I've killed my bikes clutch!

Cyclistbruce

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Riding today for work and a grinding noise started (bit like the starter motor was running whilst riding). So I pulled over, fine in neutral, as soon as I pulled the clutch in and there was a horrible grinding noise. Putting it into gear and it was a high pitched screaming (and no movement). It now makes the high pitched rattling/screaming in neutral also.

Deciding that this was not going to be a roadside repair I got recovered to my local garage who confirmed my fear that the clutch was probably shredded. And a back of the van estimate was given of £700-1000!

So I diverted back to my driveway. I'm probably going to have to get another bike as its essential for my work and am not willing to drop a grand on the bike - as much as I love it. So am thinking of stripping and repairing in slow time.

Any advice on challenges and chores of stripping a BMW clutch?!
 
Always difficult to tell if someone you don't know could tackle a job. Some folk shouldn't be allowed spanners others can do almost anything.

If you are competent it is not a difficult task, even someone who has never done it before should manage it easily in a weekend allowing working at a steady pace. There is a lot of stripping down but nothing complicated. If you do a search there are threads on here that take you through it. A bike lift makes things easier, tie down the front wheel securely though. I made myself two guides to help align the gearbox when refitting, very easy to do just a couple of long bolts with the heads cut off.

Have a look for the threads on here, that will give you an idea if it is for you. Good luck, if I were nearer I would offer to help with the job, maybe someone local to you could offer.

John
 
Big jobs like this need garage or shed space. Some small plastic labelled containers to put things in and take plenty of photos. With the weather we are having and low light, it is sometimes both difficult to work outdoors or indoors.


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Sounds like the splines on the clutch friction plate have stripped/worn away. You may also have worn splines on the gearbox input shaft, hard to tell about those until you remove the gearbox, if that's damaged you have doubled the cost of any repairs. Replacing the clutch is pretty straightforward, fitting a gearbox input shaft is a bit more involved.
 
yes, as said above, there are quite a few threads on changing a clutch, also on ADV as well.
I did this back last year. The hardest part I encounted was reinstalling the gearbox. I had some longer bolts as guides, but getting the splines aligned, that was just a case of taking time and rotating the g/box shafts little bit by little bit. Some people have easier time than others.

take lots of pictures, work slowly and step by step using the online threads and / or the clymer manual as well.

Could be done in a day easy enough, hell, steptoe can probably do it before smoko.

If the shaft splines are worn / damaged, that is a bit different and I have no experience, but you wont know that till the G/box is un-mated from the engine section - which you have to do anyway.
 
So have taken off the gear box and the clutch splines are completely shredded. I'm concerned as there also seems to be some damage to the gear input shaft splines. So, best to replace? And how big a job is replacing the gearbox shaft?

44e5d385ebd711978d33d67b39fa0d61.jpg


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Exactly how mine went. I was lucky and found a good SH gearbox for £150.
Next best is talk to mikeyboy about replacing your input shaft.
 
Mine was just the same.
Had input shaft replaced in gearbox along with clutch by Grumpy One about 3 or 4 years ago.

Thought about scrapping it at the time as ABS and exhaust valve went as well.
But got the work done and it has run great since.
 
Cyclistbruce said:
So have taken off the gear box and the clutch splines are completely shredded. I'm concerned as there also seems to be some damage to the gear input shaft splines. So, best to replace? And how big a job is replacing the gearbox shaft?

44e5d385ebd711978d33d67b39fa0d61.jpg


Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

That will wear through the splines on a new clutch in a very short time. Really needs replacing with a new input shaft or a good used one..... And then you get the usual quandary .. Do you change all the gearbox bearings while the box is apart ? How many miles has the bike done ?
 
Bike is about 58k. I'm guessing stripping the box is going to be a fairly horrific job....

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Although I'm fairly handy with a spanner, I've never stripped a box and have visions of an explosion of springs leading to the scrap yard!

Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk
 
Let Mikeyboy or Steptoe do it they will have all the correct spacers but more importantly lots of skill
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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