Final Drive (Bevel Gear) Oil Spillage on the rim and tire - very dangerous

Didi

Didi

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Dear all,

I want to ask you if you have in the US the same problem of oil spillage of the final drive as in Germany.

On our German Forum we have an opinion poll running and of 29 participants up-to-now 9 have this problem (including me, pictures are from me).

We talk here about a motorbike (although the 9 come from all production years) which is 9 months old, was never driven in rain, only hand-washed (no high pressure), never driven above 80 miles/hour with a milage of 3.000 now. So no special cause to be seen here. Certainly passed the first service at 700 miles.

You see the spillage over the final drive in fine but many lines.
20230604_100208_resized.jpg

which reach the rims
20230604_100214_resized.jpg

and now it becomes dangerous also reaches the tire. When you look closely one line actually reaches already the tread of the tire.
20230604_100148_resized.jpg

Hell, how much to we enjoy oil between tire and asphalt :poop:

I have reported it to the BMW headquarters already.

So what I recommend is that everybody checks his final drive to avoid an accident.

What would interest me - and I found no possibility here to create an opinion poll - how many of your bikes are affected as well. Does anybody know how to create an opinion poll here?

In any case, please respond to this thread with your own experiences and pictures please.

Most dealers will only see this once or twice and either not recognize it or respond with the typical 'never heard of it - it's not a serial fault'.

For the ones who know me; I am running the repair manual Wiki https://www.r1800wiki.org/ for the BMW R18 since BMW does not publish one.

Here I would also recommend the article what to check before warranty runs out:
https://www.r1800wiki.org/2023/06/03/auf-was-zu-achten-bei-ablauf-gewaehrleistung-oder-garantie/
 
Didi said:
Does anybody know how to create an opinion poll here?
Click to expand...
At the top right of your post, beside the watch/unwatch button, you should have a dropdown where you can create a poll.
I don't have this issue on my bagger, but I haven't ridden much and have yet to do the first service.
 
insomnia said:
At the top right of your post, beside the watch/unwatch button, you should have a dropdown where you can create a poll.
I don't have this issue on my bagger, but I haven't ridden much and have yet to do the first service.
Click to expand...
No, there with the drop-down only appears 'edit thread' and if I select it, I only can change the title. I see nothing which would permit me to create a poll
 
Just to throw in my 2¢ ... I had a similar problem on my R1200C after changing the final drive oil. The problem only appeared after, so I knew it was something I did. Turns out that I filled it just a tiny bit (@20 ml) too much, I withdrew that small amount with a syringe and the problem completely went away. I wonder if these drives were just over filled by the factory. If I may suggest for you to draw out a very small amount of lube (that shouldn't hurt anything) and see if the issue resolves itself.
as I said ... just my 2¢ :)
 
insomnia said:
You are at the right place, so perhaps "new members" are not allowed to create a poll?
Click to expand...
Could you therefore please create a separate poll thread where you link to this thread and write in the poll:

I have oil spillage in the final drive/bevel gear similar to the posted pictures

YES

NO
 
I just put a small block or plate under my kickstand to hold the bike a little more upright and had a funnel under the drain plug.
Didnt spill a drop.
A bike lift or even a rear wheel lift would be easier.
 
evomind said:
I just put a small block or plate under my kickstand to hold the bike a little more upright and had a funnel under the drain plug.
Didnt spill a drop.
A bike lift or even a rear wheel lift would be easier.
Click to expand...
That may have been the reason I overfilled my 'ChromeHead' ... I did it on the kickstand and filled it to the end of the threads. Good tip!
 
Didi said:
Could you therefore please create a separate poll thread where you link to this thread and write in the poll:

I have oil spillage in the final drive/bevel gear similar to the posted pictures

YES

NO
Click to expand...
I tried but failed. Don't know why but possibly because you cannot post polls in "Problems, issues, and things to share with BMW".

The "poll" option wasn't there as it is in my other threads.

Why don't you try in another part of the forum and see if you're allowed to start a poll there.

I tried to delete my failed post completely but couldn't find out how. Anyone know?
 
insomnia said:
I tried but failed. Don't know why but possibly because you cannot post polls in "Problems, issues, and things to share with BMW".

The "poll" option wasn't there as it is in my other threads.

Why don't you try in another part of the forum and see if you're allowed to start a poll there.

I tried to delete my failed post completely but couldn't find out how. Anyone know?
Click to expand...
ok, it works in other parts of the forum. Please respond there:
https://www.r18forums.com/threads/p...l-gear-oil-spillage-on-the-rim-and-tyre.2232/

In the German poll 36% are affected which is gruesome.
 
Didi said:
Dear all,

I want to ask you if you have in the US the same problem of oil spillage of the final drive as in Germany.

