[Clifford]

While I'm waiting for my Supersport to arrive at the dealer, I'm reading the owners manual to learn some more about the bike.
And then I came to the section of "chain adjustment" in the owners manual. And my thought was: Are Ducati kidding me? Are they really serious???
Why, you may wonder.
Because this it what they say about how to adjust the chain: Go to a dealer.

Really? You mean that on a sports tourer you shouldn't be able to adjust the chain yourself, but go to an authorised service center or a dealer?
No tools provided to adjust the chain? The only hint in the book is to release a nut, but it doesn't give any clue about how to adjust the chain.
Do you have some tips about how to adjust it yourself and avoid to search for a service center when you're out travelling....?

 

[Fredinfrance]

Looks like they missed a page out of the manual. It looks exactly the same as my 848. When you loosen that bolt marked 1, you can then use a C spanner on the axle, which is eccentric, and will tension or loosen the chain.

 

[amoslws]

@Fredinfrance
Can you demonstrate some detail. Feeling like a bit of a numb nut so some pics will go down well. I have seen the pics on the thread but how is the tensioner adjusted or is it only the swing arm travel which tensions the chain.

 

[oldndumb]

It is not swing arm adjustment. The wheel hub is an eccentric :wink2:. Turn it with the spanner to tighten/loosen the chain. Of course, this is after loosening the pinch bolt. Easy, peasy. Even a golfer can do it. Parts fische is a good reference.

Edit: Sorry, Fred. All I did was repeat what you said.

 

[Fredinfrance]

How much detail can I explain? The axle is eccentric so as you rotate it, with a C spanner, it moves backwards or forwards. If you look at the parts catalog you will even see the C spanner listed as a special tool, I have my own.
You only have to search Youtube and you will find videos showing how it is done. See this one

 

[Clifford]

I like that you're all explaining this to me. But, I think it's funny that Ducati says you have to go to a dealer to adjust the chain. And that they can't provide the right tool in the toolbox with the bike, so you have to order a special tool... It's a lot much more easier to adjust chain on a single sided swing arm, but you got to have the right tools. And it's petty Ducati won't provide it with the bike.

 

[Fredinfrance]

I think that you need to realise that DUcati are like every other company in that they exist to make money. If they can get you to go to a dealer then that is them making money. I never take any vehicle to a dealer and my car is now on about 140,000 kms. There is not much that cannot be done in a garage.
As for the c spanner, I just use the one that has been in my tool kit for years, it is just a double sided adjustable c spanner. Try an ebay search with "ducati chain adjuster" and you will find loads of then from about £15.
The reason that they are not supplied is that modern chains are so good that they don't need adjusting as much as those that we had years ago.

 

[steeve]

The spanner certainly wont fit in the tool kit supplied with the bike, and there's no where to safely attach it to a bike when it's shipped.
Other than buying a C spanner I would suggest that adjusting the chain on a single sided Ducati is easier and more simple than a bike with a double sided swing arm where you have to make sure you adjust both sides to ensure front and rear wheel alignment. Saying that I seem to remember Honda provide a C spanner with the VFR800F.

 

[vtwindr]

The spanner certainly wont fit in the tool kit supplied with the bike, and there's no where to safely attach it to a bike when it's shipped.
Other than buying a C spanner I would suggest that adjusting the chain on a single sided Ducati is easier and more simple than a bike with a double sided swing arm where you have to make sure you adjust both sides to ensure front and rear wheel alignment. Saying that I seem to remember Honda provide a C spanner with the VFR800F.

yep, fits under the seat as well. 2 min job to do the chain on my VFR

 

[willow]

Well it's easy done by yourself. However, if Ducati point you to the dealer it's him making money not Ducati - nevertheless, Ducati relies on its dealers, so it's in their own benefit, if the dealer is happy.

I can only tell for my dealer, but at him, adjusting the chain usually is done for free and does not take more that a minute. He does that as service for his customers - so, how about you try with your dealer first, before complaining ... ?

