oops - didnt see your pictures.

I agree with Griff - the picture tells its own story - I can see where the bearing housing has been rubbing against the swing arm / calliper carrier....obviously wrong even to a muppet like me !

Jeez....how can any mechanic not look at that and think summat's wrong.

Now about this spacer, my ST has a conical spacer that fits big diameter to the swingarn, small diameter on the inner race of the bearing. I expected to see the same on my 888 when I took the wheel off fo the first time, but there wasn't one :eek:

It came from the dealer like that and there hasn't been one in place for 3000 miles...sounds like I've led a charmed life. Anybody got a part number ???

The dealer is adamant it's nothing he's done and there must have been a problem before ! W*nker ! I've got hold of a part number 71410371A which should be the correct bearing. Can anyone confirm that this part number is a 62203 bearing ? 'Cos i can get them free through work, which is obviously cheaper than getting them through a ducati dealer.....

can't confirm the number but a friendly reminder for re-assembly, the left and right gold end caps are different, the lhs one has been machined to clear the sprocket nuts.
note, ignore me if you knew this already!!
cheers,
paul.

Had what could be the same issue with mine - If you buy bearings from any Duc dealer now for your 851 or T8, either front or rear, there should also be a spacer which is placed into each side of the wheel before the bearing is pushed home. This as the bearings are now thinner.
The dealer up here didn't order up the spacer kits, which are just zinc plated steel rings, when I installed the 1st bearing I noted it was 3-4mm sub flush and would have caused the wheel to lock if I'd installed the other bearing and re-fitted the wheel. Dealer got me the spacer rings and a new bearing and the thing was right as rain.
If you can get hold of the old bearings get yourself down to the local bearing traders and they'll sort you out with the correct width bearing and it'll be a damned site cheaper than the Duc option.
cheers

Neil

Cheers for the reply Niel / Paul
funny you mention the thing about a spacer kit. Just ordered 2 new rear wheel bearings and 2 new bearings for the sprocket carrier from an authorised UK dealer. Was told that the bearings in the sprocket carrier had been superseded many times and that there was now 2 damping pads sold as part of the bearing replacement kit. Guy didn't know what they were until they arrived. Hoping for some form of instructions on where the 'damping pads' go. I'll make a note of the bearing numbers when i receive them for future reference.

paul, you're right about the LHS & RHS gold caps on the swinging arm. Typical Ducati - make 2 parts when one will do !!

Got my 'revised spacer' kit from ducati. 2 thin rings that go under the bearings before you put them in the ub (13 quid......each...) plus a new lengthened spacer that fit in the hub between the bearings (25 quid......). Poxy bearings only cost a fiver each. So ducati ebaring upgrade costs 61 quid !! Must be the most expensive bearings on the planet. The advice is to note the number on the original bearings and just pop down to your local bearing dealer. The only reason i can think of why they have changed the bearing type is that the new bearings are standard fitment in more models than the original 851 ones.