Simple, NO COST servo removal of 1150 IABS system

Thanks again to everyone that has made it possible to rid BMW's of this horrible brake system.
I picked up a full set of used OEM stainless steel braided brake lines from a 2004 R1150R and will be replacing the rubber lines this winter.
Between that and EBC HH brake pads the Roadster will stop better than ever. :thumby:
 
The brake failure I had on holiday was terminal as I expected - fried circuit board in the ABS ECU.

Yesterday I performed a 'servoectomy' and have decided to post the procedures in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation.
The servo removal and reconnection of pipework and electrics was carried out using existing parts only - it has cost me absolutely nothing apart from time and a few consumables.

Start with removal of the servo system itself together with redundant metal pipework - been documented on here numerous times and is relatively straightforward.
Reconnect the rear brake hose directly to the top of the master cylinder using the domed hex head brake fitting

Remove both flexible hoses and both rigid metal pipes from the front distribution piece,
Remove distribution piece - you will notice a small 'tag' on the reverse which locates against the frame and effectively fixes the orientation of the bracket.
By grinding/filing off this tag it is possible to realign the distribution piece as per the attached photograph and connect the two flexible hoses together using the existing connectors in the top metal socket (the one with two holes the same size).

That's the brakes reconnected - now bleed and sort the electrics to give you a brake and tail light again.

This is a piece of proverbial despite what others may have written about it - you dont even need any extra parts !!

1) Remove the blue ABS relay from the fusebox. This will extinguish the 'Brake Failure' warning light on the dash and as a bonus can be used to operate the brake light !! (no need for new switches as in other methods )
2) Strip back the sheathing from the ABS multi pin connector - identify wires and connect as follows
a) Grey/White wire (tail light feed) Grey/Black wire (12v feed) cut both and join together - thats your tail light sorted.
b) White/Yellow wire (front brake switch) and Yellow/Green wire (rear brake switch). Cut these two wires and join them to link brake switches
Now the wiring to the redundant 4 pin ABS relay
c) Pin 1 - Connect white/blue wire
d) Pin 2 - connect the THIN solid brown wire in the loom to provide a ground ( careful here - there are several brown wires c/w coloured traces and a Thick brown wire)
e) Pin 3 - Find the Yellow/Black wire and the solid green wire. Cut and connect these together and then to pin 3 of the relay
f) Pin 4 - Connect grey/yellow (tail light feed) to this pin

That all there is to it - you now have working brakes and lights.

I tidied things up by cutting and isolating all remaing wires on the ABS plug.

I have located the relay on the back of the battery under the seat so it can easily be changed if needed,

May consider fitteng some braided steel lines in due course, but for now, the bike is up and running, without any cost or waiting for parts - this may just help someone 'in the field' in the future :thumb2

Dave H

::.Edit.::
Alternative less invasive method is available with Pictures @ post 195 here

good post
 
Hi Guys- short cut here please- diff needing replacement on my 2004GSA with servo and abs and we can only get a non abs diff - Not wanting to remove the whole system- can the system be manipulated to work with rear brake not connected- any advise appreciated
Thanks
 
Hi Guys- short cut here please- diff needing replacement on my 2004GSA with servo and abs and we can only get a non abs diff - Not wanting to remove the whole system- can the system be manipulated to work with rear brake not connected- any advise appreciated
Thanks

I would say no
Ask Steptoe
 
Just do a servo-ectomy

Remove ABS and fit that Final Drive

The system will fault to residual braking if it does not see the speed sensor signal!


Simplest Fix! Remove ABS unit from the bike

Remove electronics box from ABS unit and Seal it up from water ingress and refit to loom and secure to motorcycle

Dump the hydraulic remains of the ABS Unit

Re-pipe the bike to Normal front & rear brakes

and remove the bulbs from the warning lights that will likely piss you off lots

The Electronics are now controlling your sidelight and brake lights

Speedo is just cable drive off front wheel unlike the 1200GS's etc
 
Hi Guys- short cut here please- diff needing replacement on my 2004GSA with servo and abs and we can only get a non abs diff - Not wanting to remove the whole system- can the system be manipulated to work with rear brake not connected- any advise appreciated
Thanks

Why do you need to change the final drive ? It isn't necessary.
 
