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alternator belt 2010 R1200RT

sumolguy

New member
Just wondering when people are changing the alternator belt on these bikes. 40,000 KM seems a little short service life
 
Just wondering when people are changing the alternator belt on these bikes. 40,000 KM seems a little short service life

Yes it does, unless you happen to be the unlucky sod who has the belt shred, wrap up like a little black and white mouse nest, and take out the hall sensors or their wiring located behind the pulley. Then you are dead in the water, so to speak, exactly where it stops running. According to Murphy's Law this will be at a point far from home, outside of cell phone range, on a sparcely traveled road, in a windy rain storm. Oh, and 400 miles from the nearest dealership which doesn't have the part in stock anyway. Probably one day after you forgot to renew your roadside assistance policy.
 
I've changed three at 24,000 miles (40K); two RTs and an R. All looked good, but I'll change the next one at 24K as well. Now I travel with the used ones as back-up. It's not much extra work once you have the fairing off to do other routine maintenance such as the throttle body synch.
 
The current RT stretch belts generally come off in good shape at the factory interval so carrying a used one as a spare is fine.

IIRC the current part number is actually a bit shorter than the original (my stock is still the old number) and I think Don pointed out it was a bit harder to install. So that used one as spare might actually be the better idea (than a new one) anyway- wrestling a tight belt roadside is no fun. (The current model lacks the adjusters of earlier ones)
 
Just wondering when people are changing the alternator belt on these bikes. 40,000 KM seems a little short service life
My 2010 RT has a used belt tucked away as a spare. I also carry a widget I made to help me install a belt on the road. At 119k miles, the only belt failure has been an obvious manufacturing error. My mileage at changes has been 24k to 35k.
 
My 2010 RT has a used belt tucked away as a spare. I also carry a widget I made to help me install a belt on the road. At 119k miles, the only belt failure has been an obvious manufacturing error. My mileage at changes has been 24k to 35k.

Any pics of the widget? I'd like to make one up. thanx
 
Just like what Paul said if it happens to break a long way from a dealer your screwed. I spent a fair amount of time trying to find out if the belt was available from any parts store. It is a custom made to length belt for BMW only. I ride K bikes but I do carry a used R belt in my waterproof bag with my other spare I carry on road trips.
 
I happened over to get one yesterday. I am at 32,000 miles.
I have a few other things to do, so I will add that to the list, and use the old one as a spare, which ought to fit somewhere on the bike itself, yet out of the way.
dc
 
Any pics of the widget? I'd like to make one up. thanx
No pics but easy to describe. There are 3 holes in the bottom pulley. I tapped threads in one. I now carry a short screw to fit those threads and a large flat washer. This serves to guide the belt on as you turn the motor over with the rear wheel.
 
Isn't the interval a 36K recommendation? I know the Oilheads were 24.
Have changed all of ours at that point and the ribbed belt still looked usable. Only one had cracks in the ribs. I carry a new one for me/others since I don't want to put that old one on someone else's bike...including Helen's:whistle

I have the $$ BMW spiral tool, but, find it easier to bump it on. The tool helps getting it off w/out using a pry bar
Easiest on R's and RT's a PITA on GSA's with crash bars. JVB's video uses a bleach bottle piece of plastic while bumping on. WATCH YOUR FINGERS either way!!

more talk here:
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread...acement-Tips&highlight=alternator+belt+change
 
Isn't the interval a 36K recommendation? I know the Oilheads were 24.
Have changed all of ours at that point and the ribbed belt still looked usable. Only one had cracks in the ribs. I carry a new one for me/others since I don't want to put that old one on someone else's bike...including Helen's:whistle

I have the $$ BMW spiral tool, but, find it easier to bump it on. The tool helps getting it off w/out using a pry bar
Easiest on R's and RT's a PITA on GSA's with crash bars. JVB's video uses a bleach bottle piece of plastic while bumping on. WATCH YOUR FINGERS either way!!

more talk here:
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread...acement-Tips&highlight=alternator+belt+change

Steve - have you bumped it on with the latest (and shorter) hexhead belt? Where the original hex belt went on fairly easily with a piece of plastic to guide it on, bumping it on was about impossible without using something to stretch it while the pulley was rotated. I haven't gotten to try the $10 tool I bought yet, but I imagine at some service this upcoming summer I may consider replacing the belt again and will report on how well it worked.

BTW - the hexhead change interval was originally 36k miles - BMW changed it to 24K. The condition of the belt at 36K miles on my R12R - was identical to the one I was putting on. No sign of cracking on the ribbed inside, even after turning it inside out. That belt (an older long one) lives on the bike as a "just in case" and to invoke Eilenberger's Law of Spare Parts..
 
I have two fairly new belts sitting in the parts bin, not sure if new smaller/tighter version. I do recall having a bit more trouble putting the last one on H's 12R last summer:scratch maybe it was the newer one.

I bought the BMW spiral tool for my 05RT, it works OK, but it seems to really stretch the belt. I seem to try the flat handed bump on method more.

I will go back to 24K intervals...might be due one on my GSA now:banghead
These belts sure look better than a worn Oilhead one.

I changed one on another bike that was at 60K, it had those rib cracks and I assume was the original talking to my frugal buddy:whistle
 
I haven't gotten to try the $10 tool I bought yet, but I imagine at some service this upcoming summer I may consider replacing the belt again and will report on how well it worked.

Hey Don, what tool is that? I am coming up on my 24K.

Thanks,
 
It's one I found on Amazon. Let me see if I can find it..

It's called a "Gates 91030 Engine Tool" on Amazon.. I imagine searching Amazon for "Gates 91030" would find it for you.

DISCLAIMER - I haven't tried it - yet. It looks as if it should work/fit OK, and luckily it's cheap (less than $10) so if it doesn't work, I'm not out a lot. It's made by Gates - who makes these sort of belts - and it's made to put them on/take-off. If you go to their website they have a video showing how it works.
 
I'm looking to do this job for the first time on my 06RT. Do all the plugs have to be removed to make the job easier?

Thanks
 
I'm looking to do this job for the first time on my 06RT. Do all the plugs have to be removed to make the job easier?
Just one plug per cylinder so you can turn the crankshaft through the rear wheel while the transmission is in 6th gear.
 
Just one plug per cylinder so you can turn the crankshaft through the rear wheel while the transmission is in 6th gear.

I found it MUCH easier to turn the engine over using the crankshaft nut in the center of the bottom pulley.. you're sorta right there, and it turns over easily with a plug/cylinder removed. No real worry about changing the torque setting on it.
 
Doesn't make any difference. You just want to create an outlet for air on the compression stroke. I found it easier to remove the main plug.
 
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