Rallemoto Triple Clamp & Woodys 21 Inch Install

Okay a bit premature but I have been blamed of that before.

Shipped yesterday and should be here early next week.

The order goes into Woodys tomorrow for 21x 1.85 black + black hub, x 17 x 3.5 black + black hub - wheel set, complete with Woody's hubs. Should all be ready to go for my WV ride in April.

I will keep everyone posted on the build and progress.

The bike is ready to go with the fork tubes out, some replacement parts coming to tighten it all up.... and of course it is a good time for a front end brake bleed now that the triple clamp is coming off... as I have to bleed them anyway.

Waiting, waiting, waiting for some 21 inch loving.

Oh and by the way props to Mark Cummings at Rallemoto - went out of his way to get it shipped when the first orders came in and responded immediately to all requests. As well as Zach from Woody's who put up with my 10 emails and multitude of questions.

Very similar to my situation. My Adventure is out in the shop without it's forks. Got notification of shipping yesterday too.

Order for the front wheel has been in for a while at Woodys, but probably still a week or more out. Zack was great to deal with and answered lots of my questions. Sure was glad Woodys has a toll free phone number

Any luck getting the ball joint out of the original clamp?

Doing it this weekend. Have all the tools so it shouldn't be too tough. Heat is your friend - funny the beast gets pretty light once you remove all the tank and wheels and such... gotta clamp it down properly and give it a good tug!

Dean

Removed the triple clamp and waiting to get the proper socket for the ball joint. Will have to turn it down so it gets a good "purchase" on the narrow nut.

The socket and adapter is about $65 - a new ball joint is about $120... might just get a new ball joint and have two complete sets of triple clamps ready to go.

Pics will come as soon as I have the new clamp... shipping says Monday!!!

D

Had the same thought as you and priced a new ball joint at the local dealer. $180 I was quoted and it's back ordered to Germany.:ddog

No way I'm waiting or paying that much so I will press on with using reusing the old one.

At least the Rallemoto clamp is almost here. I can't wait to get it back together and get riding. She looks weird without her forks.

Funny I am in the same boat!!! Bike looks exactly the same... heheh.... Waiting and now have to find and turn down the socket this week. Clamp should be here for Monday or tuesday. And, it is getting warmer out too. Can't wait.

D

Yay!!!! The colour is extraordinary. Charcoal titanium gray. Perfect guys at rallemotto!!!! I have to say also - when I put on my decidedly non-engineer hat (of which I am most surely not) And, I know that the BMW engineers made the OEM Clamp to manage the expected loads and demands of the bike just fine... blah blah blah... but with the OEM unit I can easily with two fingers pinch the clamp to touch - it is that soft - and thought - wow that is pretty flexible when I removed it. I can upload a photo of it.... This unit is so super solid it is crazy.

I am also replacing my top rubber fork mounting bushings the bike has 100k on it so thought for the $100 bucks I would tighten up the complete front end.

I will need a few days to get the socket sorted for the ball joint removal and will keep everyone posted...

Have you asked the guys at Bentley if they will lend you their socket, or do the switch for you? What size socket fits that ball joint? I've got a couple of large thin walled sockets that I'm not even sure where they came from or what they are for, but if one of them is the right size its all yours.

It is a deep socket 46mm needed. But it has to be turned down at the end so that it is a bit more thin walled and also flat with no cambered edge so the faces sit as low and flat as possible - the nut is very low profile and it is torqued to I think 240nm so it will need a very good and solid fit... or else I will spin the nut and that would suck.

The reprom says no heat but I am going to give it some.

Hey, Me and the Missus were just talking about you on Saturday. Thanks for the offer but I think I have things organized now.

As far as the local dealer goes, I've only been into Bentley once since they opened so it wouldn't be right to ask them for a favor.

I'm working on getting an extended 46mm socket turned down so it will work. Hopefully it will be ready in a few days.

Well, that would explain why my ears were ringing all weekend. Just went and checked, and those sockets are 2 and 2 1/4", way too big. Glad you got something sorted.

UPS lady dropped off the clamp. UPS sure hates Canadians. Bastards.

Our R&D rider Quirky had reported more feed back with less deflection and flexing after installing this clamp and I can sure see why. It's a beefy thing compared to the stock one.

Switching the ball joint over tomorrow and getting the bike back together on Sunday. Hopefully a big box from Woody's will be here soon too.

Hi guys, once again sorry for the delays in the clamp delivery...... A few stuff ups with timing at annodising and storms shutting our workshop down while we were engraving.. The joys of engineering!

We have ordered new ball joints for a few guys here in Australia and they came from Max BMW and I got to say they have been great to deal with as some of you guys might know.

They had the ball joint in stock and it was shipped the next day.

part # 31 42 7 652 644 and it is peice 10 in the "front suspension" window of the BMW R1200GS parts fiche.

Cost is $119.81 + delivery
(In Australia it is $247.00 from a BMW dealer :eek1)

Here is a link

http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=51732&rnd=08102012

Hope this helps

Cheers
Vaughan

Vaughan,

The piece is exceptional and I know it is not a proper engineering test but I can easily pinch the old unit together with my fingers... the new one is very solid.

I made my socket today and will be doing the switch over on the weekend.

Maybe I can beat manxman to it!!!

Thanks mate! best of luck and if you have any questions during the install feel free to send me a message!

Cheers
Vaughan

Installed the ball joint today and will reassemble the forks and fender on Saturday.

Disco Dean, you will beat me to the finish line though because my wheel will not be here in time to complete the installation by this weekend.

Good ta see a few of ya's getting stuck into it.
Just a tip for avoiding potential disaster - make sure and keep abs sensor wire away from the pinch point (just in front of the ball joint pivot area.)

Looks like it will be a horse race!!! My wheels won't be in for a little while also. I have ordered them but had to do a few payments to alleviate pressure on the CCard... But, all good. I will have it up and running this weekend with the old wheels though so will post pics.

Did you use heat to get the nut off? I am thinking of torching it a bit to get it loose as I know the BMW oem ball joint is sealed in.

Funny thing is the rep rom says to put some moly on it???

What did you do Manxman?

D

No torch, use a heat gun to the underside of the ball joint. It didn't take more than a few minutes and it was easy to break it loose. Real sticky unscrewing it because of the factory thread locker.

Once removed, wire brush the threads of the ball joint real clean and apply red thread locker then install into the new Ralle Moto clamp.

Do not use a 12 point socket! 6 point only. There is not enough nut to grab with the 12 point with that kind of torque.

Got it... good thing I got the 6 point!

I turned it down flat at the bottom of the socket and chamfered the end so it would fit as tight as possible. Still a lot of play with such a big socket to my mind but I guess they think it will be applied to monster nuts!!