Mirror of /pweb.jps.net/~snowbum/19inchrecall.htm

This is a mirror of http://pweb.jps.net/~snowbum/19inchrecall.htm.
It is provided here by cdegroot.com to increase availability of the original site. This mirror is updated daily so should be up-to-date at all times.

NOTE: Per Tom Cutter, ALL 1981 R100S models with polished spoke wheels were recalled, during the time of shipment from Germany. This was not a Federal mandated recall or official recall program. I think it is extremely UNlikely any of the polished spoke wheels equipped R100S models were sold. According to Tom these were replaced with the CAST wheels, and the FRONT wheels of those cast wheels were recalled, and you should refer to what follows for THOSE, as well as all the other CAST FRONT 19 inch wheels::::

Now and then I still hear of an old recalled wheel that is still in service. There was a BMW factory (and U.S. Government) recall on the FRONT 19" cast snowflake wheels, and only those! Supposedly a Federal Recall Campaign never goes out of date. NOTE that it is, AFAIK, world-wide, and their are specific recall campaigns in various countries.

A good time to do this is right away if you are safety conscious, or at tire replacement time if you are not overly concerned. The wheels were recalled due to some hairline cracks appearing in the hub when the wheels were subjected to rather severe use.

Let me be very clear here....only 19 inch front wheels were recalled, not rear 18 inch wheels, not 18 inch front wheels. AND.....this means a 19 inch size for the tire....this has NOTHING to do with any tape measurement you suddenly planned on doing on your front rim. Let me emphasize this....if you use a 19 inch tire specification, on a front Snowflake (cast aluminum alloy) wheel, then you may be in the recall group, so read on. If you have a 18 inch front tire, you need NOT be concerned with this Recall.

(Someone posted to the Airlist that they were measuring the wheels with a tape measure......an R65.....which runs a 18" TIRE SIZE!....gads!....I would NEVER have thought I would have to spell out what a 19 inch front wheel means!)

I have confirmed that this recall is in other countries. In Australia, the defect code is 00 00360 800; the SI covering the recall is 87/01 (002) of July 1987

The 'good' wheels have support ribs between each main spoke and the hub at the hub area. By support ribs I mean that of the 8 MAIN SPOKES, from approximately the point where the X ribs intersect those main spokes (about half way out to the rim from the center, very roughly), to the hub, the main spokes are slightly widened in their mid areas....like a duckfoot web...in other words, they are broadened at the center thickness, but not as thick as the spoke itself. The web that was added is more or less shaped like a U, if one includes the portion of the hub they are connected to. This is all VERY easy to see at a quick glance.

Wheels with 10 main spokes have been reported.

There is a manufacturing date code stamped into the side of 'a spokes crossover point'. IF the date code is 9/82 or before, AND, there are no support ribs, then see your BMW dealer for a new tube, new bearings, seals, ...and a new wheel! The dealer is paid in full by BMW for all this, and demounting your old tire and remounting it onto your new wheel, is included, as is balancing.

NOTE: There can be two types of stampings in the crossover areas. The one YOU are looking for is in normal Arabic numerals...there are NO Roman characters...if yours is stamped with roman characters, find the other stamping.

NOTE!....IMPORTANT!!.....BMW has been shipping the replacement wheels without grease, or minimally, usually only oil, on the bearings inside the wheel. Be absolutely SURE that the dealer DOES DO a preload test (done on oiled bearings, seals removed) adjusting the shimming if needed....and AFTERWARDS....that the dealer removes the inner (that is, movable portion) bearings (keeping them separated, left-right), and cleans and greases them, and installs seals. NOTE that a really qualified mechanic can adjust preload by feel, but it is really much better to measure it. I have an article on how that is done. click for that article here: Section_4.htm

NOTE: The replacement silver wheel is #36-31-1-238-959; and the replacement gold wheel is #36-31-1-238-960

Again: There is NO cost for labor or parts...except...that if your tire is worn out, the dealer will NOT give you a new tire, but in ANY case you DO get a new tube. Mind that you do not have the nut on the valve stem screwed down to the rim, it does NOT belong in that position...it should be missing, or, up against the cap.

NOTE: BMW honors this recall WORLDWIDE.....so no matter where you are, where the bike was sold, no matter who owns it, ETC....it is a free new wheel, etc....courtesy of BMW.

NOTE: Here is a website that has PHOTOS, and some information, to help you identify the wheels. NOTE that there is an error in this website article on the 'three following pictures, or some such wording'. The last time I looked at the website, there were photos of the GOOD, webbed, wheel, after that line of print. http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/robpages1/Pages/dreaded_bmw_front_wheel_recall.htm

07/31/2003: small note in red at top of this page added.
11/21/2004: Update and clarify the entire article; including a hyperlink to Section_4.htm, and re-arranging the order of things somewhat
11/22/2004: emphasis on just what a 19 inch wheel is, and it is not a tape measurement!
09/04/2006: add link: http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/robpages1/Pages/dreaded_bmw_front_wheel_recall.htm and add some additional comment for clarity.
01/08/2007: update with Australian information
08/15/2007: update years/models, and clarify a few minor details, and add the URL for BMWMC.NET for the pdf (remove, as dead, 01/07/2008