Ducati 175 TS 1959 Narrowcase Essential Tools?

[Samurai]

Hi Guys,

Whilst a long-time Ducati owner, I've only ever worked on belt-drive twins. However, I've recently acquired a 1959 175 TS Narrowcase as a part finished restoration, which I hope to enter in the Moto Giro d'Italia in a few years time.

The chassis is nearly finished bar the wiring and a few 'twiddly' bits, so the engine strip/inspection will be the next major job. My question is, what are the 'essential' special tools that you recommend when working on singles and which are just 'nice to have'? Ducati always seem to have a 'special' tool for just about every job on a bike, but from experience on my twins, I know that half of them aren't really necessary and can be replaced with more usual workshop tools and a bit of ingenuity!

My funds for the restoration are limited, but I don't want to risk any damage to the engine for the sake of a few quid though.

Cheers,

Jase.

[JimF]

Flywheel puller. I can't think of any work around if you don't have one.

Can you post a photo? That would be a very rare bike here in America. We don't get to see many.

Jim

[Bevel bob]

Cam holding tool , when you consider the low cost of these tools compared with the difficulty in replacing parts , its a no brainer. 175 parts are scarce. A metric micrometer is essential for working out shimming ,i found that a Dial guage and mount the only reliable way to set the crank shimmming up. All the lot for about £100 .

[Samurai]

That's a great help, cheers guys

I quite agree about it not being worth damaging expensive components for the sake of a few quid, but it's always nice to know what you actually need and what is just 'nice to have'! I appreciate your opinions.

I'll have a go at uploading some pics of the 175 TS for you.

Cheers,

Samurai.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" what are the 'essential' special tools that you recommend when working on singles and which are just 'nice to have'?
Ducati always seem to have a 'special' tool for just about every job
half of them aren't really necessary and can be replaced with more usual workshop tools and a bit of ingenuity! "

____ It seems that you're already quite aware fairly well enough with what's-what on this relative matter.
__ For working on OHC.Duke-singles, there are indeed a number of special job-intended factory-tools which are pretty-much indeed "nice to have" ! ... However there's not a single-one of them that's ABSOLUTELY "essential" for any work-job ! _ (Although I'd agree with Jim that the MOST useful 'special' tool is the factory-type flywheel-puller,, however I'm not sure that such fairly common n-c.type pullers will actually fit/work on a stock-175, since Ducati employed flywheels made by C.E.V., way-back in those early days.)
And also, some of the 'special' work-jobs (which are intended to be accomplished with one of the D-f.special-tools), can actually be done somewhat easier with a substituted tool & method. - (The camshaft-holding tool/job being a prime example).
__ I've learned-of and also self-developed a number of ways to accomplish various work-jobs without the use of any of ALL the special Ducati-factory tools. _ So if you have any job you wish to do (without the recommended D-f.tool), then please ask about how to possibly get-by without.

____ Your posted-pix of your "175" leaves me wondering if the motor is actually ALL original-175...
Do you know what it's bore-size actually is? _ And do you have anymore pictures of that motor, which you can post ?
Also, what model-year do you believe your 175-model is ?


Duke-Cheers,
-Bob

[Samurai]

Hi Bob,

That's most interesting, I could well be calling upon your advice once I start the engine refurb!

As for the date and originality of the motor, I haven't started pulling it apart yet (still doing the chassis) all I can tell you specific measurements at the moment. However, the engine and frame numbers both start 'DM' and the cases etc., all have 'made in Italy' stamped on them - so it's a genuine Italian model and not a Mototrans. I also have a dating certificate signed by Mick Walker (which was used by the DVLA to register the bike over here after it was imported) that states that the frame and engine numbers confirm that it is a 175 TS manufactured in 1959, so I've no reason to doubt it's authenticity at this stage - although I'm prepared to be proved wrong once I strip it!

Judging from all the other responses I've had, one tool I'm definitely going to invest in a flywheel puller, for the sake of £50 it's a 'no-brainer'. I think I'd agree with you about the cam locking tool (a cut down socket to create the projection?), but I'm still undecided about the bevel-gear holders and pullers at the moment - I really don't want to bugger these up, so I may just wait and save up my pennies

[Ventodue]

Sweet bike, Jase! Nice paint job too. Did you get it done locally?

Coupla other tools:
1. You MUST have an exhaust nut spanner. It's just such a 'No-Brainer' for us Old Hands that I guess we tend to forget about them ...

2. A clutch locker, like the one Nigel Lacey does (NOT the original Ducati design). His tool, which combines two factory tools, locks the engine up completely so you can undo and re-do all the camshaft, crankshaft, clutch centre nuts in total safety (careful: the cam shaft nut is a left threader, btw). For £22, it's just not worth thinking twice about.

