Urgent help - 25mm wheel spindle

Anteater

Anteater

Active member
In a spot of bother here with the race bike.

The shear amount of wheel changes so far this season due to the weather changing wet/dry/damp has been bordering on the silly - up to 4 a day sometimes.

Its taken it's toll and I've only just found out the end of the spindle seems to have splayed or ovalised and err, wont come out to remove the wheel for a tyre change. :banghead:

Trying all sorts here and not having any luck. Called Ducati Glasgow, a new one is £57-ish which doesn't worry me, the problem being they don't have one in stock. ERS are emailing Ducati dealers to see if anyone has one one the shelve which is fantastic of them, so question is;

does anyone have a spare 25mm spindle to fit 748/996/998/ late SS's I could buy / borrow? I'm in Livingston and get get to anywhere central scotland ish tomorrow.

Off course, still got to get the b^&&*y thing out first and the clock is ticking for the weekend (racing at East Fortune)

Thanks in advance


Alex
 
It's gone oval because you've been over-tightening the axle and the clamps.

Keep a look out on eBay - they come up regularly.

I have several, of course, but as I am in Birmingham and you're up there I have no way of getting it to you.
 
twpd said:
It's gone oval because you've been over-tightening the axle and the clamps.
Click to expand...

True. Another lesson learned, when yer changing wheels quick style between races you don't tend to think the spindle is getting put out of shape :rolleyes:.

Stripped the forks out to get the wheel off the bike. Spindle is U/S, so I need a spindle,wheel space and bearing as the bearing jammed on the spindle as well :hissy:
 
There's no need to take the forks out. Just take a big rubber mallet to the spindle. Try turning the spindle as well as has been suggested and make sure the axle clamp bolts are fully out.

Some flywheel pullers can fit - if you have one try using it.

If you can get to mine for Friday night you can borrow one of axles - usual caveats apply. I will be home for about 8.15pm.

It takes me less than 5 minutes to change both wheels so you just need to practice. When I am racing I always have the right tools/materials set aside at all time for wheel changing to maximise my time.
 
The plot thickens

got it all stripped now & the spindle isn't oval but it is waisted quite badly where the bearing sits. It looks like the spindle has been spinning on the bearing at some point in the past. It's been difficult to get in/out since I bought the bike - my inexperience with Ducati's led me to think they where just 'like that'

Schoolboy error I suppose, but at least I know it wasn't me over tightening the spindle (I only ever nip to 20 Nm)

Took a 10 ton bearing puller to get it moving & even then the bearing collapsed and ended up with Mr Grinder having a word with the inner race. Spacer is flying up and down the spindle no probs.

No worries on the tool prep, I set up with all the tools laid out exactly in order for fast wheel changes, I've still got a problem to deal with tomorrow but it looks like the problem wasn't me (this time) :)
 
New spindle arrived today.

Tomorrow,we race.



One thing I've really realised this week is that up here in Sunny Scotland we are blessed with two very helpful Ducati agents.

Ducati Glasgow posted out new calliper bolts for me as I couldn't get back into the shop for them and they were needed at trackside for the weekend.

ERS checked around the UK dealer network and located a spindle for me in Ducati Coventry & greased up some new bearings for me toot sweet.

Great service from both of them which I really appreciate. :cool: If either of you read this, thanks guys. :cheers:
 
The blue bike behind me there is Tom Robinson.

Tom has been racing for over 30 years and is an absolutely fantastic rider with track craft 2nd to none. Inch perfect time after time, when I first started racing he's the sort of guy I would only see as I got lapped towards the end of the race.

Now, I'm a little bit faster than I used to be and I can honestly say it's a privilege to properly race against riders of his calibre. :)


Apart from that what a great weekend that was. Things went the right direction all weekend culminating with knocking off 15 seconds of the total race time from Saturday on Sunday. Which proves consistent laps are now being achieved - total race time is the best measure of performance to go by. ;)

Good hard riding from everyone all weekend, never touched the set up at all, as it felt I could push more every time I went out.

I'm still exploring the bike & haven't got to its limits yet, nowhere near it to be honest - I've still not sussed how hard I can really brake yet, need more bike time I suppose......

Anyway, ignore the total race time for a minute ;) I set a lap time target at the start of the season and at the moment I'm ...................... 0.25 seconds off it - a quarter of a second to find, I'll get it next time out. :ballchain: It will come!


Before ya know it, it'll be winter development time. I reckon I can get 5 kilos of the bike and stay within the rules.

Lovin' the little Ducati. :)
 
Let me know when you think you can give me a race and I'll come out ;)

Well done Alex. I am working on mine bit by bit and will deffo come out next year for Croft at least. I have some new developments in hand :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom