More deteriorating rubber parts... telelever ball-joint boot

[R12RnHouston]

Surely I'm not the only one with this boot failing?

[deilenberger]

As of today you're not. Ever find a replacement boot (BMW doesn't sell one..)? Replacing the entire ball joint is expensive and difficult..

[deilenberger]

Found one! http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Ball-Joint- ... 0909522354

Only problem it's in Greece. I've emailed the vendor to see how to get it quickly. When I went to buy it I didn't see an option for UPS (DHL)..

[dbrick]

How does the ball joint fit and fasten to the fork bridge?

[R12RnHouston]

Found one! http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Ball-Joint- ... 0909522354

Only problem it's in Greece. I've emailed the vendor to see how to get it quickly. When I went to buy it I didn't see an option for UPS (DHL)..

Don, they are also available from Irv Seaver BMW in Orange, CA. With shipping about the same as the ebay vendor. Got mine in a few days.

David

[deilenberger]

David,

Thanks. I've ordered from the chap in Greece, and suggested to Mike @ beemerboneyard that he consider carrying them. He was going to contact the chap in Greece about getting a stock.

Do you have contact info for Irv Seaver? Someone in parts perhaps who might be knowledgeable?

[deilenberger]

David Brick,

There are some videos on YouTube about the R&R of the ball joint boot. The top is surprisingly not a tapered shaft and from watching the video, removing the nut (there is also an allen in the center of the stud to keep it from turning) - it just drops out. You can then lower the telelever arm down and do the boot replacement (which requires fitting some parts from the old boot.) The nut is re-installed with 243 Loctite (medium strength) and using a modified socket (so you can have an allen wrench in the stud) retorqued. Looks like a 15 minute job* to me..

* = 15 minute job = can often take all day due to futzing around, finding you don't have the correct tools, and general problems arising.

I'll try to take some photos as I go along.

To replace the entire ball joint, you first have to remove the top stud from the telelever arm, then unscrew the ball joint from the fork bridge. That requires a HUGE socket and some heavy duty grunting. Heat will probably help since the ball joint comes with thread-lock pre-installed on it. That's the part I'm trying to avoid - it could easily become a 30-45 minute job.

[deilenberger]

Oh, was at a club meeting tonight, and checked about 6 bikes to see what shape their boots were in. They were all good. The other bikes (GS's, RT's) have the boot in a much more protected spot, where sun isn't going to fall directly on it. On our bikes - it's out there baking in the sun whenever the bike is outside and it's sunny out, so I suspect that's why it fails.

I had examined mine about a month or so ago, and it looked fine, so I coated it with some silicone high-vacuum grease, which normally protects rubber from oxidation and failure. Looks like mine was ready to fail already.. and it just did.

[vroomr]

I caught mine starting to split years ago and the super glue has held to this day.

[dbrick]

Thanks, Don. Let us know how you fare with this.
The boot on my bike's OK, I'm just collecting information.

[Mike Figielski]

David,

Thanks. I've ordered from the chap in Greece, and suggested to Mike @ beemerboneyard that he consider carrying them. He was going to contact the chap in Greece about getting a stock.

Do you have contact info for Irv Seaver? Someone in parts perhaps who might be knowledgeable?

I am arranging to get a bulk shipment of these delivered to us so we will be stocking them very soon. Cost will likely be $19.95 plus shipping. Should have them in a week or so. I'll post back in this thread when we have them. Thanks.

[deilenberger]

I caught mine starting to split years ago and the super glue has held to this day.

Thought about that - or RTV, but the rip on mine is right below the top and the two ends of the rip are separated too much to glue it.

The videos on Utube are quite helpful.. but looking at it this AM, it appears I must modify a spark-plug socket to be able to torque the nut back on, and the stud uses a 7MM allen - which is a real odd-ball. None of my L shaped allens have that size.. have it in a 3/8" driver set, but that won't work, so I'm off on a quest for the 7MM allen.

[R12RnHouston]

I caught mine starting to split years ago and the super glue has held to this day.

Thought about that - or RTV, but the rip on mine is right below the top and the two ends of the rip are separated too much to glue it.

The videos on Utube are quite helpful.. but looking at it this AM, it appears I must modify a spark-plug socket to be able to torque the nut back on, and the stud uses a 7MM allen - which is a real odd-ball. None of my L shaped allens have that size.. have it in a 3/8" driver set, but that won't work, so I'm off on a quest for the 7MM allen.

Don,

When I reassembled the parts after I replaced the boot, I found that I did not need the special tool (a notched socket) or L-shaped allen wrench; I “snugged” up the collar nut with a box end wrench, and then torqued to spec with a socket and the bolt did not spin one iota! YRMV, but I hope not.

David

[deilenberger]

Don,

When I reassembled the parts after I replaced the boot, I found that I did not need the special tool (a notched socket) or L-shaped allen wrench; I “snugged” up the collar nut with a box end wrench, and then torqued to spec with a socket and the bolt did not spin one iota! YRMV, but I hope not.

David

David - figured out that if I use a torque wrench with a crow-foot extension - it should torque up without a problem also.. and I'll be able to hold the allen if needed. If the crow-foot is at 90 degrees to the wrench head, no torque adjustment calculation is needed.. and that looks very doable.

Just waiting on the new boot to arrive now.. (paid extra for DHL 3 day from Greece..)