Battery tray removal?

I have a 2003 R1150R and the battery tray is rusted and corroded by battery acid. I cleaned it all up but I thought I would remove the tray and paint it (or coat it) to stop the rust. The description for removal in the Clymer manual is simple enough but not correct for my bike. The battery tray in my bike seems to have a cable holder spot welded to the bottom. When the tray is unbolted it is still attached by all the cables running under the tray and through this holder. The Max BMW parts diagram shows a different tray without this cable holder on the bottom.

Has anyone tried to remove the battery tray on this (or similar) models with this cable holder? What is the procedure? I don't want to start removing all the cables and pulling them through if it is not necessary. It looks like the throttle control cables and something from the right side of the handle bars runs through the bottom of this battery tray. Any help would be appreciated.

Jim

Jim,
I changed out all my throttle cables a year or so ago on my 2003 R1150R, and that box underneath the battery tray is the cable junction box where all 4 cables are connected to the little spring pulley to operate the two TBs simultaneously. There is also the "High Idle" cable coming from the clutch side.
I believe you would have to disconnect those 4 cables and slide the junction box out in order to remove the battery tray completely.
Paul, I'm sure, will join us here shortly to add to my comments, since he too has a R1150R and knows a whole lot more than I do about the bike.

Essentially correct. If you disconnect the choke cable at the control lever and disconnect the cable at the left throttle body the bell crank assembly can be withdrawn out the right side of the tray bringing those two cables with it. You can leave the right throttle body cable and the main throttle cable connected.

Sliding the bell crank assembly out can be troublesome. There is a metal clip that needs to be depressed to get it out of the way. Then it is supposed to slide but may be balky due to a little grit/grime trapped between the parts that are supposed to slide apart.

There is also a frame part and hose or wiring bundle that interfere a little with it sliding all the way out, so having the mounting nuts removed so it can be lifted slightly helps a lot.

If you have the ABS model you need to remove the ABS unit to remove the battery tray.

Boxer, PGlaves,

Thanks for the information. I was hoping there was some magic way to do this that was not so involved. I am going to give it a go but I would appreciate if you would monitor this post in case I get into trouble. I just bought this bike and I am trying to go through it to fix the obvious things before I put it on the road. I have a new no maintenance battery but the rust from the holder will only stain the bike every time it rains or gets washed. It is a non ABS model so that makes it a little easier.

While I have this all apart is there something else I should check or change? I don't want to finish this and have to take it apart again.

Thanks,

Jim

With non-ABS it isn't too bad really. The choke cable is pretty easy to disconnect but finding the screws is the hard part. You will need to resynch the throttle bodies.

Check the cables that you can easily see for any sign of binding or fraying.

Clean the battery tray to bare metal where you see corrosion or staining. Then clean with alcohol and paint within a few minutes so you don't get corrosion starting under the paint.

Paul and Phil,

I got it out with your help. I would of never figured out how to get the "choke" cable free from the control without Paul's hint about the hardest part was getting the screws out. For me the hardest part was finding the screws hidden under the grip. The paint is drying and I need to get it back together soon or I will forget how I took it apart. Stay tuned to this channel; I may need your help with the assembly.

Thanks again,

Jim

Funduro said:

Paul and Phil,

I got it out with your help. I would of never figured out how to get the "choke" cable free from the control without Paul's hint about the hardest part was getting the screws out. For me the hardest part was finding the screws hidden under the grip. The paint is drying and I need to get it back together soon or I will forget how I took it apart. Stay tuned to this channel; I may need your help with the assembly.

Thanks again,

Jim

Click to expand...

I said "finding" the screws was the hard part. And it is!! I would have been more detailed but didn't remember all the details as to why they were hard to find. Now I remember. The Intern was in charge of design that day. Same guy designed that bell crank assembly too.

Paul,
It is all back together again and running, thanks to you. I had one heck of a time getting the barrel back in to the "choke" lever assembly. I also removed too many screws on that assembly but that is how I figured out how it works.

I need to look up how to balance the TB's and do that tomorrow. I also need to finish cleaning it and put all the plastic back on.

Thanks again for all your help.

Jim

Heading down this path 11/27/2022. Ya think BMW could have found a more inaccessible area to put this assembly (rhetorical question). Trying to get to the fuel regulator.

Heading down this path 11/27/2022. Ya think BMW could have found a more inaccessible area to put this assembly (rhetorical question). Trying to get to the fuel regulator.