Not wanting to remove the whole system yet- was hoping for just the rear abs - my GSA is now 400km short of 100 000 and has only been mine for last 7000km but had a tough life before my time so there is some diff noises. Smaller bearings was changed by a mate of mine but the big one is a BM only fix here by us or replace the diff. Plenty around for normal GS but GSA scares and expensive but will push the revs up to much for my daily 80km highway commute so same ratio is found on GS1100 31/11 i believe and i can get one of those without ABS
Thanks for input
 
Not wanting to remove the whole system yet- was hoping for just the rear abs -

Can;t do it! End off story any attempt to do so will bring a fault code and the system will go into residual braking

And don;t be stupid enough to try and run both sensors off the front wheel!!! If the wheel locks you will lose all brakes or fall off on your hole just trying to stay on! ! :rob

Get the ABS Final Drive but be ready for errors if there is a big deviation in ratios??
 
Removed my R110RT servo ABS this weekend... It was an easy job and even though I didn't mind the servo brakes, the unit had started to show the first signs of dicking around so out it went. I like the simplest fix so I bought the bits from Motorworks as in the small copper pipe joiner for the front, the Goodridge GS non ABS line for the back that they also list as RT non ABS for a hint and also the convenient electronic box cover they supply. £85 all in and saves the bother of making/sourcing bits yourself.

Just for those who want to do it I would add a tip or two... Fix the new brake parts on first and leave the piping where it is until you know the bits fit etc and have silicone ready for the well fitting ECU lid and a way of removing the security screws on the ECU to pump body. I have some security bits but not the correct one and just Dremelled the heads off instead. I also used a hose clamp on the top front hose to save a lot of effort refilling the system. If you are making your own copper pipe be aware that there are two different sizes of male ends on the front.

Back to normal brakes and they do seem very good normal even on rubber front hoses. I don't mind ABS but the servo on many of the 1150's was a fix for a problem that didn't exist. At least with ABSII and later ABS if it wasn't working you still had normal brakes...:thumb

PS Quick reminder this thread is for electronic Servo ABS from approx 2000 to 2006/7.
 
The brake failure I had on holiday was terminal as I expected - fried circuit board in the ABS ECU.

Yesterday I performed a 'servoectomy' and have decided to post the procedures in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation.
The servo removal and reconnection of pipework and electrics was carried out using existing parts only - it has cost me absolutely nothing apart from time and a few consumables.

Start with removal of the servo system itself together with redundant metal pipework - been documented on here numerous times and is relatively straightforward.
Reconnect the rear brake hose directly to the top of the master cylinder using the domed hex head brake fitting

Remove both flexible hoses and both rigid metal pipes from the front distribution piece,
Remove distribution piece - you will notice a small 'tag' on the reverse which locates against the frame and effectively fixes the orientation of the bracket.
By grinding/filing off this tag it is possible to realign the distribution piece as per the attached photograph and connect the two flexible hoses together using the existing connectors in the top metal socket (the one with two holes the same size).

That's the brakes reconnected - now bleed and sort the electrics to give you a brake and tail light again.

This is a piece of proverbial despite what others may have written about it - you dont even need any extra parts !!

1) Remove the blue ABS relay from the fusebox. This will extinguish the 'Brake Failure' warning light on the dash and as a bonus can be used to operate the brake light !! (no need for new switches as in other methods )
2) Strip back the sheathing from the ABS multi pin connector - identify wires and connect as follows
a) Grey/White wire (tail light feed) Grey/Black wire (12v feed) cut both and join together - thats your tail light sorted.
b) White/Yellow wire (front brake switch) and Yellow/Green wire (rear brake switch). Cut these two wires and join them to link brake switches
Now the wiring to the redundant 4 pin ABS relay
c) Pin 1 - Connect white/blue wire
d) Pin 2 - connect the THIN solid brown wire in the loom to provide a ground ( careful here - there are several brown wires c/w coloured traces and a Thick brown wire)
e) Pin 3 - Find the Yellow/Black wire and the solid green wire. Cut and connect these together and then to pin 3 of the relay
f) Pin 4 - Connect grey/yellow (tail light feed) to this pin

That all there is to it - you now have working brakes and lights.

I tidied things up by cutting and isolating all remaing wires on the ABS plug.

