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Camhead final drive lube 2012 R1200GS

sloride

New member
Can't make it to the dealer for my 600 mile service before my scheduled trip. I'll do my own service

Has anything changed from 2008 RT as far as the final drive quantity and specs for the oil ?



I'm using 180ml of 75-90 GL5 synthetic
 
Specs. Procedure available here

The specifications remain the same. The tutorial on this site quite good. Be sure and inspect the orings close unless you happen to have new ones aleady. I found a large animal syringe and a short piece of tubing to be the ticket for putting in the 180 ml fluid into the drive with no spillage. Bad spot for a spill. Syringe also allows accurate fluid measurement.
Enjoy
 
Just a heads up.. my local friendly BMW dealer now has in stock the actual original spec oil (which was a Castrol XO 75W-90) as "Final drive gear oil" C-SAF-XO) SAE 75W-90 GL5.

BMW PN: 07 51 2 293 972. Retail price was $23.49/liter. For those of us who are somewhat anal about using what BMW spec'd in the service manuals - this IS the stuff, formerly almost unobtainable in the US (there are rumors Land Rover dealers carry it.. but I haven't checked that.)

BTW - Anthony, document your service carefully. BMW has been known to squabble over warranty on bikes where the initial service wasn't done (or it couldn't be proved it was done.)
 
Fwiw...

My '12 RT didn't require a final drive fluid change at the break-in service. I will not do the first fluid change in the FD and trans until 6k.

Apparently the specifications for the initial service is somewhat fluid and can change on a whim.

Good luck.

Scot
 
I think getting any crud left over from manufacturing out of the final drive sooner rather than later is a very good idea. If I ever skipped a FD service it wouldn't be the 600 mile initial service.
 
There are no equivalents to Castrol SAF-XO either from Castrol or anybody else.

Remember it's designed as a "lifetime fill" oil and no others are.

Even if you're going to periodically renew it, it still remains the fluid around which the unit was designed.

Despite what a dealer may tell you, BMW has not changed the specification.

Speaking of "anal," I was a bit disappointed that the SAF-XO Don mentions is not the red color that the original factory fill was. Think I'll get a bottle from Land Rover to see if it is.
 
My '12 RT didn't require a final drive fluid change at the break-in service. I will not do the first fluid change in the FD and trans until 6k.

Apparently the specifications for the initial service is somewhat fluid and can change on a whim.

Good luck.

Scot

I don't think that's true...
Did you actually see the RSD maintenance requirements or is that from another rider or the dealer?
 
Thanks


That's what I needed to know . I can keep doing the same on the GS as my RT for the final drive.

.

I'm waiting on my repair DVD so I don't have the info on hand. But it appears the fill hole is on the right at about 2 o'clock vs the RT that's on the left
 
I think getting any crud left over from manufacturing out of the final drive sooner rather than later is a very good idea. If I ever skipped a FD service it wouldn't be the 600 mile initial service.

I agree, but they didn't change mine either. It was the most expensive oil change I've ever seen or had. I changed it myself at 3500 and it had a lot of the gray paste, but that's it.
 
Speaking of "anal," I was a bit disappointed that the SAF-XO Don mentions is not the red color that the original factory fill was. Think I'll get a bottle from Land Rover to see if it is.
Have you done the original factory fill change? My dealer DID do it at the 600 mile service on mine (I watched them doing it) and it just appeared to be a very dark almost black fluid draining out. Can't say if it was originally red or not based on what I saw. They actually flushed mine to get all the dark stuff out using some of the BMW 75W-90 GL5 synthetic lube - which is red in color (and what's in mine right at the moment.)

I haven't opened the bottle of C-SAF-XO from BMW yet, so can't say what color it is..
 
I don't think that's true...
Did you actually see the RSD maintenance requirements or is that from another rider or the dealer?

Yes. I was provided the service sheet following the service. I double and triple checked with the service manager and technician and they indicated that was the latest revision from the most recent service DVD. The DVD was dated one month earlier from the month of my service.

I believe after my service I do recall others here indicating the same experience for their 600 service as well.

Either way, I will service in about 1k miles. Since the dealer performed and documented the first service, not changing the tranny or FD fluid I feel okay with where I stand.

Scot
 
Have you done the original factory fill change? My dealer DID do it at the 600 mile service on mine (I watched them doing it) and it just appeared to be a very dark almost black fluid draining out. Can't say if it was originally red or not based on what I saw. They actually flushed mine to get all the dark stuff out using some of the BMW 75W-90 GL5 synthetic lube - which is red in color (and what's in mine right at the moment.)

I haven't opened the bottle of C-SAF-XO from BMW yet, so can't say what color it is..

I've seen that dark fill in some new transmissions and final drives. I think it's assembly lube mostly. That has been very inconsistant over the years...almost like different manufacturers. From what I knew back when these drives first came out was that they were being run and flushed during manufacture. Then since they don't vent, why change the fluid. Exactly why they recommend changing after the first flush now I guess is to remove metal dust from wear. Can't guess why that became more apparent.
 
spoke with the service manager/mechanic at the dealer . He said one of the things they do at the 600 mile service is re-torque the steering head. Probably a good idea
 
My understanding is that the heads have to be torqued during the first service. Something that wasn't in my work order either. Just oil and filter. Most expensive oil change ever.
 
Don't know, they work on a lot of different bikes maybe had the model year or bike confused . It was a phone discussion. I know he rides a BMW . We'll see what he says when I take it in
 
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