From: dje@mail.bellcore.com (Don Eilenberger)
Subject: Replacing the boot!
Cc: bmw@rider.cactus.org (bmw Mailing List)


Folks, while I was on vacation recently (with F/C as a second
vehicle) - I noticed that I had a tiny leak from the driveshaft
boot.

When I got home, I called Bob's BMW, and the next day had a
new boot (about $6.00) and 4 driveshaft universal joint to
tranny bolts (these are 1 time use).

So, tonight, I figured a 15 minute job(1) - and started to
work.

First - off come the ground cable for the battery, then
the two long hose clamps holding the old one on. Then since
the old boot had a tiny hole in it - I just took a knife and
cut it off - commiting myself to finish it tonight since
tomorrow is supposed to be LOVELY moto weather.

I then took a 10mm 12 point box wrench to the old bolts
holding stuff together. Since I once read noemi's tale
of these coming loose - the last time I had them apart,
I used Locktite Blue (the low-hold stuff) on reassembly.

Well - the blue REALLY holds. It took a sharp tug with all
my effort and a good 10mm wrench to break each one free. Holding
the rear brake on prevented the shaft from rotating.

Finally they're all free, and I now can see (after LOTS of
futzing around) that it is NOT POSSIBLE to replace the
boot without moving the swingarm back. So out comes the modified
swingarm locknut socket, these get loosened, the allen driver takes
out the pins, and I'm able to move the arm back enough to get
the new boot sorta in place.

So - reassembly was almost the opposite of disassembly (once
I found the spacer that dropped out) - and I started trying to
get the new bolts (Locktite'd again) in place. These are
painful to do - but not impossible. Curse and keep trying.

Lastly - after all 4 bolts are as tight as I want to make them
(just before things start turning easy is when they're tight!)
I start fighting with the new boot to try to get the two ends
where they belong (on tranny and swingarm). This is a royal
PITA!  As far as I can see there is NO good way to do this.
Whoever had this as a job at the factory has my sincere
sympathy. I've done this job three or four times, and with
the old boot (which I assume had stretched a bit to fit)
it took about 45-90 minutes.

With a brandy new, really flexible, really resiliant boot -
it took me a full two ^#&!( hours to get the damn ends
where they belong (somebody tell me THERE IS A SECRET!!
PLEASE!! PLEASE!!).

Anyway - job done, test ride done, no leaks, no vibrations,
seems fine. Will get to ride it to work tomorrow.

Don

PS: (1) = Eilenberger's law of relative time:


        Any 15 minute job will take 2-3 hours
        Any 1/2 hour job will take ALL DAY
        Any all day job may take the rest of your life.

It's all relative.


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Don Eilenberger (dje@mail.bellcore.com)
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  '79 R65 FrankenCycle - der Beemer
  '87 535i BOHICA      - der Bimmer
  '75 25' Hunter       - das Boot
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DOD#1177, BMW-CCA#104316, BMW-MOA#64000
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