I have located the relay on the back of the battery under the seat so it can easily be changed if needed,

May consider fitteng some braided steel lines in due course, but for now, the bike is up and running, without any cost or waiting for parts - this may just help someone 'in the field' in the future :thumb2

Dave H

::.Edit.::
Alternative less invasive method is available with Pictures @ post 195 here

That is the EXACT problem I am having so your post is perfect!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hello Everybody,
I am new in this forum wihile I am not new in motorcycles stuff.
This is only to mentione that this Thread is one of the most relevant if not the most relevant and smart thread I could see from ever.
So I would like to thank Dave and all the other nice guys around.
I also got "touched" recently with my BMW R 1150 RS. Differently than for Dave I was able to get the failure from the Diagnose tool on ABS. They confirmed the failure on the rear brake.
The triangular red light is always ON to me and the ABS one is flashing at 4 Hz.
Now thanks to this thread I will have some fun,,,If someone likes to know more please let me know and I will be happy to answr you.
All the Best to you!

Riccardo
 
I just did the servo ectomy in 2022! I added wiring notes.

NOTE YOU DO NOT NEED TO FOLLOW THIS AS WHAT DID HAS BEEN SUPERCEEDED.

Thanks for posting this so many years ago!

I had a r1150rs 2004 - and one day the warning light went solid red and the brakes absolutely sucked. (luckily I have strong hands!)

Some updated notes to validate/help with the wiring

A 12 V
Green (thick)
Use a voltmeter to verify it has 12V when key is on

B Ground
Thin brown
Use a voltmeter to verify it connects to ground

C,D To Front switch (normally closed)
White/Blue
White/Yellow
Use a voltmeter to verify connectivity opens and close with front break lever

E,F To rear foot switch (normally closed)
Yellow/Green
Yellow/Black
Use a voltmeter to verify connectivity opens and close with rear foot lever

G To tail light Grey White
Apply 12 volts and tail light should turn on

H To brake light Grey Yellow
Apply 12 voltages and break light should turn on


Connections

Prep

D,F are butt spliced so the brake and tail lights N/C switches are in series. Opening either switch should break connectivity.

To relay

E (12v switched off by either brake) goes to Terminal 1 (or 2) coil side A

B (Ground) goes to Terminal 2 (or 1) coil side B

A,D,G (12v) are joined on Terminal 1 (or 4) NC contact side A

H (to brake light) goes to Terminal 4 (or 1) NC contact side B
 
Last edited:
We don;t bother with the wires now

We just remove the electronics and seal it up and plug it back in the loom and secure it!

Re pipe the brakes as per the normal old design of brakes actually connecting to the respective calipers

And remove ABS bulbs in Pre hex head models

Thanks for posting this so many years ago!

I had a r1150rs 2004 - and one day the warning light went solid red and the brakes absolutely sucked. (luckily I have strong hands!)

Some updated notes to validate/help with the wiring

A 12 V
Green (thick)
Use a voltmeter to verify it has 12V when key is on

B Ground
Thin brown
Use a voltmeter to verify it connects to ground

C,D To Front switch (normally closed)
White/Blue
White/Yellow
Use a voltmeter to verify connectivity opens and close with front break lever

E,F To rear foot switch (normally closed)
Yellow/Green
Yellow/Black
Use a voltmeter to verify connectivity opens and close with rear foot lever

G To tail light Grey White
Apply 12 volts and tail light should turn on

H To brake light Grey Yellow
Apply 12 voltages and break light should turn on


Connections

Prep

D,F are butt spliced so the brake and tail lights N/C switches are in series. Opening either switch should break connectivity.

To relay

E (12v switched off by either brake) goes to Terminal 1 (or 2) coil side A

B (Ground) goes to Terminal 2 (or 1) coil side B

A,D,G (12v) are joined on Terminal 1 (or 4) NC contact side A

H (to brake light) goes to Terminal 4 (or 1) NC contact side B
 
Oh well....I did not realize how many posts their where...It's done.

Do I just recycle the old abs unit... and use the empty space for another purpose..

Or should I empty it and leave it on the bike?
 
Does your bike have a Cable Speedo drive ??

If so? Just forget about the unit and ditch it as long as you have repiped your brakes??

Oh well....I did not realize how many posts their where...It's done.

Do I just recycle the old abs unit... and use the empty space for another purpose..

Or should I empty it and leave it on the bike?
 
Does your bike have a Cable Speedo drive ??

If so? Just forget about the unit and ditch it as long as you have repiped your brakes??


Yah it has cable speedo drive.

I have repiped the brakes - but I still need to to bleed them.

It has opened up such a nice space.

What should I put it it?
 
Oh well....I did not realize how many posts their where...It's done.

Do I just recycle the old abs unit... and use the empty space for another purpose..

Or should I empty it and leave it on the bike?

i-x3R8qVK-L.jpg


It makes a great home for a relay box, to sort your additional electrics out... :)
 


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