Clutch pushrod felt seal

[jackonz]

Help, inadvertently during re fitting the Gearbox to my R80 I have somehow had the clutch pushrod come out the back so that the felt seal has come out, with the box back in the bike I cannot get it back in it just keeps bunching up, my only thought was to make a sleeve that I can slide on the rod then fit the felt sleeve and slide it back in.
The rod is 8mm dia but has anyone any idea as to the diameter of the bore in the gearbox shaft as I don't want to make it too big in the bore of the sleeve.
Bike is a R80/7 year of manufacture March 1978.

[gspd]

Wrap dental floss around the felt to compress it a bit to get it started and then pull out the floss.

[Rob Frankham]

My approach has been to make up a tube of sheet steel by forming it round the pushrod itself. Works fine and the tube now sits in my box of 'special tools that BMW never thought of which but make life easier' box until next time I need it...

Rob

[jackonz]

Thanks Gents, I did try the dental floss and could not get it to work.
Someone here in NZ I was speaking to this morning suggested heat shrink then leave it long enough to pull out with a screwdriver down the tube to push the rod back in and pull the hat shrink out, I will give it a go tomorrow if not it's Rob's method.
Will let you know how I get on.

[Kurt in S.A.]

Only way I've been able to do it is from the front...transmission has to come out.

Kurt

[jackonz]

Well after cursing and getting frustrated I gave up and pulled the transmission, now when I pulled it apart the drive shaft bolts that are I am told use only once have never been used in anger they were fitted and tightened up then taken out again, I have measured them as per Snowbum specs and they look fine but would like second opinion.

[Kurt in S.A.]

A BMW shop doing this work would never reuse the bolts...insurance reasons and all. Can't take the chance. But as I think Snowbum says, if they thread fine into the flange with just finger pressure, then the bolt was only elastically stretched with no plastic deformation...should be OK to reuse. Add some blue Loctite for good measure. YMMV!

Kurt

[SteveD]

A BMW shop doing this work would never reuse the bolts...insurance reasons and all. Can't take the chance. But as I think Snowbum says, if they thread fine into the flange with just finger pressure, then the bolt was only elastically stretched with no plastic deformation...should be OK to reuse. Add some blue Loctite for good measure. YMMV!

That's my plan when I reinstall mine next week. Not too much blue loctite though.

[Rob Frankham]

I have to disagree with Snowbum on this one. You can't tell whether a 'stretch' bolt is weakened by screwing it into the receiving thread. 1) The deformation is most likely to be between the head and the first threads and 2) With a high tensile bolt, the deformation need only be very slight for the bolt to be weakened.

Drive shaft bolts are cheap. The consequences of them letting go may well be very expensive (or even dangerous). You may get away with it... or you may not. Are you feeling lucky?

Rob

[jackonz]

I have to disagree with Snowbum on this one. You can't tell whether a 'stretch' bolt is weakened by screwing it into the receiving thread. 1) The deformation is most likely to be between the head and the first threads and 2) With a high tensile bolt, the deformation need only be very slight for the bolt to be weakened.

Drive shaft bolts are cheap. The consequences of them letting go may well be very expensive (or even dangerous). You may get away with it... or you may not. Are you feeling lucky?

Rob

Hi Rob, no am not feeling lucky at all at the moment given the hassle this bike has given me of late, so contacted the main BMW Agent here in NZ and no stock and if they want me to supply it will be late January so ordered direct from UK and be here in 7 days.
One question that I ask of you is the correct tension for these bolts without the lock washers, my manuals only mention what it was for the original bolts with lock washers.

Thanks in anticipation