1978 R100 T - I parked it 17 years ago in a climate controlled garage and just getting back to getting it up and running again. I am in the process of replacing seals and rubber and other things that have aged poorly. I will say, after 17 years, it started right up like a champ.
Some time ago, the damper rod seal went bad and rusted up the damper rod. After freeing it up, I am replacing the damper rod and seal but have a few questions:
1) the gear at the bottom isn't pressed on and the microfiche shows a spring under the handle. If the spring is used, the handle just pops up and pulls the gear off the rod. Am I missing something?
2) after cleaning the slider assembly, the slide seems really difficult to move as the little pins and springs don't seem like they want to pop back and let the slider actually slide. When I put it together, I used a small adjustable wrench to try and turn the damper rod and I was afraid I would strip the end if I actually put enough pressure to turn the rod...I feel like the plastic handle has no chance. The springs are still springy and the pins move in and out when pushed with a screwdriver.
Thanks in advance.
Dave
Welcome Aboard !
First of all, let's clarify you are talking about the Steering Damper, and not the dampers inside the front forks or rear shocks. I'm about 95% sure, but I like to be precise.
• If the rod is pulling out of the pinion gear, then you simply need to order a new rod (07 31 42 1 232 275 "Gear Wheel"), which has the gear made onto the end. Max BMW shows the bargain price of $11.32 !! [ HERE ]
Notice that the "Slider Bar" has to be timed to the "Gear Wheel" during reassembly, or the markings on the plastic knob will not point in the correct directions.
• The sliding bar assembly is exposed to a lot of splashing water and is open to the elements. As such the bar, along with each individual part of that entire system, needs to be generously slathered in water proof grease. The spring, the detent, the gears, the bar.... ALL of it, or it's not going to do what it needs to do. A squirt of WD-40 is simply not going to work here. In fact, I will go so far as to propose that the gear is now spinning on the shaft precisely because of a lack of sufficient lubrication, which made the correct operation of the mechanism far too difficult.
• The spring under the handle merely takes up the slop in the system and makes sure gravity doesn't push the weight of the knob and rod downward into the sliding bar, making things harder to operate than they already are.
Hope this helps.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
Thanks! You were correct that I meant the steering damper.
I has purchased the rod and new gear from Max Bmw and that's when I noticed that the gear actually comes off the rod. The old one was seized on tight. I ended up cleaning up everything including the little springs, re-assembled the whole thing (slathering it with grease), and it works fine. It turns great and locks into the three positions...but I still couldn't use the spring under the handle because it pops the rod off the gear. I looked to see of there was a set screw or a clip, but there is nothing that actually attaches the gear to the rod...or at least nothing I could see (on the part or in the fiche). But it's working, with a new seal that should make the new rod last another 40 years!
Thanks again for all the help.
Thanks! You were correct that I meant the steering damper.
I has purchased the rod and new gear from Max Bmw and that's when I noticed that the gear actually comes off the rod. The old one was seized on tight. I ended up cleaning up everything including the little springs, re-assembled the whole thing (slathering it with grease), and it works fine. It turns great and locks into the three positions...but I still couldn't use the spring under the handle because it pops the rod off the gear. I looked to see of there was a set screw or a clip, but there is nothing that actually attaches the gear to the rod...or at least nothing I could see (on the part or in the fiche). But it's working, with a new seal that should make the new rod last another 40 years!
Thanks again for all the help.
Thanks! You were correct that I meant the steering damper.
I had purchased the rod and new gear from Max Bmw and that's when I noticed that the gear actually comes off the rod. The old one was seized on tight. I ended up cleaning up everything including the little springs, re-assembled the whole thing (slathering it with grease), and it works fine. It turns great and locks into the three positions...but I still couldn't use the spring under the handle because it pops the rod off the gear. I looked to see of there was a set screw or a clip, but there is nothing that actually attaches the gear to the rod...or at least nothing I could see (on the part or in the fiche). But it's working, with a new seal that should make the new rod last another 40 years!
Thanks again for all the help.
As the parts fiche shows, the rod and the gear are one piece, a single unit. So why not re-install the older one-piece unit ??
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
That's the exact part I purchased from Max...
Part# |Description | Each | Total
-------------------|----------------------------------------|------------|---------------------
1/31421232275 |GEAR WHEEL | $11.32| $11.32
1/31421232556 |BUSH | $8.49| $8.49
1/31421238217 |COMPRESSION SPRING | $9.95| $9.95
But it's actually a rod with the flats cut on each end and the gear inserted on one end. I didn't realize it was two separate parts until I put the spring on, and then it popped out. The original is the same construction but maybe the gear is pressed on...it tried to tap off the gear on the old one and it doesn't budge. I'm not sure what to think....
Dave-
Despite the way they may have shipped you the new parts, the fiche is telling you it's supposed to be a one piece unit. You have 2 choices....
• Install the old one-piece rod from the bottom
• Epoxy/ Weld/ Braze/ Loctite the 2 new parts together and install them from the bottom
Some assembly required. Batteries not included.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
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