, don't mix them up.
If the bearings are good and they go back into the original races, there is a whole lot less messing around involved. They are a matched unit.
Changing bearings, races and such is another bunch of things I won't get into right now. I am assuming, since the owner has no apparent problems with noise, wobble, or such, his bearings are in good shape and just need a good inspection and repack.
The best way to help someone in a case like this is to be there in person, LOL I can't teleport so I do my best in my poor writing. Thank goodness others help out or the owner might be in worse shape. St.
Yep, I agree, if I pull a good bearing, inspect, clean and repack, it goes back in the same place it came out of. I am sorry I forgot to mention this point. Best thing to do is work on ONE bearing at a time, don't mix them up.
If the bearings are good and they go back into the original races, there is a whole lot less messing around involved. They are a matched unit.
Changing bearings, races and such is another bunch of things I won't get into right now. I am assuming, since the owner has no apparent problems with noise, wobble, or such, his bearings are in good shape and just need a good inspection and repack.
The best way to help someone in a case like this is to be there in person, LOL I can't teleport so I do my best in my poor writing. Thank goodness others help out or the owner might be in worse shape. St.
Duane Ausherman shows the tool about midway on this page:
https://w6rec.com/the-5-wheel-bearings/
I got mine for /7 and /2 years ago from Dan at Cycleworks.net.
https://w6rec.com/the-5-wheel-bearings/
I got mine for /7 and /2 years ago from Dan at Cycleworks.net.
Looks like an innovative tool. Most trailer wheel hubs incorporates that type of “supply grease through the middle” system. This system is different than “Bearing Buddies” which was just a grease fitting on the wheel-end axel stub.
OM
So far no noise when I spin the front wheel with the bike on the center stand, no wobble at highway speeds. Thanks for all the advice from all.
I'm told the 1984 and earlier bikes have serviceable tapered bearings and the later bikes have sealed, non-serviceable bearings. That's what I meant by newer style - sealed bearings.
stevenrankin
Active member
Coming up
I looked at the rear tire on my 84 RT and it is just about time to replace it. I will be looking at my records to see when the last time it was the rear wheel bearings were inspected and repacked, I think it may be time. St.
I looked at the rear tire on my 84 RT and it is just about time to replace it. I will be looking at my records to see when the last time it was the rear wheel bearings were inspected and repacked, I think it may be time. St.
