Strada Camshaft Oil Ways

[Duccout]

Here is what you have all been waiting for: the report on my Electrex World ignition kit! Well, it is all good. Bike started easily this morning and is transformed, the exhaust sounds better, the engine is smoother, it now revs properly and runs perfectly, except for the just off idle position, where the slide comes in, and is definitely rich, so a new carb is on the cards, but it will have to wait. I am really impressed With the ignition kit, but will have to reserve judgement on the reliability for a while.

This little bike is an impressive performer and has a spread of power that really surprises me, the only fly in the ointment now is that the last two times that I have ridden it I have been aware that the engine has been getting more rattley from the top-end, which is a bit worrying. I'm reluctant to strip it down again for inspection, but may take off the cover and have a look at the top bevels to see if they may have loosened up a bit - possibly something may have settled.

[Ventodue]

Good! Glad to hear things are still on the way up!

[Duccout]

The only way is up!

[George]

Good news that bike is improving. I am hoping to fit electronic ignition next year. Need to get my bike up and running first.

[Duccout]

Hi George,

I'm a big fan of electronic ignition, having fitted Lucas RITA systems to my 750 Ducati, which totally transformed it, and my 900 Ducati, both having given 45 years and 35 years service respectively without having to be touched (fingers crossed). I like the fact that once fitted the system is maintenance free and gives a stronger, fatter spark. The Electrex World kit, although not perfect, is pretty good value I'd say, with the bonus that it apparently has very low power consumption, which is good news where Ducati Singles are concerned.

Colin

[Duccout]

The saga continues: the bike has been doing a pretty good impersonation of a pogo stick lately, and investigation showed that there was more oil outside the dampers than inside, so I've ordered a new pair of NJB shocks, which unfortunately are 3mm shorter than stock, but as the ones fitted were 5mm shorter than stock, it is a step in the right direction.

One consequence of removing the dampers was that it revealed serious play in the swinging arm which was not there when I dismantled everything during the recommissioning, but although I cleaned the rusty pin up, I suppose that now it has bedded in, the play has appeared. I will leave it for now, as I need a break, but as bushes and pin are not available, it will lead to some head scratching. In have found some plastic industrial bushes on line with the correct 28mm bore, but I don't know if they will fit the housings in the swinging arm; possibly I can make them fit and have the pin hard-chromed and ground. We will see.

I'm surprised that the pins and bushes are not available from Recambiousado; I did email him but he said that he does not stock them.

[Jon Pegler]

Colin,

I think the 860/Darmah swinging arm bushes are the same size , 28 bore, 33.5 OD, 46mm long.
The 860 part number is 096040320, whereas the Strada part number is 096040323.
I think the difference is solely because of the material, nylon rather than bronze.
These are available from V-twin outlets such as Mdina Italia (listed under chassis parts rather than frame and swinging arm)
I'm sure Andrew Jones at Mdina would measure a bush to confirm the size.
Have you checked the side play shimming? That can give the impression of worn bushes too.

Jon

[George]

That's strange, the pin on my 175 mototrans is 29mm dia.

[Duccout]

Thanks Jon, it is definitely the pin/bush, I shimmed out the side-play. I can get plastic bushes in 28 id x 32 od and it might be possible to shim out the housing. The problem with the bronze bushes is that I've never found anyone who can line-ream them. One toolmaker I consulted suggested boring the id of the bushes until they fit on the pin, then pressing them into the housings, so that they should close up slightly, leaving only a small amount to be reamed off. Another option is to have some bushes turned up in delrin.

George, yes, the original swinging arm pin on Ducati Singles and Twins was 29mm, but when they produced the frames with eccentric adjustment on the 860GT, Darmah and parallel twin (and Mototrans Strada and Forza) they reduced the pin to 28mm. I am surprised that the 28mm bushes are not made in Spain.

[Duccout]

I'm wondering if I could glue the 28mm x 32mm bushes into the housing using Loctite 3090 adhesive. The worry is that it is fast curing and I would have to get the pin through the bushes before the adhesive cures, to ensure parallelism, not to mention how I would get them out again at a later date. Another option may be to get some 28 x 35 phosphor bronze bushes, and turn them down until they drop into the housings and Loctite them in with the pin in place. Some of you may remember Simpson Meccanique (sorry for the spelling) who used this solution for fitting Ducati swinging arm bushes, very successfully apparently.