Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > quick change front wheel

[Bungi]

looking at many of the bikes yesterday at brands, many of you have differant front wheel spindles without the usual nuts etc.

how much does this speed up the process of changing the wheel, and where are they available from?

[spinoli1]

Will someone please answer the man, I'm sick of walloping my front wheel spindle with a mallet!

Spinoli

[TP]

I didn't see any of these - I use a mallet to get the bugger out.

[JPM]

Hmmm...

The only one I saw all day was my mates race bikes which have the pukka WSB spec Ohlins, wide track etc, they don't have a nut or two of the pinch bolts, the spindle itself has a thread which screws directly into the fork leg, and thus only requires 2 pinch bolts to hold everything in place from memory.

It must obviously speed up the process, but you'd need to spend quite a bit to go down that route, new fork bottoms, new spindle and I doubt, although I stand to be corrected the race bikes use a larger spindle size, so different front wheel and it'll be a longer spindle also as it's wide track, so different yokes to top off your list.

That's gonna cost you a couple of grand, unless there's a road (748RS type) version

[Felix]

JPM is right. As far a I know, there is no "quick change" setup that fits standard road bikes. In addition to dealing with the wheel spindle, you also have to deal with the brake calipers. On the race setup, you can remove the wheel partly and then swing the calipers outwards, thereby removing the wheel without having to undue the calipers. You need narrow band rotors and GP calipers for that.

Just keep practising the wheel swap.

[Bungi]

ive been a bit frustrated by the time and process of changing the front wheel, the delicate thread on the spindle and the alloy nut,

my observations were that some bikes had nutless spindles with plastic looking inserts in place of the nut , perhaps a differant spindle that screws in to the fork, type arrangement, thingy.

i apprecate you needto remove calipers etc. it just looked like this may be a better option & probalby quicker

[Steve M]

Crash protectors?

[JPM]

I think Steve maybe right here, I've got some fork protectors inserted in the spindle, the nut etc is still there, maybe you didn't notice the nut?

[skidlids]

I think my spindle is as quick change as your going to get on a standard setup, one end (RHS) has a nylon insert that holds an alignment pin in place for locating in the fork leg recess, the other end has a nylon cone that helps guide it through the bearings, speedo drive (or spacer)and LH fork leg.
On top of that I have a alloy bar with has nylon inserts at each end to aid spindle removal.
I did a quick front wheel change in the Brands Garage just after I unloaded the bike on Sunday evening.
Used this system when I was racing my 916.

[Bungi]

thats interesting where is this stuff available from & how much is it

Originally posted by skidlids
I think my spindle is as quick change as your going to get on a standard setup, one end (RHS) has a nylon insert that holds an alignment pin in place for locating in the fork leg recess, the other end has a nylon cone that helps guide it through the bearings, speedo drive (or spacer)and LH fork leg.
On top of that I have a alloy bar with has nylon inserts at each end to aid spindle removal.
I did a quick front wheel change in the Brands Garage just after I unloaded the bike on Sunday evening.
Used this system when I was racing my 916.