Forum bmwbike.com

I finished completely restoring my 1954 R51/3 in the spring, and never knew about checking the play on the forks.... I thought my headset was loose, but the forks have play.I can feel it when the bike is on the center stand and I grab both forks and they have play when I move them forward and back.

The bushing must be shot. My question is what parts should I order? I noticed on the parts list there is different sizes of the metal bushing, and a bushing made of pertinax.

Thought I'd order the parts first, maybe I need to pull it apart and make some measurements?

Any help appreciated... thank, stacey

I did it few years ago.
I sended the hard parts to the machinery, to rectify those, and preparing new bushes by mesure. Pertinax it's good, but may be you will have problems with the adecuated grease for this product. Bronze cod be a very good option.
Excuse my poor english.

Hello Stacey,
this response is certainly too late but here are the parts numbers of the bushes you have to order :
- 31 41 2 000 408 Fürungsbuchse oben
- 33 41 2 000 406 Fürungsbuchse unten
I am restoring my R51/3 1954 for 4 years !
Have you any photographs of your bike ?
Good luck
Michel, Brest, France

in the last years we have done a lot of these jobs. Please contact german bmw vintage club official spare part referent. Espc. teleforks R51-R68