Full strip down

[thegunner76]

Hi fellow Dukes
Im about to start my biggest task so far by stripping down my ’04 S4R to the frame. Shes in desperate need of a full washdown and new paint. I have found a lot of information about the process and feel confident. But I haven’t studied in detail every step yet and was thinking - Does anyone know which special tools required for this job? I wont take too many short cuts, but im not going to disassemble every screw I find either. The main reason for this job is to wash and repaint the frame, swing arm and motor. Can it be done, disassemble and reassemble, with ordinary tools?

And another question. Is it a simple matter of opening the instrument panel and change the gauge dials? Maybe even the glass, as it has an irritating scratch from the previous owner? The reason I ask is that im not sure how the odometer works with the brain, and im scared to detach something so the bike wont start again…

cheers

[koko64]

I use an under engine stand and after disconnecting everything required, I remove the motor to frame bolts and wheel the frame and front end/wheel section away from the motor/swingarm/rear wheel assembly.

Once the surface parts are removed and wiring disconnected you are free to do the above and then decide on the next stage.

[thegunner76]

Thanks. Im really looking forward to the challenge. Its going to be my first.
So no special tools required?

[stopintime]

Label both sides of each connectors.

Take pictures.

Print the wire loom lay out from the work shop manual.


I've replaced the frame on my S2R and can't remember using special tools....  Try removing the swingarm before the frame - better wrenching conditions. The swingarm axle WILL cause problems and bad language.

Tall ladder with straps (to keep the bike steady) will be useful when you work on the swingarm and it's linkage.

Good luck. Keep us posted 

[thegunner76]

Cheers man, great tips!

Yeah, I guess i'll torment you lot with a bunch of questions in the coming months 
Dont have too much spare time on my hand, so its going to be slow but steady.

[ungeheuer]

I'm gonna be doing the same thing with my M1100 over the winter, so maybe we can compare notes during the process of disassembly and rebuild.

[thegunner76]

Sure @ungeheuer!

I'll keep you posted! Im having som issue with my exhaust that needs to be taken care of before I start, but I'll keep you posted here.

Here is my plan of action:

[DuciD03]

....rebuilt a 07 s2r 1k that needed new engine cases; took it apart in 2010 in damaged non-running condition; assessed what needed to be repaired and replaced; and put i back together in 2018 ... (duc mechanic did the cases in 2017) ... this might seem obvious, but every nut bolt and screw in 2010, was cleaned oiled and greased (and injectors cleaned and squirted with cleaner and fogged) and re attached where possible while disassembling, parts organized in boxes and bags and wrapped so they wouldn't get lost, rusty, galled or scratched; ... it was all organized and there when it was put back together , I had an area in 1 car garage dedicated for storage and rebuild, very helpful... wire loom & where wires run on frame to connections can be a bit confusing so take pics of that before disassembly. Get an engine stand to support the engine & bike; engines heavier than expected; watch your back; also I built a motorcycle bench to work on the bike; that helped tones in reassembly.

Have a large dedicated box for the tank to be stored in, wrap it in cling wrap or towel ;  so its not scratched / damaged.

One semi special tool, get used to using and test settings on a torque wrench before using ... do not over torque steel to aluminum connections; threads are easily stripped out of aluminum; and over-torqueing frame to cases through bolts can  crack cases and damaged to an unusable condition. Oh and Allen set of sockets and T handle set were very helpful.

Print the mechanics shop manual and follow it, and there's info missing in the mec manual.

 

[thegunner76]

Happy new year folks!
2023 couldn’t have started better as I finally got to my disassembly stage.
It’s a slow progress and I probably used about the same amount of time on the bike, as I did decide how I wanted to document and actually documenting everything. Considering my limited mechanical knowledge, I’m ok with that. The 04’ S4R workshop manual I got my hands on, was of course missing the English translation for the torque settings as well, so I had to use a 06’ S4RS manual I found to compare words figuring out which bolt is which. I don’t even know what Im looking at in my own language, so a norwegian-english-italian translation was mandatory. And considering its freakin’ freezing in my garage, those nuts aren’t the only ones in danger. Despite all this, Im having a blast so far!


