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Cardan to be checked and vent valve retrofitted on a total of 440,000 motorcycles

bigjohnsd

'21 R1250 GS Adv
Quote

Over 400,000 BMW GS for cardan check
Major construction sites in the BMW workshops: The cardan is to be checked and a vent valve retrofitted on a total of 440,000 motorcycles worldwide, especially on the R 1250 GS and R 1200 GS from 2013.


"In order to improve long-term quality", according to BMW Motorrad's official formulation, the authorized workshops are currently being prepared for a very extensive service campaign: the cardan shafts of a total of 440,000 motorcycles worldwide are to be checked over the course of the next few months, ideally as part of the scheduled inspections will. 72,000 of them in Germany alone. The campaign primarily affects BMW's most important model: the boxer GS. Specifically, the R 1250 GS and the R 1200 GS from year of manufacture 2013, both type K50, as well as the respective adventure variants, type K51. In addition, there is the official version RT, type K52.


Universal joint, articulation angle, corrosion

Background according to BMW, from a message to the dealers: "Service campaign during the next visit to the workshop - retrofit drainage in the swingarm and check the cardan shaft. Damage to the cardan shaft occasionally occurs, which impairs the function of the drive. In individual cases, propulsion can be lost Several factors contribute to the occurrence of damage.Corrosion effects, among others, play a role if they occur at functionally relevant points.Signs of wear caused by running time or particular climatic and dynamic loads can also lead to component damage. These effects can be caused by the geometric chassis design (kink angle of the universal joints in the swing arm) be reinforced."

R 1200 GS, R 1250 GS and official RT

Apparently, a conspicuous accumulation of cardan defects was found in the Boxer GS from year of manufacture 2013 (with water-cooled engine) and in the R 1200 RT and R 1250 RT in the official version. With the GS, the cardan is subject to greater stress due to the concept, because of the longer spring deflection and the associated articulation angle between the cardan tunnel and the rear axle drive. This is where the cardan's rear universal joint is located. In addition, depending on the user, there is more or less tough enduro use. In any case, the authorities' RT are subjected to above-average strain, for example when driving over high curbs.

Cardan check with special device

So that the cardan does not have to be opened on all 440,000 motorcycles concerned, every authorized workshop is to be given a special test device. Instead of the rear wheel, a measuring disk is mounted, and then the cardan is dragged over the rear axle while idling, that is, rotated. This stress test runs over various load changes and speeds, with sensors monitoring the forces and vibrations. If everything stays within the predefined normal range, the checked gimbal is considered "okay". If there are any abnormalities, a closer look is taken. In particular, the universal joint with its four roller bearings, but also the gearing to the rear axle drive is checked for rust and damage. Should parts then have to be replaced,

Vent hole with beak valve

In principle, a vent on the cardan tunnel is retrofitted during this service campaign. For this purpose, a small hole is drilled on the underside in the rear area, near the universal joint, using a prepared template. In order to avoid the formation of potentially harmful metal chips, the drill should be lubricated beforehand. A rubber beak valve is then inserted into this hole using a kind of piercing tool. This special valve is intended to seal the hole to the outside, but allow air and, above all, moisture to escape from the cardan tunnel. This ventilation is supported by the pumping movements during compression and rebound. If water runs out immediately after drilling, this is also a reason to inspect the cardan more closely.

45 minutes per motorcycle

A total of 45 minutes are allotted for the cardan check including retrofitting the ventilation. Of course, this campaign is free of charge - at least for the customers, BMW will incur some costs.
End Quote

A pain in the ass but Google Translate prevailed!

https://www-motorradonline-de.trans...l=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
 
*** cardan joint. / (ˈkɑːdæn) / noun. engineering a type of universal joint in a shaft that enables it to rotate when out of alignment. ***

Just in case ;)

I have a feeling I know what is trying to be explained. They used to have a device that almost looked like an oscilloscope that would show a “wave” of sorts amplified/produced by a vibration.
Probably suggested to skip what it would take time wise to do a hand/visual check.
Maybe not. :dunno
It will be interesting to see how this turns out.
OM
 
BMW goes to great lengths to avoid simply saying that it screwed up by overlooking that water could enter and not exit and the result is corrosion of the splines so we are adding a drain.
 
BMW goes to great lengths to avoid simply saying that it screwed up by overlooking that water could enter and not exit and the result is corrosion of the splines so we are adding a drain.

Don't they all. BMW just seems to have more opportunities.
 
We can thank Jim from JVB Productions http://jimvonbaden.com/JVB_Productions.html for promoting us to do this service. He has promoted this for many many years on ADV Rider and until people started chiseling 2 year old final drives apart on GS/GSA did it really catch on.

