20k mile chassis maintenance?

[BK_856er]

This thread needs pics!

Support method.  Rocker parts with "wear" on spacer.  Headtube upper cone (hard to photograph the wear spots).  New rubber waiting to go on.

Daily dumb questions.  Best way to remove rocker seals/bearings?  Bel-Ray waterproof wheel bearing grease good for headtube, rocker, swingarm?

BK

[BK_856er]

Happy 2018 and more pics while I wait for parts from Italy.   

Freshly rebuilt shock and forks ready for install.  Went in a new direction with the forks after running Matris for a while.  Mucho respect for lightly powered lightweight bikes with well-sorted suspension.

BK

[koko64]

Fancy.

[BK_856er]

Slow progress waiting on parts and tools.  BTW, Jon @ Ducati Seattle is still an awesome dealer source. 

Assembled new bearings/seals/shaft into the shock pivot and lubed with Redline CV2.  Balljoint press I originally bought for a 4x4 driveshaft rebuild made short work of it.  One of those tools that finds many uses.  For removal just press them all out into a large receiving socket in one go.  Takes a surprising amount of pressure.  Below I'm installing/pressing in to 3.8mm with a 17mm socket (blue tape depth indicator) to allow room for the seal.  Shaft now rotates smooth as silk.  Old bearings were Torrington/Germany, new ones Koyo/Germany.

Needed to fab a few spacers for the rented Park headset toolkit.  The wood piece has cutouts for the steering stops.  Metal piece is a 1.5" pipe coupler.  Races now nicely seated.  Waiting on a piece of suitably sized tubing to drive on the steering stem bearing, I guess the kit is for older Ducati.  Using tapered bearings, so 1mm spacer between the bearing and the Ducati seal both top and bottom.  Again, Redline CV2 grease.

BK

[BK_856er]

Rear linkage pushrod bearings.  In my case, aftermarket adjustable ride height rod with beefy Aurora Teflon-lined rod-end bearings.  Cleaned 'em up and found one to have a bit of play with pushing and pulling.  Bought new ends from Aurora at $35/ea after checking with the original manufacturer for type and pn.  New buggers are TIGHT as in need to practically put them in a vice to get any movement.  This seems to be the opposite of what's needed for this application, right?.  Stiction, harshness and all that.  MFG says no lube allowed on Teflon lined units.  I'm sure they'll loosen up over time, but hmmm maybe time for a new direction here to chase that super suspension dream...

BK

[BK_856er]

Front end is done and back on the ground.  I used the "by hand" method to set the bearing preload.  Is there a torque value to use for tapered bearings?

Now onto the swingarm.  The rod came out very easily.  No corrosion.  Runout is good.  Some wear from the bearings - see below.  I can sort of feel it with a fingernail.  Run it or replace?  I bought the bearings and seals, but I'm seriously disinclined to mess with the case after experiencing the pressures needed for the shock rocker.

BK

[BK_856er]

Swingarm float.  Mine came with the two 1.8mm washers and two 0.2mm shims on the right.

Using the official Ducati measuring method I get 0.610mm (1.8mm washer on each side, hold the swingarm up to the engine, push to the right and measure gap at the right side - easier said than done!).  Evidently I need at least one more 0.2mm shim and it goes on the left.

Why not use the pivot shaft partially installed to help hold the swingarm coaxial to the through-holes?  Holding it up by hand is super fiddly even with helping hands.

Is the float also measurable with the wheel installed?

I'll get extra shims just in case, but I want to do this as exactly as I can since it seems to be important.  I've heard 0.05mm is a good target float.

BK

[koko64]

I found the weight of my ancient Brembo wheel too awkward. I checked with the motor in an engine stand on each occasion.

Great work, real tidy and precise with top notch components. Looking forward to see how she goes.

[greenmonster]

 "Run it or replace?"

Is the shaft identical at both ends (I don`t remember)? If so, just flip it after wetsanding carefully.

"I've heard 0.05mm is a good target float."

Me too, as small as possible without binding. Profanity is involved...

[BK_856er]

Thanks for the info, guys.

Yes, the shaft is symmetrical.  Careful wet-sanding could be a good idea.  However, I don't know how deeply the surface is hardened.  I decided to get a new shaft, since I seem to be going all out everywhere else.  I'll sleep easier.

Good to know about the profanity associated with shimming the swingarm to a small value.  I'll set my expectations accordingly, which is always half the battle for me.  When I started all this I was going to just slap on the forks and shock and get back on the road same day...

BK

[BK_856er]

Installed the new swingarm shaft today and shimmed the float to a nice small value <0.1mm.  Bearings and seals looked alright so I left them alone.  Job was way easier with the exhaust and rearsets out of the way!

The swingarm shaft bolts get 43Nm (steel swingarm) and Grease C.  As far as I can tell the only other fasteners that call for this particular grease are the head bolts.  What's a commonly available alternative?  Typical moly lube not a good idea??

BK

[BK_856er]

DMF used to be the place to go for good technical info and exchange.  It seems times have changed since I've been away.  I suppose most folks are on modern and mechanic-serviced bikes and ridership in general is way down.  I'll use my Bel-Ray waterproof grease on the swingarm bolts.

BK

[Howie]

The Bel Ray waterproof should be fine.  Any grease good for automotive wheel bearings will work too.

[BK_856er]

Thanks for all the good info + Bel Ray confirmation!  Reflecting back to the first few replies, I found little issues with ALL the listed items.  Glad that I followed the advice and took the effort/time/$$ to set everything right vs. just slap the rebuilt forks/shocks back on and go.  Rear linkage now feels very smooth.  I was blaming old tires, but I'm thinking now that the "rear end stepping out" I was starting to experience was due in part to the excess swingarm pivot float and ratchety rear linkage.  With some luck I'll have it on tires tomorrow.  Still need a few more sessions before it's ready to ride.

BK

[Howie]

What you now have is what, IMO, Ducati should have built.  A small engine high spec bike!  On second thought yours is better than the factory would have built.