1999 BMW K1200LT

ON JUNE 17, 2011 THE FINAL DRIVE OF MY 1999 BMW K1200LT STARTED LEAKING GEAR OIL FROM THE CROWN BEARING SEAL. THE SUSPECTED CAUSE IS THE CROWN BEARING FAILURE PUSHED THE SEAL OUT OF PLACE AND ALLOWED THE GEAR OIL TO LEAK ON THE REAR BRAKE DISC AND REAR TIRE. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE REAR BRAKE TO FAIL DUE TO OIL ON THE BRAKE PADS AND THE REAR TIRE TO BE UNSTABLE WITH OIL ON IT. I REPLACED THE REAR DRIVE IN JANUARY 2012. *TR

1999 BMW K1200LT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS POWER TRAIN FINAL DRIVE BEARING FAILURES BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DPI 12001 *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE FINAL DRIVE OCCURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN GEAR LUBE OIL LEAKING ON TO THE HIGHWAY. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED, THE FINAL DRIVE SEIZED WHEN THE BIKE WAS BEING UNLOADED FROM A TOW TRUCK AT THE REPAIR FACILITY. AGAIN, THE REAR SEAL, O-RING, ROLLER BEARING, GASKETS AND GEAR LUBE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME THE FINAL DRIVE FAILED, THE REPAIR FACILITY STATED THE FRAGMENTS OF THE CRUSHED BEARING HAD DAMAGED THE GEARS IN THE POWER TRAIN FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY. THE REPAIR INCLUDED REPLACING THE GEARS IN THE FINAL DRIVE, THE GASKETS, O-RING, BEARING AND GEAR LUBE OIL AGAIN. THE FOURTH FAILURE, THE MECHANIC STATED IT WOULD BE BEST TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN, FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY WHICH CONTAINED ALL NEW GEARS, GASKETS, SEALS, O-RING, BEARINGS AND THE HOUSING WHICH HELD ALL OF THE PARTS. WHEN THE BEARING FAILURE HAPPENED, THERE WAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK FROM THE FINAL DRIVE UNIT AND THE REAR WHEEL WOBBLED DANGEROUSLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BEARING WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT, TORQUE AND OTHER DEMANDS OF THE MOTORCYCLE *JB

MY 1999 BMW K1200LT HAD A MYSTERIOUS VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE A FLAT TIRE. STOPPED CHECKED PRESSURE, AND ALL WAS FINE. RODE BIKE APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES WHEN THE REAR WHEEL BEGAN SLIPPING AND REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. I DEPRESSED THE REAR BRAKE LEVER, BUT IT COLLAPSED COMPLETELY (I LATER LEARNED WHY), NO REAR BRAKES. I MANAGED TO GET THE MOTORCYCLE STOPPED, AND I COULD IMMEDIATELY TELL WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THERE WAS FINAL DRIVE OIL LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE OF THE MOTORCYCLE ONTO THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER, AND ONTO THE REAR TIRE. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS 'COMING OFF'. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON THE BRAKE PEDDLE HAD TO BE 'PUMPED UP' WAS THAT THE REAR WHEEL WAS VIBRATING BACK AND FORTH OPENING THE CALIPER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE PREVIOUS FINAL DRIVE BEARING WAS REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 14 THOUSAND MILES EARLIER, BY A BMW MECHANIC. *TR

REAR END FINAL DRIVE FAILED ON MY '99 BMW K1200LT MOTORCYCLE. THERE WAS NO REAL WARNING OTHER THAN A SEVERE GRINDING NOISE. I WAS ABLE TO RIDE HOME (SLOWLY) AND THEN NOTED THE REAR TIRE WAS NO LONGER STRAIGHT UP BUT HAD A SEVERE WOBBLE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FIXED IT. BOB, PLS NOTE, THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS AN APPROXIMATION - IT'S BEEN A WHILE. (I HEARD YOU SPEAK AT THE RA RALLY IN SHELBYVILLE - VERY GOOD JOB!) *NM

RIDING ON RESIDENTIAL STREET APPROX. 25-30 MPH. NO WARNING OR INDICATION OF FAILURE, PRIOR TO INCIDENT. RUBBING SOUND FOLLOWED BY A WOBBLE. REAR ABS BRAKE, RIM, AND TIRE COVERED BY GEAR OIL FROM FAILED REAR-DRIVE COMPONENT. DUE TO SLOW SPEED, I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITH MINIMAL LOSS OF CONTROL. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. *NM