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My 1098SFS has exactly 2514 miles on it. I don't ride it much, and it's been sitting all summer because I'm at the top end of what Gates belt manufacturer says is probably safe for timing belts. That's 8 years. I'm fully aware of what Ducati recommends for service interval.
I've been preparing to install new belts. Slowly getting the parts and a few specialty tools that are needed to do the service. However, I did need to buy a couple of extra tools that I wasn't expecting. A couple of large wrenches. I already have a lot of unusual tools that help with working in limited spaces. I have included a list of tools that I used as well as pictures. If you already have these tools. You're ahead of the game.
The first thing I did was get the bike ready by removing various parts to remove the timing belts. Then I set the timing to the correct position. I then checked the tension of my old belts. They where looser then I expected. They both measured 75hz. Apparently they do stretch over time. I don't beat this engine or ride it at race RPMs. The belts visually looked good though. I don't think the lower tension would of caused a problem, but it's something to keep in mind.
Do yourself a favor and remove the oil pressure sensor on the engine case. I couldn't remove the horizontal timing belt cover with the sensor on. You'll need a 15/16" wrench. I don't like using adjustable wrenches and I couldn't get one in there without touching the cases and possibly scratching it up. To tension the belts I used a 26mm wrench that I modified by grinding a bevel in it and taking metal away from the area where the box end connects to the handle. I've seen people use adjustable wrenches on the older bikes but I think our bikes have a larger nut and it's almost flush so there's no way to safety use an adjustable wrench to adjust the tension. To tighten the lock nuts I used a neat Snap on ratchet set that my dad got me a while back. It's a small ratchet with low profile sockets that have a pass through to work on studs. The modified 26mm wrench and ratchet work great. Especially on the vertical cylinder. I also used another mini ratchet and a short extension with Allen apexes to remove the timing belt covers that are hidden and close to the frame. Those are a bit of a pain.
I also removed the crank case breather hose to remove the Allen bolts. I don't think it's possible without removing the hose.
I got it all back together, checked the timing 4 or more times while turning the engine over by hand and also setting the belts to their proper tension. It's not the hardest job but it's also not the easiest.
Now my bike has new timing belts, spark plugs, oil and filter. I change oil at a maximum of 1500 miles. I also pulled the sump strainer and it's clean as a whistle as it always is. The bike is running great and it's safe to ride without the anxiety of the engine having a catastrophic failure if a timing belt breaks.
I also need to mention that I had a great helper. My girlfriend helped me a lot by watching the timing marks while I spun the engine over. She also helped feeding the new belts onto the pulleys and with some of the hard to reach fasteners.
![Wrench Adjustable spanner Ratchet Metalworking hand tool Tool]()
![Ratchet Bicycle part Tool Bicycle drivetrain part Crankset]()
![Cutlery Spoon Kitchen utensil Tableware Finger]()
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I've been preparing to install new belts. Slowly getting the parts and a few specialty tools that are needed to do the service. However, I did need to buy a couple of extra tools that I wasn't expecting. A couple of large wrenches. I already have a lot of unusual tools that help with working in limited spaces. I have included a list of tools that I used as well as pictures. If you already have these tools. You're ahead of the game.
The first thing I did was get the bike ready by removing various parts to remove the timing belts. Then I set the timing to the correct position. I then checked the tension of my old belts. They where looser then I expected. They both measured 75hz. Apparently they do stretch over time. I don't beat this engine or ride it at race RPMs. The belts visually looked good though. I don't think the lower tension would of caused a problem, but it's something to keep in mind.
Do yourself a favor and remove the oil pressure sensor on the engine case. I couldn't remove the horizontal timing belt cover with the sensor on. You'll need a 15/16" wrench. I don't like using adjustable wrenches and I couldn't get one in there without touching the cases and possibly scratching it up. To tension the belts I used a 26mm wrench that I modified by grinding a bevel in it and taking metal away from the area where the box end connects to the handle. I've seen people use adjustable wrenches on the older bikes but I think our bikes have a larger nut and it's almost flush so there's no way to safety use an adjustable wrench to adjust the tension. To tighten the lock nuts I used a neat Snap on ratchet set that my dad got me a while back. It's a small ratchet with low profile sockets that have a pass through to work on studs. The modified 26mm wrench and ratchet work great. Especially on the vertical cylinder. I also used another mini ratchet and a short extension with Allen apexes to remove the timing belt covers that are hidden and close to the frame. Those are a bit of a pain.
I also removed the crank case breather hose to remove the Allen bolts. I don't think it's possible without removing the hose.
I got it all back together, checked the timing 4 or more times while turning the engine over by hand and also setting the belts to their proper tension. It's not the hardest job but it's also not the easiest.
Now my bike has new timing belts, spark plugs, oil and filter. I change oil at a maximum of 1500 miles. I also pulled the sump strainer and it's clean as a whistle as it always is. The bike is running great and it's safe to ride without the anxiety of the engine having a catastrophic failure if a timing belt breaks.
I also need to mention that I had a great helper. My girlfriend helped me a lot by watching the timing marks while I spun the engine over. She also helped feeding the new belts onto the pulleys and with some of the hard to reach fasteners.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
