[Tchase]

I asked the seller if they could confirm if it would work for the 848. They said they have only confirmed the 1098 and 1198. I know the 848 wheels are different..

They said if the 848 opening was 30mm it should work. Then again I'm not sure I "need" this as I have changed the front several times with the bike fully suspended off the ground, put it on the ground rock it forward and back before I set the pinch bolts and I've never had a problem..

Any thoughts comments suggestions?


Ducati 1098 1198 Front Wheel Axle Alignment Tool Street | eBay

 

[Charles]

That's the same tool as this Ducati tool, correct? These are available for the 848 at Ducati of Omaha for $3.99 (you have to buy 2. so it's $7.98), but still about half the price of the one in the link.

 

[randomtask]

I have the Ducati tool. IMO it's a waste, go buy a coffee or something instead. Never use it and I've had my front wheel on and off several times without issue. Doesn't take but a few seconds to get the axle in and out so I don't see any purpose for this thing.

Perhaps someone who actually uses it can educate me. All I can say is it's collecting dust in my toolbox

 

[rubbish]

I have the Ducati tool. IMO it's a waste, go buy a coffee or something instead. Never use it and I've had my front wheel on and off several times without issue. Doesn't take but a few seconds to get the axle in and out so I don't see any purpose for this thing.

Perhaps someone who actually uses it can educate me. All I can say is it's collecting dust in my toolbox

I agree. I never got the tool because I always thought it was worthless. I never felt the need for it and I've taken my front wheel off many times.

 

[DHarsay]

Need it maybe if the axle threads are frozen perhaps, but I use plenty on anti seize.

It does save time as you don't have to tighten/loosen/tighten the axle side side pinch bolts to set the alignment properly, just leave loose and tighten the axle side pinch bolt when done.

 

[rubbish]

I figured out that the best way is to tighten the pinch bolts on the large side (not the nut side) after you align the axle with the bottom of the fork, and then torque the axle nut and finally tighten the pinch bolts on the nut side. I found this method worked well when I kept having problems with my rotors not being centered in the calipers. Doing it this way helped solve that problem. It's kind of hard to explain why...maybe I should've made a quick video of it then in case others have the same problem.

 

[Tchase]

I figured out that the best way is to tighten the pinch bolts on the large side (not the nut side) after you align the axle with the bottom of the fork, and then torque the axle nut and finally tighten the pinch bolts on the nut side. I found this method worked well when I kept having problems with my rotors not being centered in the calipers. Doing it this way helped solve that problem. It's kind of hard to explain why...maybe I should've made a quick video of it then in case others have the same problem.

"align" see this is the part that gets me. I mount the wheel put the axle in, hand tighten the nut. Put the rotors on just hand tighten. Then I put the bike on the ground rock it forward and back, then tighten the pinch bolts rock it back and forth more, then torque the pinch bolts and the rotors.


It is what it is I just worried without the tool how do I know its "aligned"?

 

[rubbish]

"align" see this is the part that gets me. I mount the wheel put the axle in, hand tighten the nut. Put the rotors on just hand tighten. Then I put the bike on the ground rock it forward and back, then tighten the pinch bolts rock it back and forth more, then torque the pinch bolts and the rotors.


It is what it is I just worried without the tool how do I know its "aligned"?

I'm really not sure why it's called an alignment tool, because it doesn't align anything, it just fits in the end of the axle so it doesn't spin around when you torque the nut, but maybe I'm wrong...that's just what it looked like to me. I never used it.

What I meant by "align" is the issue I was having was the end of the axle was not flush with the fork bottom, even after I would torque the axle nut. It was always sticking out about 1/8" or so, which would push the wheel over a bit such that it wasn't centered. I could tell by looking at the calipers and rotors. That's when I started using the method I mentioned above. I used a pair of pliers to hold the axle and fork bottom so that they're flush, and as I held them in that position I tightened the pinch bolts. Then I finished up with the rest of the stuff and voila! Everything was centered and my rotors weren't rubbing on the edge of the calipers anymore.

 

[IdZer0]

I always thought that tool was for aligning the hole in the axle with the hole in the bottom end of the fork on old forks. The ones where you need to adjust the damping at the bottom.