 

[Spanner]

I never did buy the right sized C-Spanner... i've always just shoved a screwdriver through the sprocket into the C-spanner lughole and turned the wheel until tightish...

Hrmn, someone called spanner doesn't have a spanner... >

guess who was brought up on a farm!

 

[steeve]

Ducati Chain Tool | eBay

 

[Clifford]

Well it's easy done by yourself. However, if Ducati point you to the dealer it's him making money not Ducati - nevertheless, Ducati relies on its dealers, so it's in their own benefit, if the dealer is happy.

I can only tell for my dealer, but at him, adjusting the chain usually is done for free and does not take more that a minute. He does that as service for his customers - so, how about you try with your dealer first, before complaining ... ?

Well, since my dealer is 550 kilometers away from me, it's a bit long to ride for just a chain adjustment...

 

[Fredinfrance]

Well, since my dealer is 550 kilometers away from me, it's a bit long to ride for just a chain adjustment...

But that is not Ducatis fault and it is hardly normal for all of their customers. That handbook is not the law and the bike belongs to you so you can do whatever you want for yourself.
My dealer is 130 kms away but he will never be touching my bike after it arrives.

 

[oldndumb]

Looks like they missed a page out of the manual. It looks exactly the same as my 848. When you loosen that bolt marked 1, you can then use a C spanner on the axle, which is eccentric, and will tension or loosen the chain.

I think Fred is exactly correct that they missed a page composing the manual. Page 273 and the illustration are the final steps in the chain adjust procedure. Why bother to include those instructions without the preceding steps unless it was an omission?
One more item for the Owner Manual error list. :surprise:

 

[Fredinfrance]

I think Fred is exactly correct that they missed a page composing the manual. Page 273 and the illustration are the final steps in the chain adjust procedure. Why bother to include those instructions without the preceding steps unless it was an omission?
One more item for the Owner Manual error list. :surprise:

That could be correct, but they did the same in the manual for my 2010 SBK 848. Looks like they want us to take them all to the dealer.

 

[willow]

Well, since my dealer is 550 kilometers away from me, it's a bit long to ride for just a chain adjustment...

Okay, that's a good argument :wink2:
But as I said in the same post: Adjusting the chain is easy peasy. Just take a look at the video that was posted in this thread. In real life you don't need to remove the rear wheel.

 

[fishoutofh20]

I apologize if I missed this, but does it matter what model C-Spanner we get, i.e. the one for the 848 or the Monster 1200? If it does, which one works for the SS?

 

[oldndumb]

I apologize if I missed this, but does it matter what model C-Spanner we get, i.e. the one for the 848 or the Monster 1200? If it does, which one works for the SS?

The SS rear hub is the same as on the 1098, 1200, etc.
Ducati hubs can be categorized as either large or small. The SS is in the large category.

 

[Clash]

While I'm waiting for my Supersport to arrive at the dealer, I'm reading the owners manual to learn some more about the bike.
And then I came to the section of "chain adjustment" in the owners manual. And my thought was: Are Ducati kidding me? Are they really serious???
Why, you may wonder.
Because this it what they say about how to adjust the chain: Go to a dealer.

Really? You mean that on a sports tourer you shouldn't be able to adjust the chain yourself, but go to an authorised service center or a dealer?
No tools provided to adjust the chain? The only hint in the book is to release a nut, but it doesn't give any clue about how to adjust the chain.
Do you have some tips about how to adjust it yourself and avoid to search for a service center when you're out travelling....?

And it's not just the chain adjuster tool which Ducati won't sell to me, it's the tool required to loosen the pinch bolt as well. It's not a hex or allen head on the SS. Any one know where to get one of those tools? I can't be 500 km from home and have to look for a Ducati dealer who will adjust the chain on a moments notice. Bad PR from Ducati in my opinion.