I do have some questions though:

1. Microswitch on both front brake and clutch.
Has anyone tried to change these with a Pressure Banjo bolt switch? The one for my clutch is broken and I need to replace it (or hotwire it) and noted that the microswitches themselves has a kind of a bad design. I see a lot of people have problems with the OEM microswitches, so maybe bypass them once and for all?

2. Damping pads for both the battery mount and Instrument/ Headlight support
Not sure what has happened (probably just too old), but I need to change these. The end of the broken one connected to the head unit was trapped under the battery mount, but glue doesn’t sound right  



I guess there is thread securing them to the Head unit, like the ones at the Instrument/ Headlight support?



So I can easily drill and use a extractor on the Head unit?


3. Front and rear sprocket
I don’t know how these should look like, so Im hoping you can tell me if they need to be replaced or not. And if so, I understand that I should replace both sprockets together with my chain at the same time?






4. Oil leak
I see somewhat fresh oil, most probably coming from the Clutch case? Probably very difficult for you guys to answer, but is this normal or should I replace the clutch case housing gasket? (or a new bead of Ducati sealing compound, as the manual says). That probably would be a good idea for the whole bike, right?




5. And back to my previous question. I did indeed have a stock ECU together with my Race only Termignoni’s. However, the previous owner cut the top of my Air intake box, probably to compensate?  Should I replace the top with a complete uncut box now that Im going back to stock Exhaust?


Onwards and upwards


   

[stopintime]

Hi again 


the four vibration dampers under the battery tray must be replaced. It looks like it's easier said than done, but there you have. The two under the instruments are slightly different - they have one screw in each direction - one into the top triple and one receiving a hollow bolt coming down through the instrument (, but you have already seen that). The peg sticking out under the top triple is supporting the large headlight U-bracket.

The sprockets are fine. No need to replace them. I, however, bet that you're doing it anyway    The condition of the chain looks ok, but that's impossible to verify online.

Oil leak.... the oil often gathers/shows other places than the leak itself. This engine must be cleaned properly and the you can look for leaks. One method is cleaning well, ride a medium hot ride, clean with brake cleaner (it's now dry), spray the suspected area with a foot powder/talkum spray can (shops offering horse riding equipment have this - for getting boots on/off). Then start the bike and see where the powder first becomes oil stained.

Good luck

[thegunner76]

Cheers, Stopeintime!

Yeah its going to be a challenge getting the remains of the damper pad out. The one remaining on top of the Head unit is also stuck, but its now soaked in WD-40, so hopefully its coming out without a fuzz. One damper pad under the instrument panel also broke in similar fashion, and both set of damper pads seems to be threaded underneath

Head unit
Instrument panel

Thats why I assume a gentle round with my drill (and a bolt extractor) will do, even though it sounds scary drilling into the Head unit 

Great tip regarding the oil leak. Problem is, the bike wont be running any time soon. But then again, when Im finished reassemble the bike I'll know how to take it apart again 

If the sprockets looks fine to you, they are staying put. I have limited resources and lots of other parts that need retirement, so I'll have to choose wisely 

[Howie]

Left handed drill bit often eliminates the need for the easy out.

[thegunner76]

Not sure if those vibration pads have a really bad design, or a genius one. Managed to get a pipe wrench around the bottom steel plate and twist it out. Off course the screw at the instrument panel snapped so I might try your tip, Howie

Anyways, the swingarm came off without any trouble so I consider myself lucky. Would you guys do anything else with this pivot shaft other than grease it down and put it back in? Sanding it doesn’t sound right in my head, as I could easily sand too much…



Now its just a matter of disconnecting the wire harness and get the frame detached.



And then I’ll consider the easy part as done

[Howie]

What I would do is lightly polish bearing areas if needed with the finest aluminum oxide paper you can find, 1000grit or finer.  The rest, remove loose rust and neutralize remaining rust with a Navel Jell or similar, grease and reinstall.

[thegunner76]

Thanks!