Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Hey Johan Funny you should mention this. I tried to take off my front shocks and was stumped because I could not undo the nut that holds the ball joint to the fork cradle (you need a socket that allows you to put a 7mm hex down the middle - a plug socket does the trick, but I was not strong enough to hold the hex). Anyway, my boot is also stukkend. I'm phoning Atlantic now to see what my options are. Good luck Charles

Hi Charles Ek het 'n boot by Goeihoop onderdele in Brackenfel gekoop en dit gister aand op gesit. Lyk of dit goed werk. Cheers

Lekker. Moes jy daai vervlakste ball joint van die swingarm afhaal? Ek kon dit glad nie regkry nie en het die bike sommer by Shane-hulle afgelaai voor ek my eie moer strip (ek het al klaar een op die bike in sy dinges in gestuur...). Hoeveel het die boot gekos as ek mag vra? groete Charles [http://honeybadger.net Honey Badger IT Services]

R5.60 Die boot is nie so buigbaar soos die oorspronklike van BMW nie, so as jy draai rek hy bietjie maar lyk of dit gaan hou. Sal my oog op dit hou. Ek het die fiets op die center stand gesit met agter wiel op die grond. Toe die moer van die ball joint los gemaak, dan sak die voor wiel en die ball joint sak uit die swing arm. So loop hy dan...

Johan/Charles,

Any feedback on this as I currently sit with the same problem...I heard that the dealer will charge you close to R1800 to replace....? I'm willing to consider any aftermarket one...

regards,

Hi Garth

I never did anything with the boot itself for about 5 years.  Eventually Andrew King of Kingtek pointed out that the ball joint had play and would need replacing.  Eventually, about a year later, I had him replace the whole thing.

In all that time Mr.Badger ran fine, did things like the extreme Lesotho and Transkei trips, rode Atlantis, Jurg se Kaya every year, and commuted every day.  I would not lose sleep over the boot if I were you.  Mr.Badger currently on 225 000 km and looking smokin' hot!

Thanks for your valued feedback Charles, much appreciated.

If that ball joint (I assume it's the one on the telelever) goes, then the steering becomes vague and you'll find yourself wandering from side to side, especially in traffic.

When it gets really bad the front end can slip away quite dramatically.

I replaced mine on my 1150GSA, but there is a huge torque setting so you need some sort of jig to hold the front end still in order to be able to tighten it.

Mine was also replaced on my 1200GSA and there was a huge difference to the handling afterwards.

Anyone have a cheap solution to the boot question.mine has cracked,so it need to be replaced.but I hear the labour cost will bankrupt you.

 

Hi all,

Just spoke to Eugene at Donford Stellenbosch.

The rubber plus the ball joint is roughly R2 000 plus labour to fit.

Approx labour time 1-2 hours. So another R1 500.

The alternative is a VW rubber boot (part number BJ 2220/2223) from Midas at R10 each.

Then the labour to fit this rubber is only like half-an-hour to 1 hour max, labour fee R800.

So the ball (joint ) is in your court as what you would like to do.

Thanks Garth.

Ok, in summary:

1. You need a special tool and a lot of force to remove and refit the ball joint - so take it to a workshop.  If not the dealer then Alf, Jandré or Andrew King.
2. I had mine replaced early 2015 for a total of about R2000 at Kingtek.

Hi Charles,

 

Just bought a real OEM BMW rubber boot on E-bay for R362. Let's hope it arrives...most probably only 2 months from now!

Plus the labour then it will work out to approx R1 200 including the coffee at Donford.

Gareth so the Midas boot is no good?

 

Hi big Al,

After reading up on this on Wild Dog's, I decided to rather cancel my E-bay deal and went to Midas and bought part number BJ 0003 for R9.00. 

Some good stories on several okes that went this route with no problem. Taking my bike to Donford on Thursday to get the new boot fitted.

Thanks

Got the boots,noticed the not the same.did they work out for you,on your install

Hi big Al,

 

Yip, was done at Donford Stellenbosch last week. Just paid the labour. Took just over an hour to complete the job...it's definately not the same rubber boot as the BMW one...but it does the job by keeping out the dust/water/debris...would not try to fit this myself. Refitting the seal ring/spring is also quite tricky...

Sterkte.

Thanks,watch the you tube,vid.

 

going to get someone to do it.

Hi All.

I bought some tape from Midas. Sticks to itself and can apparently seal a hosepipe!

Called Alcolin Silicone tape and paid 77 clams.

Nothing will get past it and even looks better than the original boot. 

I consider  mine sorted!

 

Show us a pic of the end result?

Hi Garth. Below you have the name and a pic of my attempt.

You can also get it at Builders and I am sure it is possible to do a better job than me.