Never understood why the 848/1x98 had this. Maybe some aftermarket internals for the forks still use this system.

Oh yeah, and the correct wheel installatino procedure for forks with radial calipers:

 

[randomtask]

Or you can just follow the procedure in the Ducati manual...

Tchase is close. A few extra steps in there but that's the basic gist. Hand tighten, compress the forks a few times, this "aligns" the wheel, then tighten the pinch bolts 1-2-1. Done. Don't need to have the calipers on for this

 

[DHarsay]

"align" see this is the part that gets me. I mount the wheel put the axle in, hand tighten the nut. Put the rotors on just hand tighten. Then I put the bike on the ground rock it forward and back, then tighten the pinch bolts rock it back and forth more, then torque the pinch bolts and the rotors.

It is what it is I just worried without the tool how do I know its "aligned"?

Some people do get this wrong, no names, and there's a MotionPro tool to check the alignment (you don't need it if you do it right)... but anyway, read carefully

Fairly simple... Although I didn't exactly explain it thoroughly in the earlier post, and so this time let me try to be more clear.

The LH side of the axle floats in the forks and is held there by pinch bolts. It should be libed lightly so that it moves by hand or with a light tap.

To tighten the nut on the right hand side, you need a method to hold the axle in place. That's the simple part, and the tool is one way (not the only way) to do this.

BUT... If you use the pinch bolt to hold it, then torque the nut, the nut has a step for the RH fork leg to sit on, so this will not only pinch the spacers/wheel into place, but pinch the forks together slightly. No problem, as you just loosen the LH side pinch bolts, jounce the suspension, and re-torque the two pinch bolts on both sides.

The caliper spacing is set by the large end of the axle to the spacers and the wheel to the RH fork. The RH side pinch bolts hold the axle more securely and also retain the nut as a safety. The LH side pinch bolts set the alignment in terms of parallel forks with less bind compared to pinched together forks.

If you use the tool, it helps with this alignment process as you don't need to loosen and re-torque. This is the step missing in people's process, which makes the process incorrect. And, most people do it wrong, sorry.

 

[Tchase]

Some people do get this wrong, no names, and there's a MotionPro tool to check the alignment (you don't need it if you do it right)... but anyway, read carefully

Fairly simple... Although I didn't exactly explain it thoroughly in the earlier post, and so this time let me try to be more clear.

The LH side of the axle floats in the forks and is held there by pinch bolts. It should be libed lightly so that it moves by hand or with a light tap.

To tighten the nut on the right hand side, you need a method to hold the axle in place. That's the simple part, and the tool is one way (not the only way) to do this.

BUT... If you use the pinch bolt to hold it, then torque the nut, the nut has a step for the RH fork leg to sit on, so this will not only pinch the spacers/wheel into place, but pinch the forks together slightly. No problem, as you just loosen the LH side pinch bolts, jounce the suspension, and re-torque the two pinch bolts on both sides.

The caliper spacing is set by the large end of the axle to the spacers and the wheel to the RH fork. The RH side pinch bolts hold the axle more securely and also retain the nut as a safety. The LH side pinch bolts set the alignment in terms of parallel forks with less bind compared to pinched together forks.

If you use the tool, it helps with this alignment process as you don't need to loosen and re-torque. This is the step missing in people's process, which makes the process incorrect. And, most people do it wrong, sorry.

Bingo I forgot to mention after compressing the forks / before I tighten the pinch bolts I torque the axle nut, oddly enough I use a piece off my skill saw (guide) to hold the slot while tightening. If all the tool does is hold the axle then I can get by, but when they call it an alignment tool it's a bit misleading

 

[ManualTrans]

I didn't use the tool. I just put the axle in, hand tightened the fork pinch bolts opposite of the nut side, torqued the axle nut to spec, loosened the pinch bolts, torqued the calipers to spec, spun the wheel as fast as I could & hit the front brake, repeat a few times...which I've been told, works as well as taking the bike off the stand and jouncing the bike up and down...Then of course tighten and torque the pinch bolts. Done.

I havent had a problem doing it this way. If I am wrong someone please correct me.

However, I must say that is a good video, and will do it that way from now on.