Where can I find some boots?

[Clayman]

I am looking to replace the very tired rubber wire boots coming out of the lever perches on my 1974 R75/6. I can't find them on the parts fiche, and I suspect they are no longer available seperately. Does anyone know of a part number or perhaps a Big 4 retro-fit? At my Japanese mega-dealer there's a sea of bikes and surely one of them has a rubber boot the same dimensions as my old Airhead.

[cjack]

I am looking to replace the very tired rubber wire boots coming out of the lever perches on my 1974 R75/6. I can't find them on the parts fiche, and I suspect they are no longer available seperately. Does anyone know of a part number or perhaps a Big 4 retro-fit? At my Japanese mega-dealer there's a sea of bikes and surely one of them has a rubber boot the same dimensions as my old Airhead.

I believe those are 61 31 1 351 646.
The rubber cap for your cable (yours is missing) is 32 73 1 230 038.

[Clayman]

I believe those are 61 31 1 351 646.
The rubber cap for your cable (yours is missing) is 32 73 1 230 038.


Thanks so much CJack. I will give these part numbers a try.

[cjack]

Thanks so much CJack. I will give these part numbers a try.

I was able to look them up this morning (the BMW server is lame sometimes at night) and the 61 31 1 351 646 is in stock in the country and lists for $4.87. The nipple for the brake cable 32 73 1 230 038 is as well and lists for $2.00. If you replace the nipple, I think very hot water will soften it enough to get over the end of the cable...maybe some silicone too. Most good dealers will have these in stock or can get them in a day or so.

[AntonLargiader]

Why do people want to unload the parts-lookup work onto other club members rather than having the supplier do it (and take responsibility for it being correct)?

What is so wrong with calling the person you buy parts from and just telling them what you want?

This is why dealerships have paid parts staff. And while they aren't always perfect, internet forum information isn't either. I just don't get it.

[Clayman]

Why do people want to unload the parts-lookup work onto other club members rather than having the supplier do it (and take responsibility for it being correct)?

What is so wrong with calling the person you buy parts from and just telling them what you want?

This is why dealerships have paid parts staff. And while they aren't always perfect, internet forum information isn't either. I just don't get it.


Anton, I wish things were different, but where I live the BMW dealer makes its nut by selling Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Ducati, some Chinese lines I don't remember, several watercraft, and tons of 4 wheelers. Their parts guys weren't born when my air head rolled off the line. My other dealers either got squeezed out of business (St. Louis) or are just a bit far to visit (Kansas City) for little parts that may or may not still be in production. I'm sure someone at Bob's would know what I need, but sometimes it takes many attempts to get through on their phone line. I wish it were the old days with small shops that had knowledge and inventory, but the world got flat.

[James.A]

Clayman, my best experience calling a dealer for airhead parts was with MAX BMW. The parts guy talked me through a less than concise illustration in my 1980 parts manual regarding front fork small parts for an R75/5. Spent 20 minutes on the phone to sell me $35 worth of bits, and the box arrived with a bag of M&M's. GREAT SERVICE,... on a saturday.

Feel free to PM me for parts numbers for your bike, I have the book. Cjack is also plugged in to a very good resource.

[cjack]

I guess the motives may only be known by the asker and the askee.

[jbcollier]

Why?

Because:

It is faster for me and I get exactly what I want.

It is faster for them and they give me a discount.


Question though, where on the BMW site can I find parts fiches? It would be great to know what is actually in stock where. I use the realOEM.com and Hammersley right now.

[Isamemon]

Ill have to agree that sometimes , help here is better here then the dealer, and like some said, my airhead was built before many of the parts person were born
yikes Im old

recently, I called my dealer for a mastr cylinder kit, they were surprised to see two master cylinders listed, adn did not know why
a 14 mm and a 17 mm
I, yes me, had to tell them, and I hope correctly, that the 14 mm was single disc, the 17 double disc ( I learned that here too)
then they could not find a rebuild kit, and gave me the price for the whole master cylinder, which put me in shock

so then I went to A&S, same thing , kind of, they did not list the kit
it was at this webiste, that someone gave me the link to find the kit at Max's BMW
with the correct number, I called back to the dealer, ..............oh.....I guess there is a kit
and they were only $2 more then Maxs, and no shipping
( this is not a rip off dealer, and many come for miles and miles around to deal with them in Eugene)

moral fo the story, you cant alswasy trust a dealer or a micro fiche


thanks people at this forum, you can find answers that sometimes the best dealer cant get you, or a short cut, or a substitution, and on top of that,you have saved me $$$$$$$$$$ in more ways then a master cylinder kit.

[BradfordBenn]

If you replace the nipple, I think very hot water will soften it enough to get over the end of the cable...maybe some silicone too.

Okay question about the hot water, why not just a heat gun or hair dryer? I am thinking that the water would be bad to be on the cable, isn't that part of the reason the nipple is there? :dunno

[AntonLargiader]

...oh.....I guess there is a kit...
thanks people at this forum, you can find answers that sometimes the best dealer cant get you, or a short cut, or a substitution

I agree. Forums like this are a great way to learn about alternatives or to overcome a lack of experience on the part of a particular dealership.

But the other end of the spectrum, and one which jbcollier seems to be pursuing, is, "If I can get someone else to do the look-up work for free, I can order it online and pocket the savings."

If you don't trust your dealer to get you the right information, deal with a different one by phone and mail order.

I've had customers ask me for part numbers so they can buy stuff online at a discount. If it's not my sale, I'm not doing the work. That's not to say I won't help on tech issues involving part numbers, but if someone just wants stuff looked up, well they can find online sources for that. maxbmw.com, realoem.com, and others. And most of the online discount places will actually help you over the phone if you just ask.

jbcollier, there is no BMW-provided online fiche. BMW wants you to use their dealers for this. If you want to know what's in stock, why not call one and ask? Only dealership employees have access to stock information, and it's limited to what that dealer has in stock and what the BMW warehouses have in stock.

[cjack]

Okay question about the hot water, why not just a heat gun or hair dryer? I am thinking that the water would be bad to be on the cable, isn't that part of the reason the nipple is there? :dunno

The hot water is limited to less than the melting point of the cable nipple. So it's a safe way to heat it up. I think any moisture will evaporate quickly and even so being warm. It's just a way to get that tiny end over the end of the cable. You could try silicone grease. It would probably work just as well.

[cjack]

[QUOTE=AntonLargiader]
I've had customers ask me for part numbers so they can buy stuff online at a discount. If it's not my sale, I'm not doing the work. That's not to say I won't help on tech issues involving part numbers, but if someone just wants stuff looked up, well they can find online sources for that.[QUOTE]

I respect that. And, I've thought about that and rejected the thought. I work part time for a dealer. I work there because I like BMW and I like parts. It would be nice if we sold the parts, but that's not why I like to help. What goes around, comes around. Even on the phone at the dealership it doesn't often result in a sale.
At times it is frustrating at the shop, but here it is always fun. Kind of a bus drivers holiday, where you don't have to drive.