Ducati Monster Forum

Ok i have been searching long and hard but cant find the answer to this.  Im trying to setup the suspension on my 1098, it has the showa rear.  How do you disengage the locking ring on the rear suspension so you can adjust the preload?  I have had the bike propped up on a stand and still could not move it.  Is there some special tool you need?  The manual mentioned a pin wrench but when looking for this i couldnt find any answers.  please help!!

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=5837&group_ID=601&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Alternatively, you can use a punch.  It will leave marks.

1) You cant adjust your preload with the bike on a stand. Which is why you really need 2 people to do it.

2) I'm not trying to be confrontational but item 1) leads me to ask whether you know what your doing? Messing with suspension components can be tricky and you need to learn how to adjust sag rebound and compression before you start tinkering. Messing with it can lead to a crash.. If you're familiar with it go for it otherwise pay out the 40 bucks or so to get it dialed in by a pro..

3) You're gonna need a chain tensioning tool at some point to adjust your chain. These will work on some shocks as well. Not sure about the 1098

I know it cant be set while on the stand and i will need help from others, i just had read if i got the pressure off the collars being made by the spring i would be able to adjust the collars by hand.  Well that didnt work  [laugh]  This is temporary anyways but after i adjusted the preload on the front suspension its already ten times more stable than stock.  The front end comes very soft and the rear extremely hard on the 1098 [bang]

Awesome thanks for the info!

Might want to spray a bit of WD-40 on there to help loosen them up the first time because they are on there tight.

The duc rear suspension is a pain in the ass to set up BUT its a purist approaach. Most rear suspension adjusters are click type, very easy to adjust much like the clicks on the rebound adjusters and compression adjusters on the front forks. The ducati method allows you to dial it in EXACT since its treaded. Only problem is that  the adjustment is a little more difficult to do.

I can respect the purist approach. If you company is all about "racing" as ducati is it should be that way.

My suggestion, before you go out and buy a pin wrench, check your took kit that came with your bike. Some model years have chain tensioning tool which like I said before might work as well.

chain tensioning tool look like this:

http://www.motowheels.com/italian/mySearchResult.cfm?parentcategoryid=&productID=2629&showDetail=1&categoryID=591|Moto%20Tools&vendoridtodisplay=0&filterFor=chain%20tool&collection= (http://www.motowheels.com/italian/mySearchResult.cfm?parentcategoryid=&productID=2629&showDetail=1&categoryID=591|Moto%20Tools&vendoridtodisplay=0&filterFor=chain%20tool&collection=)

Mine didn't come with one but i just remember my brother has an 08 CBR600 that might have one in its tool kit [evil]

How can you use an Eccentric Chain Adjuster to move the rear shock?  It's way to wide.
You want a Rear Shock Preload Adjustment wrench
I THINK this one will work Wrench (http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?catId=119&leafCatId=&productId=p28297&store=null)

Anyone seen this add on before? Hydraulic Preload adjuster (http://www.btosports.com/p/MERGEHPL)