Sports: Re: [DucatiST] Re: 10th & 14th Anniversary/ Tapered Steering Head bearings

Richard,

Normally I use the "All Balls" brand tapered bearings from Moto-wheels with excellent results, however, on Mark's bike I, and Moto-wheels, were out of stock of the All Balls bearings.

So I purchased some generic bearings off of eBay and used those instead.

Either the bearing/seals was inferior or I used contaminated grease, for it progressively got "tighter" and no amount of adjustment helped. I re-checked the outer race seating and everything looked good. I cleaned out the old grease and re-assembled with new grease and they felt better, but I wasn't taking any chances

I finally got a set of the All Balls bearings and replaced the generic bearing with those. I used new moly grease and the problem was solved.

But wait.

As we were unloading the St4S out of my Toyota longbed, my "convertible" front wheel chock "stuck" to the front tire and as we manuevered backwards it cracked the front fender. Happened so damn fast it wasn't funny. I should of solidly mounted the chock to the bed, which I have done since.

So Mark got a really nice carbon fiber front fender in the process.

I really want to thank Mark for his patience while the "Beast" was worked upon, however, slightly modified.

The tapered bearings really are superior to the ball bearing type and I wish Ducati would factory install them.

The All Balls brand has superior dust seals than the generic brand too.

Ciao, Nick Alaniz

From: Richard <tricky_dickey1558@yahoo.com>
To: "st2_owners@yahoogroups.com" <st2_owners@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, November 20, 2012 4:06:19 PM
Subject: Re: [DucatiST] Re: 10th & 14th Anniversary

Love it

What did you use for head bearings was going todo that this winter as I have a shake sometimes on hard braking

Thanks

Chico Richard

Sent from Tricky's I pad

On 2012-11-20, at 15:51, "Chico Phil" <markreinhart56@comcast.net> wrote:

Hola,

I too am celebrating 10 years with my 02 ST4s, I have not given it much love the past 18 months due to starting issues and touring on my other bike with my wife Trish. I called Nick Alaniz in Sacramento Ca. and he gave the 'ol gal a total makeover for her tenth birthday. Any and all things that could be changed were and the newest Shorai LiFe battery and the Hi-Cap wiring kit and CPS shim/re-gap now make it jump to life.

Nick also found what we both think now was an assembly error from the factory as part of the cold start throttle advance system was put in backwards. Took him a bit to figure it out but it now appears to work the way God and Ducati intended.

Cam Belts, new steering head bearings,chain and sprockets,oil, coolant,plugs, valve inspection and adjustment,you name it he did it. Was going to ride today but the weather took a turn for the worse, looks promising for the weekend and it will be nice to reacquaint myself with the beast.

A big shout out to Nick for a job well done for a more than fair tariff and a early Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Mark
Chico Phil

--- In st2_owners@yahoogroups.com, "RC" <ST4s@...> wrote:
>
> Hey guys, Hard to believe but it's been a 10 year love affair with my 02 ST4s and my 14th anniversary on the St2 owner's list. I had an St2 before the St4s.
> Anyway, to celebrate I finally added some pictures of the beast in the photo section.
>
> Frank
> 2002 ST4s formerly bat-barf gray, now Senna grey.
> Flower Mound Tejas
> USA
>