I did it to my 15 RT and my 17.5 GS.

I am pretty sure Air and Hex heads did this as maintenance regularly, yet non of the LC bikes have any listed maintenance for this item.

Seems to me this introduces a bunch or workmanship problems.

First the drilling with oil. The only way I know to trap drill bit swag it with wax. You coat the bit, drill wipe of the swag drill some more, clean and go through with fresh wax on the bit. Even then we got no guarantee of who is doing this and his expertise.

Then are they lubing the splines and then with what?

Then we got the boot and seal. Are they using factory Staburags? It is expensive but has worked well for me. I am sure there is a substitute. My 17.5 GS was sealed as tight as a drum with it. Cleaning it off was worse then dropping the FD. I made sure it was the same going back on.

So it the average tech going to do this without getting metal fillings in the housing, ripping your boot, are they lubing the spines, are they sealing the boot well and correct, and finally what happens when they keep meeting the people who have rust welded final drive and drive shafts? Who is going to foot those bills? You are talking a drive shaft and a final drive cost! And what about warranty on those under it. I would have to see my splines before I accepted, they were fine, or they all look that way.

There and so many posts on rust welded FD/DS on 2 year old bikes it is a shame.

I hope most people have read the Threadfest of Jim's on FD maintenance.

I suspect BMW is meeting those people that have not, and that has prompted this "service"

Me, I think I will pass and just keep doing maintenance.
 
It's a shame the R, RS and regular RT are not on the list.
I've seen plenty of reports of rusty splines on those models.
 
I had guessed the fix would be redesigned rubber boots.
I don't remember water getting in on the older models unless one of the boots were damaged.
 
It's a shame the R, RS and regular RT are not on the list.
I've seen plenty of reports of rusty splines on those models.

Yes I have heard of many RT's rusting tight. It is no different then a GS/GSA.

BMW has just decided to blame it on GS/GSA riders and water crossings. I have to say most, not all, but most guys I know on GS do not use them as hard as intended.

Rain is going to do it. Humidity is going to do it.

The only way to stop it is maintenance. The splines on both ends needs cleaned, FD and DS, then they both need slathered in some Honda Moly or something like it and then seal the boot correctly.

This is not a GS/GSA problem only. Every model is/will be affected!

Jim has been on this hot and heavy since 2016 and before. JVB Productions been around for a long time. Here is a 96 page threadfest if your interested as I say it was started on open forum in 2016 but Jim was aware of it long before that.

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/r1200gsw-lc-wethead-final-drive-change-and-spline-lube-pictorial.1129815/

I did it to my 15 RT per his instructions and it was not pretty from the factory. My GS was better but no lube and that is what is going to stop rust.

GS new
gs+fd+splins.JPG
 
Yes I have heard of many RT's rusting tight. It is no different then a GS/GSA.

BMW has just decided to blame it on GS/GSA riders and water crossings. I have to say most, not all, but most guys I know on GS do not use them as hard as intended.

Rain is going to do it. Humidity is going to do it.

The only way to stop it is maintenance. The splines on both ends needs cleaned, FD and DS, then they both need slathered in some Honda Moly or something like it and then seal the boot correctly.

This is not a GS/GSA problem only. Every model is/will be affected!

Jim has been on this hot and heavy since 2016 and before. JVB Productions been around for a long time. Here is a 96 page threadfest if your interested as I say it was started on open forum in 2016 but Jim was aware of it long before that.

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/r1200gsw-lc-wethead-final-drive-change-and-spline-lube-pictorial.1129815/

I did it to my 15 RT per his instructions and it was not pretty from the factory. My GS was better but no lube and that is what is going to stop rust.

GS new
gs+fd+splins.JPG

I think this sums it up, especially the point atmospheric conditions can be a prime cause. Humidity is tough and where I am, a sudden change from a cool night to a rapidly warming day causes so much condensation on metal, the metal drips water.
For some consideration-

https://www.skf.com/us/products/mai...d-dismounting/accessories/anti-fretting-agent

OM
 
It's a shame the R, RS and regular RT are not on the list.
I've seen plenty of reports of rusty splines on those models.


With everything that has been going on with BMW for the last years, I'm beginning to lack confidence. It seems it might be a good idea to inspect, and lube, the R, RS, and non-authority RTs at regular intervals. What do you think?

E.
 
With everything that has been going on with BMW for the last years, I'm beginning to lack confidence. It seems it might be a good idea to inspect, and lube, the R, RS, and non-authority RTs at regular intervals. What do you think?

E.

