Belt tension tool
 

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

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

Cheers,
Pete.

Thought you meant the pressure washer for a minute!:D

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.

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! :rolleye:

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

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.

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.

You are welcome to come over and use mine anytime.:D

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

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

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

Bit cheaper and I have seen them a lot cheaper in the past

http://www.concepttools.co.uk/Produc...231&RangeNo=35

ive been down this route befor.
you need to find somone with the ducati tool to cross reference the tension of the sealy. i bought the original tool .if you play your cards right it will cost 180 uk pounds from kamna germany. the tension tool is critical for good timing, after testing i found that if one belt is tighter than the other the timing can be out around 5 degrees. thats why for adjusting cam timing both belts must be set at 10.5 wich mimics running temp.

i used the snap-on/ast version very similar to sealey vs009, using button decided by belt width gauge provided, to tension 2 new belts on a 996S 2 years and 9000 miles ago. the bike has performed faultlessly over that period.

The Sealey vs009 is currently offered for £140 inc p&p at http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/tools...5009_vs009.htm

but i recently bought the Facom DM.16, which predates but appears identical to vs009, etc., for £110 on ebay buyitnow from davethetools, owna HD tools. last time i looked, he was still offering the same deal.

SPX gave me the price of their tension tool 303-201, previously number 21-113 recommended by ducati, in euros 200.43 equal to about £146 plus VAT but I dont know if they would mail it direct.