curlesw Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 One of the upper windshield support arms broke on my 05 RT. I have ordered a new arm, will be in next week. Couple of questions: 1. Is this common? 2. What's the trick to removing the clips? Poor picture attached, Thanks. Wayne C. 05 R1200RT Link to comment
marcopolo Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Do you have the stock windscreen, or an aftermarket one? If aftermarket, what brand? Link to comment
curlesw Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Aftermarket, not sure what brand. I don't have a picture readily available but it does have a "lip" at the top of the windshield, I assume to allow the air to flow higher above the rider. Wayne C. 05 R1200RT Link to comment
racer7 Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 West Tool, call to order- not on their website. $80 per set and won't break because they're not pot metal junk like the stockers. More common with aftermarket larger windshields and bikes with more miles/vibration. Its basically simple fatigue failure. Not sure of frequency but you wlll have no trouble finding other examples on BMW sites if you search for them. Link to comment
Boffin Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 West Tool, call to order- not on their website. $80 per set and won't break because they're not pot metal junk like the stockers. More common with aftermarket larger windshields and bikes with more miles/vibration. Its basically simple fatigue failure. Not sure of frequency but you wlll have no trouble finding other examples on BMW sites if you search for them. Or more correctly, West Tool arms are designed to carry aftermarket screens. The stock arms are designed to carry BMW designed screens and do not seem to break with the stock screen but do so with some regularity on larger aftermarket screens. Andy Link to comment
T__ Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Andy, I know a guy that has broken two links using a stock windshield.. He rides a lot of very rough back roads at high speeds with the windshield all the way up.. Not sure the windshield being all the way up made much difference but the rough roads surly did.. I can understand the original failures (under engineered or under tested) but can’t understand why BMW hasn’t changed their design to improve those links (or have they?) My 09 RT looks to have slightly different links but without a true side by side comparison I can’t tell for sure.. Anybody heard of a link failure on the 09 RT’s? Twisty Link to comment
lopaca Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Definitely get the West Tool arms. Mine finally went, Cee Bailey screen so I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. For me, it happened when I did not lower the shield all the way down on a rough dirt road. I went ahead and replaced both arms. Very simple. I took the opportunity of cleaning the those little wings on each side of the screen as I took the front dash off to do my install. They are definitely more beefy. I have read that the originals are pot metal so that they will break off if you go through the shield in an accident but I am not sure about the validity of the message but it makes sense. Anyways, you will be pleasantly surprised by the replacement arms. Link to comment
RodB Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I have read that the originals are pot metal so that they will break off if you go through the shield in an accident but I am not sure about the validity of the message but it makes sense. Now, this brings up another question..... Link to comment
Yammer Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Hi, Got the exact same failure on 2008 RT. Where can I find these West Tool arms. Google didn't help? Warranty is covering it but parts are backordered....so who knows when I will see them. Thanks. Link to comment
Boffin Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Hi, Got the exact same failure on 2008 RT. Where can I find these West Tool arms. Google didn't help? Warranty is covering it but parts are backordered....so who knows when I will see them. Thanks. Don Westra West Tool & Design inc. 1220 North Tower Road Fergus Falls, MN 56537 218-739-4990 Don@westtoolff.com www.westtoolff.com Link to comment
cdscoot Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 The arms are on the web site. They are black powder coated billet aluminum @ 90.00 Link to comment
stanhope Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Best 90 bucks you will ever spend! Don't make the mistake of just changing the broken one, go ahead and get em both while you're at it. Don't ask how I know that! Link to comment
lopaca Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Don't make the mistake of just changing the broken one, go ahead and get em both while you're at it. +1 Link to comment
Rocket_Cowboy Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I've got to get these ordered myself. Having one of the arms break on Day 7 of the IBR was no fun ... though I did get to find out just how much gas mileage I'm losing by running this big screen. Link to comment
Yammer Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks sorry for the delay....binder twine and duct tape got me thru a long ride on the weekend....heh heh.... Yammer Link to comment
10ovr Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Im making upper arms http://www.beemerboneyard.com/r12rtshldarms.html ,, Is there any call for me to make the lower ones ??? Link to comment
KeithK Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 When I test rode a 2012 RT I noticed the links look the same as my '06 but there is cross bracing between the 2 sides of the windshield support frame. I always thought side-to-side shake is what caused them to break. Keith Link to comment
farmerp Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I broke a lower one this spring. They are NOT available to buy alone. You have to but the entire windshield motor unit at somewhere north of $450 as I remember. I took mine to a local machine shop and they welded it up and I did a lot of filling to make it work. I keep my windshield down almost all the time now. Link to comment
TheoM Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 {snip}...Is there any call for me to make the lower ones ??? I'd say you'll have a pretty good market if you do! Considering the cost of the whole motor/arm assembly, and the number of years this assembly has been put into production, whoever is "first to market" will have excellent potential. Link to comment
wildcatpat Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 West aftermarket mounts are high quality, well-machined, and readily available. Got mine in 3 days, took 30 minutes to install both. Good work, Don Pat in KC Link to comment
Rob L Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I have broken both of my lower arms. I made new ones from steel and have had no further issues. The lower arms rotate on an 8mm shaft which is gear driven by the motor. I found shaft sleeves already made and was able to weld duplicate arms to them to make my new ones. I have one extra set that I made. They DO require some fitting to install (I had to file my original hex shaft slightly to get them to slide on). Link to comment
10ovr Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I have broken both of my lower arms. I made new ones from steel and have had no further issues. The lower arms rotate on an 8mm shaft which is gear driven by the motor. I found shaft sleeves already made and was able to weld duplicate arms to them to make my new ones. I have one extra set that I made. They DO require some fitting to install (I had to file my original hex shaft slightly to get them to slide on). PM sent Tim Link to comment
vfrman Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 West aftermarket mounts are high quality, well-machined, and readily available. Got mine in 3 days, took 30 minutes to install both. Good work, Don Pat in KC [/quote Would you mind taking a photo of your support arm? I'd like to compare them with the ones from Beemer Boneyard. Thanks! Link to comment
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