Driveshaft boot orientation

For a R75/5, the front and back of the drive shaft boot is obvious. Big round hole front, rectangularish hole rearward. How about top and bottom? I can barely read on one end, "GEIRT SEITE" Seite is side, I have no translation for GEIRT.
Or does it make no difference?

Also, can someone refresh my memory on the driveshaft fluid content? I seem to remember we removed fill plug, insert small screwdriver and just need to see grease on the blade. I think the actual amount if I were to drain it should be .105 quarts

The only thing close to GEIRT that I can come up with is GETRIEBE=TRANSMISSION and the abbreviation could be GETRI(?).

/Guenther

“ GETRIEBE” indicates the side of the boot that goes toward the transmission, “OBEN” indicates the top side of the boot.

Best,
DeVern

Thanks fellas!

I have an "EN" on the right side of the seem on one of the "tops" - an old mold, it probably is the OBEN with the OB missing on the left side of the seam. And surely the other is the abbreviation of transmission as it is on the round opening end which is the transmission end.

Eric

Hey..You are exactly right about the method of checking fluid level in the driveshaft. For me, I use a broom straw and want a return of 1/16" to 1/8". I use a broom straw or something flexible that will allow me to "go around" the driveshaft, that often a screwdriver won't allow.....Good luck....Dennis

If memory serves me, it is 200 cc’s for the driveshaft (with popular opinion being anything over 100cc’s is sufficient) and 150ccs for the FD.

I vaguely remembered what a wrestling match those damn boots are. Now I remember clearly!

My BMW Shop manual says .105 qt which is 99ml

cwroady said:

If memory serves me, it is 200 cc’s for the driveshaft (with popular opinion being anything over 100cc’s is sufficient) and 150ccs for the FD.

Click to expand...

The drive shaft gear oil quantify is 150ml. The small yellow handled screwdriver which came originally in the tool kit will go into the fill plug hole up to it's hilt if done at an angle. You should have some oil on the flat sided part of the tip.

Clear as Mud now

Well .. the last 3 answers gave you 3 different quantities. I apologize for posting something from memory. Ebeeby is closest per my manual, which calls out .2 pint translated to 95ml for the driveshaft and .5pt for the final drive equal to 236ml.

I don't know how much goes in the transmission or final drive, but to do the drive train I know I have to buy 2 liters. The transmission is filled until to the level at the bottom of the fill hole and slightly runs out. The final drive is filled to the bottom of the threads viewed down into the fill hole. As for the drive shaft, I think there was a different volume for the early /5s and it went up for the LWB /5 and /6-on. As indicated, 100ml was for SWB /5 but with the longer wheelbase, it went up to 150ml.

I've never been able to use the technique mentioned by Greg. So, I just drain fully and refill with at least 100ml, maybe a touch more. I suppose I could accurately measure what comes out and replace with the same amount.

Battle of the Manuals

Part of the confusion, I believe, is that the rear drive capacity specification for the /5 short wheelbase models was 100ml. However, it was changed to 150ml with the introduction of the long wheelbase models and stayed at that spec for all non-paralever airheads. To the best of my knowledge they never corrected the /5 owner's manuals.

I have OEM /5, /6, and /7 manuals, and the /5 manual does say ".2" for drive shaft capacity and it's up to you to figure out they mean .2 pints which is 94.6ml, rounded to 100ml. The /6 and /7 manuals both say .15 liter. I guess that from the /5s to the /6s BMW figured out that Americans could work with metric units directly. From my experience you can and should use 150ml in both short and long wheelbase driveshafts.

Thanks again - that make very good sense that the LWB, which mine is, would be 150ml.

ebeeby said:

Thanks fellas!

I have an "EN" on the right side of the seem on one of the "tops" - an old mold, it probably is the OBEN with the OB missing on the left side of the seam.

Eric

Click to expand...

THATS a relief! I though the "EN" on meine boot meant "ENGLAND THIS WAY -> " and soon parts were going to be hard to get / black market only

Swing arm boot ; headache prevention; get a longer screw ! get M3-0.5 x 30mm

Just got done installing new rubber SwingArm boot,and hooboy installing the clamp was an unnecessary bear;
I had a stock clamp (?) labled Norma 83 and prolly a euroelectric boot.

This clamp ( very exact fit around boot) included 25mm screw which was just barely too short to engage, I mainly managed to FU the screw threads while trying ...

I believe there are 85mm clamps on older bikes which MAY work, love to hear from others is they know, but

The screw with the clamp was 25mm (shank length) long - just barely would not engage the nut , and risked mauling the thin & delicate clamp while trying to pull the ends together.
The clamp's stock screw is also a flat tip cheese head, so expect some screwdriver slips & stabs while fussing with it...


Some 30mm long screws solved the problem, easy to engage the nut, but of course 30mm shank is the first length OVER what the small nearby Ace HW stocks in a stainless Phillips or hex, so, you might want to be armed with longer screw to finish this task first time .

30mm = Problem solved .

I am soaking most all my rubber parts in Meguiars Natural Shine for a day or few , not sure at all if its a good preservative, the boot was a lot more supple, "easier" to install around the collars , its not impossible the meguairs swellled the wall thickness to make the 83 clamp just barely too small ...