The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: montmil on April 06, 2008, 07:07:01 PM

Title: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 06, 2008, 07:07:01 PM
My "new" 1981 R65 has a lot of slop in the shift lever to pivot point.  Can the shift lever be bored to accept a pressed into place bronze bushing? Any other ideas? It ain't purty right now...

(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FBMW%2520R65%2FR6503.jpg&hash=62811bbbb4dc38c5f0f2581a404910409e33312a)
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: MrRiden on April 06, 2008, 07:25:27 PM
Drilling and shimming with a bushing is an option but as far as I'm aware there is no off the shelf remedy. There is however an upgrade to be had for the shifter linkage residing at the upper portion of that lever that may give you adequate results and it's not very expensive.
                    Paging Justin B.
He'll be with you shortly [smiley=happy.gif]
 rich
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 06, 2008, 07:34:13 PM
Quote
...There is however an upgrade to be had for the shifter linkage residing at the upper portion of that lever that may give you adequate results and it's not very expensive. Paging Justin B.

Found the shifter "wire" replacement and have alreadt sent Justin a PM as to where I should send the money.

Actually, I have a M.O. for $27,000 made out to Justin and would like him to just deduct the cost of the shift linkage and send me back the difference. I am actually a Liberian prince-in-exile now living in London and need to move my family's fortune out of my former realm.

Are any y'all buying this?  ;D  I sure hope not. I don't really live in London...
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: Bob_Roller on April 06, 2008, 08:13:11 PM
If you can find a bushing , I think there is enough material on the shifter to do this, or to make it more of a project, a small sealed bearing pressed into the shifter.
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: professorfate on April 06, 2008, 09:31:31 PM
Mine was really wobbly, so this past winter I took it off and it does have a bronze type bushing in it.  I didn't even check to see if you could get one so I just made one on the lathe.  You could check on A&S website microfiche.  I also got rid of the lame shift rod and put on heim joints.  A lot nicer shifting.
Jerry
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: thrang on April 07, 2008, 12:57:01 AM
The later kinetic BMW linkage is pretty expensive, and having had one on the Bimbo I borrowed it for the RT as a temp measure but its still not brilliant, so I've got one of Justin's winging its way over here with me new hat.
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: Justin B. on April 07, 2008, 09:20:10 AM
Some models (or years) actually have a needle-bearing insert in the lever.
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 08, 2008, 05:26:58 PM
Quote
The later kinetic BMW linkage is pretty expensive, and having had one on the Bimbo I borrowed it for the RT as a temp measure but its still not brilliant, so I've got one of Justin's winging its way over here with me new hat.

Yo, Thrang... What new hat might that be all the way from Texas?
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on April 08, 2008, 07:18:45 PM
Quote
Quote
The later kinetic BMW linkage is pretty expensive, and having had one on the Bimbo I borrowed it for the RT as a temp measure but its still not brilliant, so I've got one of Justin's winging its way over here with me new hat.

Yo, Thrang... What new hat might that be all the way from Texas?


Go here (http://suraklyn.com/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1206665960) and scroll down to see the hats Justin has.  (some colors may be sold out)
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 10, 2008, 06:12:41 PM
Thank you, Justin and USPS. Received my new R65 shift linkage today. It sparkles.[smiley=beerchug.gif]
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 25, 2008, 08:09:43 PM
While ordering the parts for a used seat lock box for the R65, I visited Re-Psycled's suggested A&S fiche parts pages.

Lo and behold, The shifter page showed a pressed-in bronze bushing and two shims - read: aluminum washers - for the scooter's shift lever.  Marco, at Psycled punched up their computer inventory and... gadzooks, they had two of 'em plus the washers.

Throw those puppies in with the lock box, Marco. Looks as if I'll tighten up the shift lever with a sub $3.00 bushing and Justin's shifter link.

More happy dancin'.  Ain't this internet deal sweet? It just may catch on even if Al Gore sez he invented it hisownself. Typical politico... his lips are moving so he must be... well, you know.
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 29, 2008, 09:14:00 PM
Quote
... I visited Re-Psycled's suggested A&S fiche parts pages... The shifter page showed a pressed-in bronze bushing and two shims - read: aluminum washers - for the scooter's shift lever...

UPDATE Shift Lever Bushing

The parts from Re-Psycled arrived today. The shift bushing is a simple bronze press-in. The so called "shims" I rec'd are rubber O-rings, not aluminum washers as I expected. One goes on each side of the bushing. I'm guessing, if these are the correct parts, that the O-rings are supposed to keep grit out of the bronze bushing pivot point. Don't know what the life expectancy might be of rubber O-rings rubbing against the footpeg shift lever mounting.  :-?

At any rate, I'll work free the worn out bushing and use a press to install the new part. Rubber O-rings? Does this sound right?


Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on April 29, 2008, 09:18:36 PM
Sorry, I have never been in there.

Although I must say, mine has a bit of lateral slop.

I also have a second unit I picked up on eBay a while back.  I may play with it to see what it is made of.
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: Justin B. on April 29, 2008, 10:08:21 PM
I have never had one off that even had a hint of an O-ring.  I have also seen levers with no apparent bushing at all and also ones with a caged needle-bearing assembly.  I will add that the one I had with the needle bearings had just as much "slop" as the others.  The trick way would be to use tapered bearings, a custom pivot pin, and then adjust like front wheel bearings on older cars that had serviceable wheel bearings.  I'll have to see if I can find some tapered roller bearings that small.  But, I'm afraid the cost will be pretty steep...
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: nhmaf on April 29, 2008, 10:54:54 PM
My Ls has a simple push in bushing.  I think that there was trace remnant of some sort of fiber washer on the inside edge - probably placed there by the PO.
I just put some of my "stickier" grease in the bushing to help reduce wear - I think that the recommended thing is to pull that off about once a year and clean out
the crud and regrease it - do it more often if you're riding alot of dirt roads, etc.
Title: Re: Sloppy shift pivot point
Post by: montmil on April 30, 2008, 05:50:08 AM
Quote
My Ls has a simple push in bushing.  I think that there was trace remnant of some sort of fiber washer on the inside edge - probably placed there by the PO. I just put some of my "stickier" grease in the bushing to help reduce wear - I think that the recommended thing is to pull that off about once a year and clean out the crud and regrease it - do it more often if you're riding alot of dirt roads, etc.

Sounds like the O-rings ain't gonna fly. After fitting the new bronze bushing, if there's any excessive side-to-side movement of the shift lever I'll try some aluminum or copper washer shims.

Thanks for the input, folks. Justin, the tapered bearings sound very cool but I'm more of a "Big Chief tablet and #2 pencil" kinda guy. It's a BMW, right?  :)

Now, how about some help with my aluminum cleaning chores?