Pivot Pin adjustment or Bearing Failure

[ted1857]

I have a 2000 r1100rt (26k miles). That has no slack when check at the rear wheel 6 to 12 o'clock position,but does have a small amount when check in the 3 to 9 o'clock position,plus I am getting some metal shavings on the magnetic drain plug.Would adjusting the Pivot Pin take out the slack,and should I be concerned about the metal shavings on the drain plug or is this possibly early crown gear bearing failure. Any Help would be appreciated!!!! Thanks Tommy Dixon

 

[jdiaz]

Its not the pivot pin, because that is mounted outside of the oil supply. You probably have a crown gear going bad.

Put the bike on the centerstand in neutral, and place your palm on the left tire sidewall. Slowly rotate the wheel forward and back. You should be able to feel a grinding or a grittiness if the crown gear is dying.

 

[BUBBAZANETTI]

if you isolate the final drive from the swingarm (hold your knee against it) and see if there is any play on that axis then it is defenetly final drive (crown gear/bearing) related and not the pivot pins. side to side motion of the entire assembly (final drive and wheel) would indicate it floating a bit on the pins inside the swingarm.

 

[ted1857]

jdiaz,your point about rotating the wheel,I don't have fluid in at this time,but when I rotate the wheel,I don't feel it as much as it seems to have a little bit of a coarse sound.if that makes sense. BubbaZanetti,your point on actually isolating the final drive from the swing arm makes sense to me,but what was confusing is why there was movement 3 to 9 and not 6 to 12,which is why I was wondering if maybe it was a pivot pin problem.The fact that I found more metal on the magnetic drain plug at 26k than at 24k makes me believe you guys are right about it being early stage crown bearing failure.....I read some mention about a new 17 ball crown gear bearing being used instead of the original 19 ball,any thoughts to that being better or where to find one..... Thank you both for taking the time to help me sort this out.....I am going to remove the crown gear assembly and see what I find.....Many Thanks Tommy Dixon

 

[pglaves]

If the bearing is going bad - bad sign is debris on the magnet - then the cage may be deformed and the balls not situated normally. If this is the case you will feel play in one position (3-9 maybe) and not the other (say 6-12).

Tiny hair-like metal on the magnet may be normal. Anything else is a problem. Usually small shiny flakes are the 1st sign of the hardened race surface fracturing and flaking. Soon you will find chunks from the broken cage from the ball bearing.

 

[cjack]

jdiaz,your point about rotating the wheel,I don't have fluid in at this time,but when I rotate the wheel,I don't feel it as much as it seems to have a little bit of a coarse sound.if that makes sense. BubbaZanetti,your point on actually isolating the final drive from the swing arm makes sense to me,but what was confusing is why there was movement 3 to 9 and not 6 to 12,which is why I was wondering if maybe it was a pivot pin problem.The fact that I found more metal on the magnetic drain plug at 26k than at 24k makes me believe you guys are right about it being early stage crown bearing failure.....I read some mention about a new 17 ball crown gear bearing being used instead of the original 19 ball,any thoughts to that being better or where to find one..... Thank you both for taking the time to help me sort this out.....I am going to remove the crown gear assembly and see what I find.....Many Thanks Tommy Dixon

For a while, BMW was shipping the 17 ball under a new number and now that new number has a 19 ball. I don't know of any way to get a 17 ball bearing if they still exist at all with BMW. And I don't know why it would be better or if it is.