Swing Arm Removal

[jimmyd]

I have gotten to the point that I have to remove the swing arm.
I have a repair manual on CD, but since I have never done this before some of the descriptions and photos leave me scratching my head a little.
Is this swing arm similar to what i have worked on while replacing bearings or entire swing arms on a Suzuki GS or Yamaha FJ.
I have striped the bike of all the wires and plastic and misc. connectors.

I removed the left side retaining nut for the swing arm. I have removed (what looks like) the right side of the shaft (4 or 5  5mm hex head nuts). I see in the BMW documentation that you need a special tool to actually remove the swing arm????

Is there a long shaft passing through the swing are like on most motorcycles? Before I apply a wooden dowel and hammer to what I presume is the head (threaded side) of a long shaft where I removed the retaining nut, I want to make sure I'm not going to be doing any damage.
I have removed many chains, rear brakes, swing arms and rear axels. I have never removed a shaft drive swing arm on anything expecially a BMW K1100 RS

[frankenduck]

There's a pivot on each side.   Once you've removed both of those the swing arm will come off.

[Scott_]

There's a pivot on each side.   Once you've removed both of those the swing arm will come off.

Like Drake said once you remove the parts highlighted in red, will be able to remove the arm. You will still have some resistance of the rubber boot (marked #3) till it is "popped" off of the retaining shoulder of the transmission. Then it will be free as a bird. You also will still have the drive shaft to remove if you haven't already done so. It has a circlip to hold it onto the trans output splines, so some english(or german...lol) may be needed to get it off.

[jimmyd]

OK
That's why the book shows a tool to remove the pivot on the right side of the bike?

Can these two pieces in red be safely and effectively removed without some special tool?

Like all other wrenching........ I'm sure I can figure out a way to get these bad boys off, but its a waste if I have to damage them to get them off.
I have already taken the screws out of the pivot fixture on the right side of the bike. I have already removed the nut that screws onto the pivot threads on the left side of the bike. Should the threaded pivot come out easy since I have removed the nut.

[jimmyd]

While my mind is on it can anyone help with what comes next...

I have to get at the sprag for the starter. So after removing this swing arm I still have to get to and removed the starter and the bellhousing, etc.
When I remove the housing I will loose the frame work for the center stand, on which the bike is currently resting.

Do I need to go out and get a jack or lift........like now. I bought a couple of saw horses to prop up the bike, but I'm not sure that approach will be a good one.

Any suggestions???

[Scott_]

frankenduck has used saw horses before for supporting the rear frame of the bike with this kind of work.
Personally I have a lift now, but when I did my 1st clutch spline lube, I supported the back of the bike from the ceiling rafters in the garage.

No special tool needed to remove the pivot points.

Edit: Don't know what I was thinking when I first posted this, I removed the 3 retaining screws and used a decent cotton cloth and a pair of channel locks to carefully remove the fixed pivot on the right side.

You will need a 30mm socket for the clutch nut. Don't forget to get yourself a new clutch nut, pressure plate bolts and and the o-ring for reassembly. (BMW says they are supposed to be a one time use bolt and nut) The o-ring you will break trying to get it out anyway so don't try to save it.

I haven't removed a bell housing so I can't say how many fasteners you will run into to get the housing off or what you will find behind it.

[Scott_]

I forgot to add, you also may need a heat gun to loosen the thread lock gooop on the left side adjustable pivot pin lock nut.

[frankenduck]

You can just stack some blocks of wood or phone books or whatever under the rear of the engine.

I've used phone books to support a bike before:

Bellhousing notes: http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,1967.0.html

[pallum]

If you take some fine sandpaper to the fixed pivot it'll be a ton easier to get in/out in the future (as long as you don't take off too much material). And the adjustable pivot (the threaded thing) just takes a 6mm allen socket to remove. The large nut on the outside is just to lock it in place when installed.



This one's a little dark, so here's a high res

Removing the intermediate housing also requires you to unbolt the rear frame mount that attaches the housing to the frame so you have to hold up the rear of the bike as well as support the engine (which will then only hang from the front two frame mounting bolts). Stack some wood under the engine, and slap a sawhorse under the tail section of the frame (gives more room than under the seat section as I found out) and you'll be ready to pop off the intermediate housing.

[Inge K.]

About the threaded pivot bolt: check the threads between the swing arm and gearbox for grime and dirt.
Use a toothbrush or similar for cleaning....the bolt is rather soft....and the threads is easily damaged.

Inge K.

[Scott_]

Another note to look for, at the adjustable pivot points(both the FD and swingarm), some may still have a "debris" plug still in them to keep crap out of the hex insert. Make sure to remove it before you apply the heat gun as it will melt.

[jimmyd]

You can just stack some blocks of wood or phone books or whatever under the rear of the engine.

I've used phone books to support a bike before:

Bellhousing notes: http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,1967.0.html

The phone book deal looks like a good idea, but I have to get at the sprag, which I believe will require the removal of the bell housing?????
If I have to remove that intermediate housing/bell housing I think that takes out the center stand so I'm not sure I can trust that balancing act. :nono
I did purchase a set of saw horses so I will be able to support the bike in that fashion.

[frankenduck]

If you have a sawhorse under the rear of the frame as well then that should keep the bike from tipping over. If you're really paranoid about the bike tipping over then you could tie the rear of the frame to the sawhorse.