On our German Forum we have an opinion poll running and of 29 participants up-to-now 9 have this problem (including me, pictures are from me).

We talk here about a motorbike (although the 9 come from all production years) which is 9 months old, was never driven in rain, only hand-washed (no high pressure), never driven above 80 miles/hour with a milage of 3.000 now. So no special cause to be seen here. Certainly passed the first service at 700 miles.

You see the spillage over the final drive in fine but many lines.
View attachment 10257

which reach the rims
View attachment 10258

and now it becomes dangerous also reaches the tire. When you look closely one line actually reaches already the tread of the tire.
View attachment 10259

Hell, how much to we enjoy oil between tire and asphalt :poop:

I have reported it to the BMW headquarters already.

So what I recommend is that everybody checks his final drive to avoid an accident.

What would interest me - and I found no possibility here to create an opinion poll - how many of your bikes are affected as well. Does anybody know how to create an opinion poll here?

In any case, please respond to this thread with your own experiences and pictures please.

Most dealers will only see this once or twice and either not recognize it or respond with the typical 'never heard of it - it's not a serial fault'.

For the ones who know me; I am running the repair manual Wiki https://www.r1800wiki.org/ for the BMW R18 since BMW does not publish one.

Here I would also recommend the article what to check before warranty runs out:
https://www.r1800wiki.org/2023/06/03/auf-was-zu-achten-bei-ablauf-gewaehrleistung-oder-garantie/
Click to expand...
Thank you for flagging this out and I hope the advice from other members here helps you out resolving the leakage issue. My bike is new, so it is sealed from factory but as it is due a break in service on July I will keep an eye on the final drive as well.
What I really wanted to say is a big thank you for putting together an independent/Indy service manual and thinks to look out for before the warranty expires. The experience from other owners will serve new ones very well and in the end this is the main reason of a Forum, to share experience and collaboration.
Thank you again!👊👊👊
 
Didi said:
ok, it works in other parts of the forum. Please respond there:
https://www.r18forums.com/threads/p...l-gear-oil-spillage-on-the-rim-and-tyre.2232/

In the German poll 36% are affected which is gruesome.
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing this information. It is a very high % of your members especially considering the issue is represented over several model years.

Is there a common dealership being used that has replaced the final drive fluid?

I am looking forward to hearing what BMW decides to do with yours and the others final drives. In the meantime, I second @Ulrich comments and suggest for the very little supply costs and time involved that you and others with this problem consider draining the final drive and measure the amount removed to confirm it was reasonably close to the proper volume and save the fluid for possible future analysis (it would be great if the dealership would do this for you). Refill with the proper amount and then after a good cleaning monitor if the same oil pattern continues.

Leaks won't heal themselves and given the multiple examples it seems unlikely there was some residual oil that flung after a minor spill during service. I'm thinking this is caused by pressure building up while riding from an overfill pushing fluid past a seal or it comes down to the seal and/or the hard parts it mates to being out of spec. Good luck and please keep us informed.
 
BobW said:
... Leaks won't heal themselves and given the multiple examples it seems unlikely there was some residual oil that flung after a minor spill during service. I'm thinking this is caused by pressure building up while riding from an overfill pushing fluid past a seal or it comes down to the seal and/or the hard parts it mates to being out of spec. Good luck and please keep us informed.
Click to expand...
I 100% agree Bob, that is exactly the conclusion that I drew from my experience with the R1200C. Especially when the problem completely went away after I took out that (relativ) small amount of fluid.
 
BobW said:
Thank you for sharing this information. It is a very high % of your members especially considering the issue is represented over several model years.

Is there a common dealership being used that has replaced the final drive fluid?

I am looking forward to hearing what BMW decides to do with yours and the others final drives. In the meantime, I second @Ulrich comments and suggest for the very little supply costs and time involved that you and others with this problem consider draining the final drive and measure the amount removed to confirm it was reasonably close to the proper volume and save the fluid for possible future analysis (it would be great if the dealership would do this for you). Refill with the proper amount and then after a good cleaning monitor if the same oil pattern continues.

Leaks won't heal themselves and given the multiple examples it seems unlikely there was some residual oil that flung after a minor spill during service. I'm thinking this is caused by pressure building up while riding from an overfill pushing fluid past a seal or it comes down to the seal and/or the hard parts it mates to being out of spec. Good luck and please keep us informed.
Click to expand...
I keep you up-to-date.

No, the bikes come from different dealers.

Mine except for the first service at 700 miles has not had a proper service yet. So the final drive is still untouched coming out from the factory.
 
No, I was under the impression that the break in service also included the change of the final drive oil so you are correct, not needed until 12k miles.
 
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