Drive shaft seized...

[shaunlav]

Hi all,

Took my bike (2001 BMW R1100S non-ABS) in for the 60,000 Km service, and to make a long story short, the para-lever bearings needed replacing and my drive shaft was apparently seized in the middle.

Thankfully they were able to remove the drive shaft, pull it apart, clean it up, lube it, and re-install it. Everything else looked good... (heading on a 6500 km ride in June).

My question is, is the drive shaft being seized a common thing or has any one else ever encountered it? I googled it and didn't find much.

The mechanic said it "looked like" someone had clear coated the splines and this caused the splines to basically glue themselves together.

Any feedback appreciated!

Shaun
2001 BMW R1100S
Georgetown ON Canada Eh!

[cageyar]

Originally Posted by shaunlav

The mechanic said it "looked like" someone had clear coated the splines and this caused the splines to basically glue themselves together.

Since you said any feedback, find a new "mechanic".

[roger albert]

+1, sounds like gibberish.
Could have been a nitride coating, but that tends to reduce sticking, not increase it.
Odd.

[bikerfish1100]

first i've ever heard of the half shafts seizing together on their splines. (i am assuming that is what you're talking about, otherwise it makes no sense at all).

[bradzdotcom]

that whole thing makes about as much sense as the way they package doritos in japan.
(i still haven't figured this one out, and finally decided it was better not to try):


i believe "find a new mechanic" would be the next good move.

or just "find a mechanic", since i'm not sure your guy really is one.

[Bob Hancock]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

that whole thing makes about as much sense as the way they package doritos in japan.
(i still haven't figured this one out, and finally decided it was better not to try):

Hmmmm. 'tis a puzzlement.

[ckcarr]

Reminds me of Saturday Night Live this past weekend.

[sgoodwin]

D a m n he's steppin' on his nuts......must be some weird jap custom. Does that mean all your chips are crushed?

[Meeni]

Originally Posted by sgoodwin

D a m n he's steppin' on his nuts......must be some weird jap custom. Does that mean all your chips are crushed?

Looks like he is enjoying it, this is definitely only to be seen in Japan.

So you came in with a working bike and came out with the same working bike but a hefty bill ?

[bikerfish1100]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

that whole thing makes about as much sense as the way they package doritos in japan.
(i still haven't figured this one out, and finally decided it was better not to try):


i believe "find a new mechanic" would be the next good move.

or just "find a mechanic", since i'm not sure your guy really is one.

hell Brad, that bag is easy to decipher.
It says-
"DORITOS!! With the taste that will kick you in the nuts!!

[roadrash666]

Originally Posted by bikerfish1100

hell Brad, that bag is easy to decipher.
It says-
"DORITOS!! With the taste that will kick you in the nuts!!

Bikerfish, LMFAO!!!!

[bacn5]

No... It means eat Doritos and you will be able to crush you enemies nuts. The guy in the orange Dorito colored jump suit eats Doritos, and the guy in the yellow eats regular chips... Basic Japanese marketing 101.

[bacn5]

The only thing that makes sense about the driveshaft binding thing is that a binding drive shaft was most likely the cause of the paralever bearing failure.

[Bob Hancock]

Originally Posted by bacn5

No... It means eat Doritos and you will be able to crush you enemies nuts. The guy in the orange Dorito colored jump suit eats Doritos, and the guy in the yellow eats regular chips... Basic Japanese marketing 101.

That's as good an explanation as any we're likely to hear, so I'm gonna go with it.

[Bob Hancock]

If memory serves, back when changing out paralever bearings was all the rage (I did it), 30,000+ miles was about when it was happening. Bill Swartzwelder has experience wrenching this end of the R11S.....maybe he can chime in.

[bikerfish1100]

yeah, i would not conclude that the seized up driveshaft had any direct connection to the played out p-bearings. those bearings have to be considered a wear item unless you do as Roger recommends, and do periodic check (every tire change?) and adjusts on them. otherwise, its 20-35K and gone.

[roger albert]

I think the two issues are unrelated.
Maybe, I say maybe, because I still don't know what 'seized in the middle' means
But as far as checks go,, yes, every tire change is about right. Takes 5 seconds.
I would've said unmaintained paralever bearings are good for 40-50k, but I've seen a few fail earlier, and a lot last a lot longer. A lot of variance between use/load/initial-condition. Life seems all over the map.

[bikerfish1100]

Originally Posted by roger albert

A lot of variance between use/load/initial-condition. Life seems all over the map.

as does death.

[Guest24]

Roger, with respect to paralever bearing wear, could the wear issue be related to how much riding you do on wet gritty roads versus riders to run on dry pavement all the time? This is just a thought since some say the bushings aren't much better for wear.

[bikerfish1100]

Originally Posted by Nail24

Roger, with respect to paralever bearing wear, could the wear issue be related to how much riding you do on wet gritty roads versus riders to run on dry pavement all the time? This is just a thought since some say the bushings aren't much better for wear.

majorly seriously doubt it, as the bushings/bearings are pretty well sealed up within their homes.
my first set failed around 20K- with no more than 50 miles (maybe) of dirty roads. My second set went out (still bearings) after another 35K, maybe 150 miles dirt. On JL bushings for last 30K, maybe another 150 dirt.