2013 R1200RT Final drive fill plug.

[16064-1979]

I changed all my oils today preparing for a fall trip. When I drained the final drive oil and went to take the fill plug out I couldnt get it to loosen. So I tried a little harder and guess what. The torx head stripped out on the fill plug. O crap. I'd already drained the oil. No way to get the plug out without some serious surgery.
Thought about it a while and decided to add the 180 ml oil thru the vent plug. 2010 and up have a vent on the final drive. Rigged up a small hose and put the oil in slowly thru the vent. I left the drain plug loose when I first started filling to see if the oil was getting down into the gears. It began dripping so I installed the plug and filled it up. I guess my question is anything wrong with doing this? Seemed to work. Also this winter I will have to do the repair. Any ideas how to get the fill plug out? If it was my old truck I'd weld a nut on it. Also do you think the plug was over torqed? At 24K it was serviced at the dealer. 29K now. Im a fairly good mechanic working on my own bikes doing general maint for my 50 years of riding. First time Ive stripped a torx out. The socket is fairly new and in good condition.. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[wyman.winn]

i have always removed the ABS sensor to re-fill the FD...but the "fill plug" is NOT a Torx bolt but rather a 6mm simple allen head at about the 2:30-3 o'clock position.....when filling through the vent be mindful about gear lube on the brake and rotor....

wyman

 

[kskraye]

You might be able to use a small pipe extractor to get the plug out.

 

[16064-1979]

i have always removed the ABS sensor to re-fill the FD...but the "fill plug" is NOT a Torx bolt but rather a 6mm simple allen head at about the 2:30-3 o'clock position.....when filling through the vent be mindful about gear lube on the brake and rotor....

wyman

I think you are right. How did I screw that up. first time changing FD oil on this bike.
So used to torx on everything anymore. My bad. Still need to get the plug out tho.

 

[HowardR1200RT]

I feel your pain, leave it to BMW engineers to use a mix of Torx and Allens they know what's good for us. The Germans design it and we will adapt to their wishes. I suspect the "dealer" over torqued it. I recently went to changed oil on my Jeep after the "dealer" did a free oil change 4K ago and had to use an impact gun to get the drain plug out...so much for factory trained technician.

 

[roy]

Try driving a slightly larger hex bit into the hole. The rapping on the plug like driving a nail will help loosen it in most cases and the slightly oversize bit should turn it out.

Good luck

 

[lkchris]

Germans are very traditional--drain plugs are always Inhex (Allen). Same wrench for a '70s oil pan as a 2013 oil pan drain plug.

 

[fordtech50]

i have always removed the ABS sensor to re-fill the FD...but the "fill plug" is NOT a Torx bolt but rather a 6mm simple allen head at about the 2:30-3 o'clock position.....when filling through the vent be mindful about gear lube on the brake and rotor....

wyman

So if you do it this way can you change the final drive WITHOUT removing the wheel to get to filler which I remember reading is behind rotor? I would look on bike but didn't ride to work today.

 

[wyman.winn]

So if you do it this way can you change the final drive WITHOUT removing the wheel to get to filler which I remember reading is behind rotor? I would look on bike but didn't ride to work today.

i suppose, but i always remove the wheel to change tires when i change the FD...every 6000 miles....never tried doing that...besides, it only takes about 5 min to R&R the rear wheel...

i would look too, but i rode my S1000R to work today...

 

[philiprides]

Try driving a slightly larger hex bit into the hole. The rapping on the plug like driving a nail will help loosen it in most cases and the slightly oversize bit should turn it out.

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That's what worked for me in a similar situation, give it a try OP.

 

[Hodadd]

Try driving a slightly larger hex bit into the hole. The rapping on the plug like driving a nail will help loosen it in most cases and the slightly oversize bit should turn it out.

Good luck

This is a good way to do it, however, I've found that if you can use an impact driver it works even better. Also, don't limit your search of a bit that fits (pun intended) to a hex bit. Sometimes a flat blade screwdriver bit or an American sized hex or a torx in a hex hole will work, etc. All you're looking to do is get it started, then once it's loose, the rest is easy.

 

[deilenberger]

You've learned the lesson many other people have - always loosen the fill plug FIRST.

As far as filling it - if you removed the wheel - removing the speed sensor was the factory fill point for 2005-2008 or so, so that's the direction I'd head in. And you can R&R the sensor without removing any more then the wheel.

 

[usablue]

I changed all my oils today preparing for a fall trip. When I drained the final drive oil and went to take the fill plug out I couldnt get it to loosen. So I tried a little harder and guess what. The torx head stripped out on the fill plug. O crap. I'd already drained the oil. No way to get the plug out without some serious surgery.
Thought about it a while and decided to add the 180 ml oil thru the vent plug. 2010 and up have a vent on the final drive. Rigged up a small hose and put the oil in slowly thru the vent. I left the drain plug loose when I first started filling to see if the oil was getting down into the gears. It began dripping so I installed the plug and filled it up. I guess my question is anything wrong with doing this? Seemed to work. Also this winter I will have to do the repair. Any ideas how to get the fill plug out? If it was my old truck I'd weld a nut on it. Also do you think the plug was over torqed? At 24K it was serviced at the dealer. 29K now. Im a fairly good mechanic working on my own bikes doing general maint for my 50 years of riding. First time Ive stripped a torx out. The socket is fairly new and in good condition.. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Probably already mentioned but whenever replacing fluids I learned many many years ago, the hard way, always remove fill plugs FIRST. That way if there is a problem you are not stuck with no oil. PLUS it helps old oil drain quicker due to air flow, no vacuum.
I found out draining the oil on me first bike a BSA Bantam drained the oil and could not get the fill plug out. Had to have Dad help me and of course after many derogatory comments about me intelligence level he dragged his arse off the settee and did it. So since then fill plug first. Always.

As for help, Heat around the bolt, after soaking overnight with WD. Tap with a hammer, a proper hard hammer not a dead blow. the over size bit tapped in there is a good Idea if you can do it then, maybe a cheater bar and undo FAST and Hard. Don't gently ramp up your pressure give it everything all at once. Maybe even a hammer, hard again, deadblow absorb too much impact. There that is my 2 cents probably just repeating what these good folks have already mentioned. Calm, relaxed brute force.

 

[gsaddict]

Are you sure you used the right sized torx? T45
Its very easily mixed with the size below it T40 (loose fit) and give you the impression that it is stripped.

 

[paulie321]

Dealer

I ‘very got a good one, when my new 2007 R1200S hit it’s first maintenance I let the dealer do it for warranty. A few thousand miles later I did a oil filter change myself. Guess what, two o rings came out. The idiot at the dealership didn’t ensure the old o ring was removed. I was lucky it didn’t leak. So much for dealership “technicians”.
Do not use a easy out to get that plug, you break it off in the hole you’re screwed, they are made of very hard, brittle metal. I’d weld a nut to it, or cut a groove and use a chisel to knock it out.