Anyone ever have there belts break?

DucatiMonster · November 11, 2009, 12:18:19 PM

Just curious to know if anyone ever had there belts break on there Ducati? If they did, what was the mileage on the belts and age?

And does anyone know when Ducati started using Kevlar belts?

Slide Panda · November 11, 2009, 12:45:10 PM

You'd have to use some search-Fu on the tech section - but someone lost a belt middle of last season. I don't recall the details on age etc.

One of the local shops that specializes in Ducs has a 2V head on display from a bike that broke a belt. It looks like someone took a hammer to the combustion chamber.

If these questions are working towards rationalizing pushing old belts - I'd advise against. A set of belts is cheaper than the whole top end

Speeddog · November 11, 2009, 12:58:23 PM

I've never seen a broken belt in person.

I've seen a couple that were about to go, but that was due to frozen tensioner roller bearings.

Not sure when Ducati went to Kevlar reinforced belts, but AFAIK it was when they started marking them with red lettering.

DucHead · November 12, 2009, 02:03:25 AM

From my experience (this and TOB), the answer is not too often.

The belt breakage reported on this board in the recent past was, I believe, on a bike with no belt covers.

In your case, this is clearly a case of better safe than sorry.

yoreese · November 12, 2009, 06:14:08 AM

Quote from: rcelik on November 11, 2009, 12:51:42 PM
Your totally right about changing the belts, I was just curious to see how often it happens. Im in the process of buying a 2006 S4R, that has never had its belts changed.

I purchased an 2002 ST4S with 10k and original belts, I rode it for a few hundred miles and decided to do the 12K service early. It seems the popular theory for the Kevlar belts 20k and or 3 years.

Slide Panda · November 12, 2009, 06:31:32 AM

Since people have asked what happens a few times - this is what happens:

He Man · November 12, 2009, 07:48:00 AM

and this

yoreese · November 12, 2009, 11:55:01 AM

Very nice!

I assume the valves were kinda bent?

Slide Panda · November 12, 2009, 12:00:38 PM

If flat is a form of bent... It's just the head sitting out, no valves - bit I'm sure they are assed out.

scott_araujo · November 12, 2009, 04:01:31 PM

Quote from: yuu on November 12, 2009, 06:31:32 AM
Since people have asked what happens a few times - this is what happens:

That'll buff out.

Scott

Cider · November 13, 2009, 06:11:40 AM

I took the Monster apart two winters ago and found out one of the tensioner bearings had seized up. There was bits of rubber all piled up behind the belt cover. I wonder how close I was to disaster?

Here's a 1098 failure:

Picture from here: http://www.latebraker.com/blog/?p=341

yoreese · November 13, 2009, 06:57:21 AM

That's crazy!!

scott_araujo · November 13, 2009, 07:46:03 AM

That's something worth mentioning too. 4V belts have a tougher life. They are set to a higher tension and bend to significant angles in both directions. According to most opinions here getting the tension just right is much more critical on a 4V too. 2V belts are set looser and bend mostly around the main pulleys, don't bend back as much around the idler pulleys.

Scott

Speeddog · November 13, 2009, 07:57:06 AM

Quote from: Cider on November 13, 2009, 06:11:40 AM
~~~~snip~~~~

Picture from here: http://www.latebraker.com/blog/?p=341

Reading the blog, that is a 1098S engine, modified to accept a 1098R crank, apparently requiring the heads to be shimmed.
There is a reference to belts being too tight as causing the failure.

Cider · November 13, 2009, 08:10:54 AM

Yep, it's a modified race engine, although the tuners weren't hacks. I just thought it was an interesting picture & story.

News:

Anyone ever have there belts break?