Why BMW, why do you do things like this:

[BubbaZanetti]

fellow S riders who work on their own bikes will know what i'm talking about here:

Transmission plug allen key, 14mm:

here is said wrench in the company of everyday household items:

a commonly sized allen key (3mm maybe) and AA battery:
http://www.retr0.com/dkhirons/IMG_1416.JPG

a standard qwerty keyboard:
http://www.retr0.com/dkhirons/IMG_1418.JPG

ordinary cordless drill:
http://www.retr0.com/dkhirons/IMG_1419.JPG

and finally, what it would look like if i were attacking you with my new killer allen key:

http://www.retr0.com/dkhirons/img_1417.jpg


can anyone tell me why bmw decided to have this monstrosity instead of a bolt or smaller plug, the only way i could get it and avoid paying over 20 bucks with shipping was to have a friend get it off a snap-on truck..........

[flash412]

Go down to AutoZone (or equivalent) and buy a set of 10mm, 12mm and 14mm allen key SOCKETS for a half-inch drive for about $8. You can hold all three of them in your hand. You'll need a breaker bar or a rachet wrench to USE them. But you probably have one of those in your tool box already. If you don't, your friendly neighbor probably does and he would let you borrow it.

[BubbaZanetti]

no dice, the header pipe is only an inch or so below the plug, you can't fit a socket in there, as is i could barely fit this key in, and i'm defenetly gonna get it cut down before my next fluid change, i kinda did some damage to the drain plug as a result of the bad angle

[lkchris]

14mm is a "German standard" drain plug size.

BMW cars use it.

Mercedes cars use it.

Most mechs use a socket wrench version, which gets in to tight areas much better than the L-shaped wrenches and is much easier to use when the plug is tight and when there is desire to torque to a specific value. Mine is Stahlwille 54-14 which is for 1/2-in drive and a nice stubby 60mm in length.

[Gizmo]

[QUOTE=BubbaZanetti]no dice, the header pipe is only an inch or so below the plug, you can't fit a socket in there, as is i could barely fit this key in, and i'm defenetly gonna get it cut down before my next fluid change, i kinda did some damage to the drain plug as a result of the bad angle[/QU

I am not clear on your problem, perhaps a picture of your dilemma is in order. I owned an R1100 S and used a 14mm socket as Flash and Kent indicated without a problem.

[BubbaZanetti]

huh, i'll give it a shot, but i can't immagine a 1/2 drive wrench and a allen socket fitting in there, it seems to me that it would be much taller than the key i've got now. the guys on the pellican parts site all suggested to get a key then cut it down

[boofer]

or, cut a short piece off and use a 14mm wrench on it.

Don't really understand your problem, maybe an extension to get below the header pipe. How do you expect to properly torque it with an allen wrench?

or, try a swivel

or, a Facom Ball hex bit

Tim

[BubbaZanetti]

here's some links that better illustrate the problem i'm having:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23856

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=173008&highlight=transmission+plug

[kbasa]

I've got the BMW trans drain bolt tool. Send me a PM.

[donkey doctor]

Hello; It is obvious to me that you guys are not mechanics. I would buy (find more likely) a 14 mm deep nut for 15 cents, poke it in the plug and turn it with a 14mm combination wrench.

Please excuse the snooty mechanics comment.

[Emoto]

You could buy a short bolt with a 14mm head on it and then jam a couple of nuts on it. Insert this head first into the 14mm cavity on the drain plug, then use a long open end or box wrench on the jammed nuts to get in there and turn it.
:thumb

Donkey's suggestion is even easier! :clap

[alien_hitchhiker]

Snooty donkey doctor,

BRILLANT! (You the Dude!!!!)

I'll remember that little trick.

Thanks, Steve