Hi guys,

I had an advisory on my last MOT saying the battery was not secure. When I checked the tray, I can't see how it is secured to the bike, the tray just seems to be resting on 4 rubber mounts. The battery itself is nice and secure on the tray with a metal strap over the top tied to the tray.

Any ideas, am I missing something?

Cheers

The rubber mounts are supposed to have a M6 male thread bonded top and bottom. Sounds like yours have become unbonded - it happens.

Replacements cheap enough on Oohbay - search for 'isolation mounts M6'

Ah thanks, do they have to be specific to the bike? Just thinking of depth as there is not a lot of room to play with?

Just to add to Chris' description: search for "20mm x 20mm x 6mm isolation mounts". It narrows it right down to what you want. Also, you will need to cut the forward right mount to length as it's a blind hole.

Now, there is possibly bad news with this. The original four mounts are quite likely to be corroded in solid to the gearbox. I would soak them in some form of penetrating oil and leave it for a few hours before trying to twist them out.

If the rubber comes off (it probably will ), slot the top with a hacksaw so you can get an impact driver in. Now, apply a lot of heat and penetrating oil before going in with the impact driver. An alternative to the impact driver is to get a second-cut file and file two relatively parallel edges on each of the buttons. You have a choice at this point; file to a spanner size or grip with a good pair of molegrips.

If that fails (rinse and repeat ) you'll need to drill the buggers out. You're going to find that you can get at three out of the four without removing the gearbox but you will need to remove the swingarm to clean the swarf out. Three is enough - forget the fourth one.

If you get to the drilling them out stage and you wander off-centre, you can re-tap to 8mm and drill/file the battery tray to match. You cannot drill and tap the forward right blind hole without removing the gearbox.

OTOH, as one set of mine did, they could just pull straight out. The other gearbox fought me all the way to the re-drill and tap stage. B*st*rd.

Put the new ones in with a lot of copaslip.

Eek, thanks for the good, scary and bad news - but I love the bike to bits so I will treat her with respect and start soaking in penetrating oil now!! Fingers crossed

If the rubber pulls off, if you're careful, you can grab the edges of the remaining disk and unscrew.(Using Vise-Grips or whatever you guys call them over there.)

Good idea to put anti-seize on the threads when putting them in and don't screw them in too tightly.

I had a similar problem with my K100, I bought replacements for the broken mounts. The screws were tight in the gearbox and required the gearbox to be removed. I cheated and used Sugru glue to stick the mounts to the top of the gearbox. The weight of the battery helped hold the tray in place while it set. It is now fixed solid.

I have finally managed to find the time to tackle this job today - what a *******************, thankyou BMW for making it such a flamin fiddly nasty awkward job. I have the BMW lower seat fitted so even more gubbins for me to remove before removing the battery. Even had to move the back portion of the mudguard to get the battery out.

The 2 rubber mounts on the left side of the bike were just finger tight and easy to remove. I didn't even try the right front mount as access is awful and the right rear mount was an absolute **************** to get out. I finally did it by using a junior hacksaw to cut a channel across the domed metal top of the broken rubber mount. I then used an old flat blade screwdriver and a persuader to wedge between the dome and the top of the gearbox to lift up half of the dome so I could grab it with a pair of pliers, lift it up and snap it off. With just half of the dome left I could use the screwdriver and persuader to tap (hard) on the flat edge to finally get the ******* to start turning - ta daaaa out it came. Should say I had previously soaked the whole area with WD40.

All back together now, hope I never have to repeat the job!!!!!!!!!    my swearbox is already full

If that buggers you up get a gel battery and move it to the ducktail.....

@92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:If that buggers you up get a gel battery and move it to the ducktail.....

This is a bad idea.  For handling reasons any weight should be kept as low and forward as possible.

@duck wrote:

@92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:If that buggers you up get a gel battery and move it to the ducktail.....

This is a bad idea.  For handling reasons any weight should be kept as low and forward as possible.

I agree entirely.....

......but a gel battery is not so heavy. You can always make a battery size container for the old battery space and put tools etc in in it instead of keeping them in the ducktail. 2 L brackets screwed down and you don't have the long screws and can have side access.

Tongue in check one can just go lose 5 kilos and its all back in equilibrium.....

I have seen a few Ks now with battery in ducktail.......using the strap that's put in ABS modes for holding the ABS brain in place.

Drilling into the gearbox does work....for 3 of the 4 positions........but the 4th is a non runner.