Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Belt tension tool

[mydogbitjesus]

Has anyone used one of these to check the tension of their cam belts?

http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilde...productid=9283

Cheers,
Pete.

[mikesps]

Thought you meant the pressure washer for a minute!

I ended up buying the proper tensioner from Chris Kelley at Cacycleworks, it doesn't seem worth the risk of getting it wrong with the 4V engines. There is the famous 5mm allen key trick for the 2V motor if that is what you have.

[mydogbitjesus]

I was thinking that there must be a cheaper tensioning tool out there somewhere. The c/w one is over 400 US.
Just thought someone might have used an alternative to the Manuf. recomended guage.
I would need to check the tension lots of times to make the factory tool worthwhile.
Still, I could go for the Haines 45 degree twist method!

[DUCATIBLUE]

The 45 degree twist method does NOT work with a DUC engine , as soon as it got to full running temp the belt would be much too tight, the 5 mm allen key works well on 2v or search threads for your bike

[mikesps]

When you set the belt tension using the gauge with the engine cold it feels "pretty slack", but when you set the tension for valve timing, it simulates the hot tension, and it feels "awfully tight". Much tighter than "awfully tight" and it can become awfully expensive.

I have some worn out timing belt rollers caused by the previous owner running the belts too tight.

[mydogbitjesus]

Thanks for the comments Guy's.
Don't worry, I'm not about to start doing anything suicidal with me belts!
I would have thought that a few Ducatisti spanner wielders would have clubbed together to share a tensioner gauge, for the amount of use you would get out of one by yourself.
Cheers,
Pete.

[mikesps]

You are welcome to come over and use mine anytime.

[mydogbitjesus]

Cheers,
I've wanted to check out the view from the top of the Petronas towers for a while!

[mikesps]

Good on a clear day, but the dry season is coming so the smoke from Sumatra will be back soon

[skidlids]

that price is over the top, it looks exactly the same as the one I got off our local Snap-on man and very similar to the Facom one as well.
Mine has been used quite a few times on mine and friends Ducatis including race ones with out any problems, just don't do it with the button that the gauge says it should be. I use the No.4 button in mine as it corresponded to the belt tension done a couple of hours before with the proper Ducati service tool.
Last used mine on Saturday when fitting belts to my 748

http://www.ducatisportingclub.com/xm...d=1134#pid8168