Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > ST2 Front wheel removal

[Phil Parratt]

It's time to ask the Oracle that is the DSC membership again!

Last year I got some good tips on what to look for when removing and replacing the rear wheel - especially the spacer that likes to go walkabout!

Well, it's time for a new front tyre. Has Ducati put any surprises in the front wheel removal/replacement process that I should know about?

Thanking you in anticipation,

Phil

[Rushjob]

When you put it all back together, before you tighten everything up, ensure that the speedo drive is located behind / against the plastic tang which comes off one of the white plastic mudguard brackets.
This will ensure that the cable routes correctly & doesn't hit the disc.
Also make sure that the notches in the larger diameter end of the spindle match up with the notches in the fork leg on the offside so you can accessthe suspension adjuster.
Andy

[Shazaam!]

Front Wheel Removal

First take the big end nut off. Then you can loosen the axle clamp bolts on the forks.

There's a tool that fits inside the right hand end of the axle that comes in the tool kit. It looks like a short piece of tubing with a couple of holes in it and a couple of pins sticking out on opposite side.

Stick this in the right side of the axle and with a rod or screw driver through one of the holes wiggle and twist the axle out. The fit of the axle in the front wheel bearings is snug. It helps to support the weight of the wheel as you slide out the axle. If necessary, you can fabricate a dowel rod of wood or plastic to help tap the axle out from the left side.


Front Wheel Installation

If you don’t follow the proper installation sequence, you can incorrectly align the front axle in the forks. Also, be particularly careful when you tighten the pinch bolts - the Ducati axle is thin-walled and will ovalize if these bolts are over-torqued.

You can use a dowel inserted from the left side to hold the wheel in position. Put anti-seize or grease on the axle and then insert it from the right side (of the bike). To avoid damaging the thin-walled axle, tap it in gently and rotate it using the special tool from your Ducati tool kit. Once it is in, line up the holes in the axle with the holes in the axle clamps so that the through-holes allow screwdriver access to the compression valve adjusters.

The common mistake made here is to just tighten everything up at this point. Instead, here’s the proper sequence to assure that the forks are aligned.

Temporally tighten-up the two RIGHT side axle clamp bolts so you can torque the axle nut.

Put on the (left side) 28mm axle nut and torque it (63Nm.)

Then torque the two LEFT side clamp bolts (19Nm.)

Now, put the brake calipers back on using the proper torque setting (43 Nm.)

Now, loosen the two RIGHT side clamp bolts.

Take the bike off the paddock stand, and bounce the suspension up and down till you are sure that the right side fork has moved to the proper (neutral) position along the axle. (It makes it easier to compress the suspension if you hold the front brake on when rocking the bike forward.)

Once this is done, torque the two RIGHT side clamp bolts to 19Nm, reconnect the speedometer cable, and you’re done.

.

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

Great Shazam,
what about ST4S with ABS??