Correct chain adjust Please Read ! - Ducati.ms

Johnb250 · Jun 22nd, 2008, 3:51 pm

I think everyone should read this from the 2008 service CD manual, I think alot of you are running tight chains ! I know I posted this in another thread but I think its important.

mountainrider · Jun 22nd, 2008, 4:16 pm

Better loose than tight.

The slack as delivered to me by the previous owner was 30mm. He had just had it serviced by the dealer, so I never checked the tension before installing my woodcraft rear sets. I set it at 40+mm while mounting them. My tranny was pretty balky until the adjustment. Now, its very crisp and precise.

I don't know how much of the improvement is due to the adjustment versus the rearsets. I do know for a fact that a tight drive chain will cause damage to the gearbox and create indexing problems.

With all the threads about false neutrals and difficulty finding neutral at lights, I second your motion to have everyone check that there chain is in the ballpark. This could very well save you some downtime in the future due to replacing failed components in your transmision.

GMP · Jun 23rd, 2008, 11:50 am

I adjusted mine to the 30 - 33 mm spec. as in the manual, sat on the bike reached down and touched the chain and said no way, way too tight. Loosened it to about 40mm which seem about right. This makes sense, I guess some bad #s made it to the owners manual.

RMZ290 · Jun 24th, 2008, 11:30 am

Ducati is at fault here, how come they are not coming out and telling everyone the plate on the swing arm is wrong?

HYPERR · Sep 22nd, 2010, 1:36 pm

I just measured it and it is right at 42mm so I'm not going to bother with it. The chain has never needed adjusting. I measured it when I first got it, then at 4,271 miles(40mm).

Just to verify, you are measuring from the bottom of the plastic chain to the middle of the chain while pushing down on it, correct?

Also when measuring from the plastic guard, it is the wider higher part not the narrower lower part in the back correct?

hooptygoo · Sep 22nd, 2010, 2:00 pm

WTF! So what kind of hell have I been putting my drive train through by running a tight chain. Granted I was running on the loose side (about 33mm of the 30-33 spec) but that was from the actual swingarm, not the frickin chain guard. Measuring from the chain guard would have given me about an extra centimeter. Is this going to mean problems down the line? Am I going to end up with a Mostaman style grenaded gearbox?

hooptygoo · Sep 22nd, 2010, 3:20 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by HYPERR

I just measured it and it is right at 42mm so I'm not going to bother with it. The chain has never needed adjusting. I measured it when I first got it, then at 4,271 miles(40mm).

Just to verify, you are measuring from the bottom of the plastic chain to the middle of the chain while pushing down on it, correct?

Also when measuring from the plastic guard, it is the wider higher part not the narrower lower part in the back correct?

Actually my owners manual (and the sticker on the swingarm) says to push down, release, then measure.

Monstaman · Sep 22nd, 2010, 7:04 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooptygoo

WTF! So what kind of hell have I been putting my drive train through by running a tight chain. Granted I was running on the loose side (about 33mm of the 30-33 spec) but that was from the actual swingarm, not the frickin chain guard. Measuring from the chain guard would have given me about an extra centimeter. Is this going to mean problems down the line? Am I going to end up with a Mostaman style grenaded gearbox?

You do run the risk of bearing failure but realistically only on the counter shaft itself so two bearings.

The bigger issue is if they do fail then it will send the debri through the tranny which is less than ideal, the unfortunate thing is the bearings will deteriorate over time so by the time you realize the problem the damage is done.

The up side is you would have to do some reasonable miles and have your chain over tight for quite some time to do damage.

hooptygoo · Sep 22nd, 2010, 8:45 pm

Ok so how tight is too tight? I just checked my chain and it's sitting at 32 - 33 mm which according to my owner's manual and the sticker is within spec. And that's measuring from the aluminum as per the sticker and manual. By the diagram above (measuring from the bottom of the plastic guard rail) my chain is 12 mm TOO tight. The last time I had the dealer touch my chain was the 600 mile service, so that means I've been riding around like this for, oh, 8 THOUSAND miles!

Am I just an idiot or is the manual really that far off and misleading. I'm a little pissed right now.

HyperGirl · Sep 22nd, 2010, 9:04 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooptygoo

Ok so how tight is too tight? I just checked my chain and it's sitting at 32 - 33 mm which according to my owner's manual and the sticker is within spec. And that's measuring from the aluminum as per the sticker and manual. By the diagram above (measuring from the bottom of the plastic guard rail) my chain is 12 mm TOO tight. The last time I had the dealer touch my chain was the 600 mile service, so that means I've been riding around like this for, oh, 8 THOUSAND miles!

Am I just an idiot or is the manual really that far off and misleading. I'm a little pissed right now.

Hey, I'm right there with ya' hooptygoo.

I have been diligent about that 33mm..... WTF? Is it really true it's supposed to be at 40mm? Does anyone here on the Forum have a DNA contact that can let us know what is going on? I have almost 15,000 miles on my bike, and now I'm worried about my transmission....