Go http://www.laceyducati.com/ducati-parts ... 19c963b58a

Also, highly recommended for anyone embarking on the Moto Giro:

1. Safety wire.

2. Silicone.

3. Nylocks.

4. Loctite.



Ciao

Craig

[Samurai]

Hi Craig,

Many thanks for your wise words this sort of advice is priceless, your recommended tools are now on my shopping list

I normally do all my own spraying (I can thoroughly recommend the course run in Darlington, UK by Mick Manuel at Paint My Ride - expensive but every penny well spent as you'll gain so much knowledge that would otherwise have cost loads of money and heartache to learn), but this 'abandoned project' was bought from a guy that actually runs his own bodyshop called PanelWise in Surrey, repairing Aston Martins - so the paintwork was done already.

He had managed to find some of the original paint that had not been exposed to sunlight, polishhed it up and scanned it into his shop's paint-match library - thereby getting an exact match to original. He's going to dig out the actual paint mix codes, which I'll post on here eventually if it will help anyone.

The only thing I wasn't too happy about was the use of pin-striping tape, as opposed to masking and painting them on prior to the main colour coat, so they're not flat. Bit picky but the Paint My Ride course kind of instilled that ethic in us!

Keep the advice coming, I'm like a thirsty sponge at the moment!

Cheers,

Jase.

[Ventodue]

He's going to dig out the actual paint mix codes, which I'll post on here eventually if it will help anyone.

Yeh, be good if you can do that. It's important to 'Grab and Hold' that kind of information, and this Forum is the right place to do it.

Ta.

Craig

[DewCatTea-Bob]

By: Samurai...
" As for the date and originality of the motor,
I also have a dating certificate signed by Mick Walker
that states that the frame and engine numbers confirm that it is a 175 TS manufactured in 1959, so I've no reason to doubt it's authenticity at this stage - "

____ Well that kind of stuff was never suspect actually, but exactly what had raised my eyebrow, is your 175's 'squarish' cylinder-head design,, as I had thought that all the early/pre-200 175-Duke-models originally came with the original round-style cyl.head (which matches the regular-std.cylinder-jug's fining style). ...
__ The city I lived in back in those days didn't get a Ducati-dealer until the 200-models became available, and-so I-myself have next to no experience with any 175-Duke. _ However it's my understanding that the square-style heads were not stock on 175-engines until after the 200-motors were produced, (and I don't even know for sure what year that change began, but had THOUGHT that it was for the 1960 model-year.
Furthermore, it was my understanding that once the 200-motor was put into production, the ORIGINAL 175-motor was then discontinued,, and the 175-motors produced afterwards, were then actually sleeved-down 200-engines.
So I'm thinking that either your 175-engine was one of those sleeved-models produced after the 200-model came-out, or, it's cyl.head is not the original.



" one tool I'm definitely going to invest in a flywheel puller, for the sake of £50 it's a 'no-brainer'. "

____ A n-c.type fw.puller can usually be found on eBay for only about 50$-US., however, you should make-sure that your (likely CEV-made) flywheel-rotor has the same thread-size, for the common n-c.type puller to work with.



" I think I'd agree with you about the cam locking tool (a cut down socket to create the projection?), "

____ The best time to loosen the cam-nut is when the cyl.head is still mounted on the motor & in the bike with top-gear engaged, preferably with an air-powered socket-driver (to knock it loose).
But with the cyl.head removed, then insertion of a block of wood (placed through the valve-cover cavities & rocker-arm spaces and over the camshaft), will hold the cam-lobes from rotating (along-with the LH.threaded-nut).
__ In a pinch for finding a suitable block to hold the cam, I've used a duck-tape covered steel-file backed with a paint stir-stick (to protect the surface of the cam-lobes).
This relatively simple method for getting the cam-nut loose, requires that the cam-bearing support/cover be reinserted back in-place (after removal of the rockers).
__ For complete 350 & 450 top-end/heads, (when rocker-arms are kept in-place), I've also used a table-vice to lock-hold the base-tip of the tower-shaft, and then with the cyl.head held in a 'head-lock' hold within my left-arm, then use my right-arm/hand's brute-force to wrench-lose (pulling clockwise) the cam-nut .
This method* may be kind-of tricky to-do, but still doable by just one person. _ And still easier to accomplish, than with the factory-tool method.
(* If you're not very confident with performing this method all by yourself, then ya ought-to place a pillow [or the like] on the floor where the cyl.head may possibly fall-out of the vice & down to.)


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
DCT-Bob