Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners

R60/2 Well, I got the transmission removed with the engine in place. The purpose of which was to replace the clutch plate. Unfortunately, I cannot get the slotted screws out of the pressure plate with the engine in place. There just is not enough room to get an impact screwdriver and hammer in there to hit the impact screwdriver with enough force to turn a screw. Unless someone has a suggestion that might work, it looks like I’m just going to have to go ahead and pull the engine. I was going to do a top end rebuild with the engine in place, but it might be easier to just get the engine out and up on the workbench to replace the clutch and do the top end. Thoughts from the collective? One last question, is the /2 engine light enough, with the cylinders and heads on, for two old guys to be able to lift out and put on a workbench? Thanks!

I do think that two people, positioned properly and with cushioning around the frame, the engine can be lifted out to the side.

As for the screws, when I did mine, I had the fortune of doing it with the engine out of the frame. I stood the engine on it's nose...with protection...and then leaned onto the screwdriver from above and turned them off. I used a screwdriver blade that fit the slots tightly and then used an open end wrench to turn the square-shafted screwdriver. You could look for some grinding paste on the blade of the screwdriver to help it grip. I saw one of those "life hacks" where someone was having trouble getting a regular/smaller screw out. They used a wide rubber band for the blade to dig into while in the slot...seemed to help that situation.

Try some of that with the engine in the frame...maybe have a second pair of hands holding the screwdriver while the other person uses the wrench to turn the screwdriver.

Kurt, thanks for the response and comments. The more I think about it the more I think I’m just going to pull the engine. I’ll take some time removing the heads and cylinders as I was going to do a top end rebuild anyway. Then get my next-door neighbor to help me lift the engine out and onto the workbench. Will definitely be much easier to get those screws with the engine up on the workbench.

I remember getting the engine out of place with the help of a standard regular car jack.
I placed it under the engine, lifted a bit, enough to loosen the threaded rods and then pulled it out of place - sideways, on my knees.
I then got up "through my knees", kept my back straight, and placed it on a pre-prepared table at the appropriate height.
I admit that today in my physical condition I would not do it again.

This is 100% possible without removing the engine, it just takes some creativity. As I recall, when I did it I had the assistance of a friend and skilled mechanic and we tried a few things until we got it. What finally worked was a flathead bit for a 1/2” breaker bar. We used a piece of wood as a lever against the rear swing arm to force the bit into the screw making a “peal out” practically impossible. After getting this all set up and in place with the assistance of a second set of hands, well, Bob’s your uncle.

We did use a bench grinder to grind the flat head bit to the perfect fit which helped as well.

I have a shorty impact driver that works great and can do that. Use a bit of heat as well. Look at the dewalt DCF850B. I think that would fit. Mine does.

It CAN be done while the engine is in the frame. If you look at the trust plate with the slotted screws, and position the first screw to be removed at roughly the 2 o'clock position, and then you use two or three VERY long extensions, between the impact driver, and the blade bit, so your impact driver is WAY back, just beyond the rear fender, and your buddy holds the blade of the bit in the slot and you knock the hell out of the impact driver with a heavy hammer, it will loosen that one. Take it out, install one of the three release tools, (they make a great handle) and skip the next screw as you rotate the engine until the second screw is in position and repeat, until you get all three release tools in and tight, and then remove the remaining three. Back off the nuts on the 3 release tools evenly, and your done, the clutch can be removed.
Richard and I have replaced MANY a clutch plate doing just as I described.

Vech, that is a well thought out plan of attack!

Vech has seen/done it all!! Glad you are on here!!

Good people,

I know this is a very old thread, but believe the good folks here may be able to help. I have a '54 R67 with the same old style clutch as Kurt's in his photos. I decided to replace mine because it was slipping. And when I opened it up this weekend, I noticed that some oil had dripped past the felt on the clutch push rod and contaminated the rear clutch material (in addition, the clutch disc was down to 5.03 mm thickness). I have replaced the clutch disc in mine and reassembled it (all in the bike, btw, using a Milwaukee 1/4" impact driver this time). My clutch now looks like Kurt's does in his photos. Since reassembling it, the clutch lever is VERY hard to pull. In fact, it doesn't engage the clutch at all. I plan on disassembling it again. What did I do wrong?

My initial thought was I had put the clutch disc in backwards. Currently (as in Kurt's photo), the proud center piece is facing back toward the gearbox. Is that wrong?

Alternatively, I am thinking that I didn't align the square end of the clutch push rod into the square hole of the rearward-facing clutch plate.

Any clues?

Many thanks!

John
(currently back in Pretoria, South Africa)