Take a look at the BoxFlyer series of maintenance videos (see link above). I use his videos as a guide in servicing my wethead. Regular inspection, adjustment (as needed), cleaning, replacement of some parts, and lubrication is a way to help any bike be reliable.
 
Take a look at the BoxFlyer series of maintenance videos (see link above). I use his videos as a guide in servicing my wethead. Regular inspection, adjustment (as needed), cleaning, replacement of some parts, and lubrication is a way to help any bike be reliable.

Page 198 of the 2018 BMW R 1200RT owner's manual states that the final drive lube, "Oil change in rear bevel gears" is to be changed every 12,000 miles. It would seem reasonable that you would inspect and lube the splines at the same time.

E.
 
Page 198 of the 2018 BMW R 1200RT owner's manual states that the final drive lube, "Oil change in rear bevel gears" is to be changed every 12,000 miles. It would seem reasonable that you would inspect and lube the splines at the same time.

E.

Do you think a dealer pulls your FD and DS and lube it when he changes your FD oil?

There is NO maintenance called out for the DS and FD, period!

JVB called it out in 2015 to me and then public in 2016. It is 2022.

BMW has decided to fix something as a money grab. How many FD and DS do you think they may find? Who is going to foot that bill? Do you have any idea what a driveshaft and final drive cost. That is what you are looking at if the are rust welded together.

This is not a recall, this is a service campaign. That means YOU are paying for any damaged FD and DS, not BMW

There have been way too many documented drive shafts, u joints, and final drives rust welded.

If you find yourself facing this buy a drive shaft from Ted Porter as they can be rebuilt and have grease fittings in the u joints.

There is no excuse for this. It has been known for many years and documented. As I posted my new 17.5 GS was bone dry new.

As a side note I noticed my 15 RT DS was just bare metal, my 17,5 drive shaft is painted. Not sure if that was a weak attempt at stopping rust or what?

And the kicker is they completely left all the RT's out. Well except for police vehicles. They say they are used and abused more. This is not abuse or water crossing or anything else BMW wants to blame it on. This is a item that needs serviced, period. I did my RT once in 28K but it was at 10K that I did it. It needed tapped apart but cleaned up well. The GS was new and dry and I took care of it. On my 30K I will pull it and see how it has held up.
 
With everything that has been going on with BMW for the last years, I'm beginning to lack confidence. It seems it might be a good idea to inspect, and lube, the R, RS, and non-authority RTs at regular intervals. What do you think?

E.

If you read the thread I posted, that is 96 pages long, with plenty of pretty pictures of what every series is facing.
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/r1200gsw-lc-wethead-final-drive-change-and-spline-lube-pictorial.1129815/

Have a look and you tell us what you think if you should or should not perform this service.

I am just really pissed about this as it has been known for many many years this is happening. If you do not read forums, or spin a wrench, you are screwed as far as even knowing this issue exists.

And add all this to the fact that BMW has knee capped us with no more Shop DVD's! Now they can say you could not perform service as you have no DVD to know the values and deny warranty claims. I hope it goes to court as others as this is a breech of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act

In the mean time Flea Bay vendors are making money hand over fist on Pirated DVD's and turning guys into criminals to keep their own bikes!

Again it is a issue that when it happens it stops you dead in your tracks. Not the splines themselves but the u joints weaken and rust and snap. This is all related to water intrusion, no matter how it gets there. And pulling the transmission side at the top is no fun to pull or re fit. But in about 3k I will do it as I want to "service" the knuckles. Best you can do is clean them, check for any troubles in movement of the knuckles. You can not lube them. So you then do the top transmission spline side for probably the only time you need to, as it stays protected. I will coat it with ACF 50 but that is about all we can do for the shaft and knuckles. This does creep into spaces very small and I may leave it sit out and keep doing it a few times hoping it creeps more by reapplication and a artist brush working it into the joints over a few days.
http://www.learchem.com/products/acf-50.html
 
I didn’t mean to get you upset. To quote Clinton, “I feel your pain.” I've had two final drive failures, and a faulty gas flange that caused my leg to get soaked with gasoline.

I’m just trying to figure out the best time to do what BMW will not. Unless someone else has a better idea, I'm going to lube the splines, and check the u-joints when changing the final drive lube.

E.
 
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And add all this to the fact that BMW has knee capped us with no more Shop DVD's! Now they can say you could not perform service as you have no DVD to know the values and deny warranty claims. I hope it goes to court as others as this is a breech of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act


http://www.learchem.com/products/acf-50.html

For BMW to face a court challenge of its practices limiting the rights of owners to repair I think that there would have to be some sort of organization or association that represents the interests of owners championing the cause.
 
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