Baldini

Dear all, How long ago now, seem those days of broken selector spring, knackered wheel bearings, inadequate spring rates & soiled underwear... Stiffer springs, now Pirelli Diablos have come my way. Wwwaahhheeeeyy-aaahhh! This is more like it. For the first time the tyres work - BT020's never felt secure - these just grip. Now ...ground clearance...it's gone... 170/60 rear - proper tyre shape - handling is much better balanced.Thank you Prof Wacko. Fitted right size rear wheel bearing spacer. Adjusted rear brake rod to min & put elastic as pedal return = no brake drag. It's getting there... KB, Wales

I measured up inside the rear hub and found the bearing spacer to be shorter by 0.6mm than the distance between bearing faces. The bearing inner/outer races were misaligned when torquing the axle nut, wrecking the bearing. I made up a new spacer to the right length. Put it back together, torqued up the nut and....it works. Can torque the axle nut right up - wheel spins freely. Waahaaaayyy!! Back brake still groans tho... Backed the adjustment right off, & fitted a bit of old inner tube as a return spring for the pedal. Is it possible you could be inadvertently resting on the pedal while riding...? I've done it. Anyhow I think there's 2 seperate problems here. If you've had brake side bearing go, I would check the spacer. Cheers, KB, Wales.

Thanks for all the replies. It concerns me that if the bearing spacer is too small, & if the axle nut is backed off to prevent the wheel from binding, then the inner races of the bearings will not be clamped tight. They will therefore be free to spin on the axle. I don't think this is a good thing, & is not how the assembly was designed too work. Do you agree? Thanks again, KB, Wales.

Bearing spacer measures 112.2mm. Distance between bearing faces is 112.8mm. That's 0.6mm. It appears to me that is enough to misalign the bearing races under load from the axle nut. I am no engineer, and I may be missing something, but I can see no other explanation for the wreckrd bearings. KB, Wales .

I've measured up & the bearing spacer is shorter than the distance between the bearings...

I did a quick search in this forum & found 7 people had brake side rear bearing fail at v low miles. I don't think in my case at least that it was caused by brake. My wheel binds when torquing the axle nut without the caliper fitted. I think there's 2 seperate problems. I've been told axle should be torqued at drive side, not at nut. Indeed the manual lists torque of 120Nm & specifies housing side. But WHY? I can't see why it should make any difference which end - the load is carried straight thru the spacers and inner races. Unless one of the spacers is undersized, or a bearing is not fully home I can't see how tightening can knacker a bearing. The only thing that I can come up with is that the centre spacer is too short for the hub...sounds unlikely doesn't it... This is doing my head in - someone out there must know what's going on here... KB, Wales

The wheel starts to bind as soon as you tighten the axle nut to any decent torque...with the caliper removed. Seems to be unrelated to the brake? It's as if the bearing spacer in the hub is too short, both bearings seem fully home. KB

I can't imagine why... KB, Wales PS: Keihan (UK) 01527 518525 make excellent s/s replacement systems.

Knackered rear wheel bearing @ 3,000miles. Left (brake) side. Also groan from back end, sounds like brake binding. Is their some connection? Put in new bearing went for a short 8 mile run. Rear rotor was warm tho I hadn't used brake. But also the wheel hub & the caliper mount bracket were warm. Where's this heat coming from? Binding brake? Binding axle? Binding bearing? Transfered from bevel box? There was not much grease in the other side wheel bearing...but no evidence of grease having left the bearings to suggest overheating. I don't see where anything could be out of alignment. I don't see how overtightening the axle nut could cause bearing failure unless a bearing was not fully home, or one of the spacers in the hub is too short... I know others have had bearings go & brake binding - what are your thoughts? Thanks, KB, Wales. Thought some more. Heat must be bearing/axle. Also found, like others, that tightening axlenut to correct torque causes wheel rotation to stiffen up...

Carl, that is on the 5.5" rim??? thanks, KB.

Eh? I miss them big wheels too. Get the suspension sorted. Get rid of the FI glitches & ride it. 190Kg - 220Kg??? On the road? It don't matter. Spend the money on an RS250 /Jap 400... Mike, I thought to maybe go to a smaller tyre on the std 5.5" rim. The std 180 /55seems to me to roll side to side v slow, seems overtired. Do you recommend 170/60 w/std front 120/70? KB, Wales

John, Lordee!!! Lordee!!! I too saw saw the light! Stiffer springs brought suspension into range where damping could be knocked right back & used to make small adjustments rather than just compensate for the inadequate springs. The difference was staggering ... We are saved!!! KB PS: What weight springs did you fit?

Goran, I don't know if a rebuild kit is available but Motomecca do most Brembo stuff. Can't find their list now but their phone no is: (UK) 01202 823453. KB, Wales

Carl, Thanks for reply. I got it sorted...It was only closing part way, couldn't turn it anymore. Maybe petrol lubed it cos it suddenly turned full in. It's OK now...til next time! Thanks, KB.

Can anyone tell me which way you turn the fuel petcock to turn it OFF. (which way looking up from below). Fuel pours out as soon as I start to disconnect the hose whichever way it's turned. Would fuel be draining from the filter/pump? Thanks, KB, Wales

Roberto, Sorry to hear your problem. Are you in UK? I saw a Scura gbox in dealer 4/5 wks back, all the sliding dogs disintegrated. Not yours? Any clue as to why s. fork broke? Good luck, KB, Wales.

On a completely standard bike, can this be done without changing anything in the fuelling side? Does it cause any mixture weakness or does the FI compensate? Thanks, KB, Wales

Rich, In other thread you mention TB balance as a reg maintenance. I don't even know what TB stands for...fueling...Throttle balance? bodies? Can you enlighten me? Thank you, KB, Wales

Paul, Ohlins shop looked up Scura spec card & reckoned forks are fitted with a 9N/mm spring as std. The springs I took out had no markings. Std rear spring is 85. KB

John, Do it! The bike is so much better. The forks feel like they've come into the range where they are actually working and all the adjustments you make are subtle changes rather than pumping up everything to max & hanging on... now it tracks the road, gives real feel but also a real plush ride - I'd begun to wonder why people rated Ohlins...Heh!Heh! I paid a bit over £100 (UK) for front & rear springs. Be sure to talk with someone who knows rates, you may need one up from mine. Cheers, KB, Wales

Put 10N/mm (same as 10KG?) springs into Scura forks, I'm 200 0dd lb inc gear, well am I happy? Wahaaaayy!! Thank you Murray you were dead right. Never mind farting about with damping settings, & maxing preload, get the right springs!! Now they work. R1's, 999's - bring em on. Happy? Shit? Pig in? Me - Yeah! And I still gotta install the 100 rear spring !! Who said it didn't handle...me?

YEEEHAAAAA!!!

Al, Point taken - No argument. I hate blistering paint too - what I am getting at is that we only have the blistering paint cos Guzzi got concerned with "fashion" - since they put 16" wheels on Tonti frames...It's not their strongpoint. It is a distraction trying to second guess what the market wants, I believe you make the best product you can and people will buy it. Like a featherbed Norton, the heart of a Tonti frame Guzzi is just "right". That's why there's so many still running around. Maybe they're only 50% original Guzzi parts - my 950 has no original electrics, suspension or bodywork, & most other bits are modified - but they're still out there. I know the new bikes have changed, all these engine management electrics frighten me - I've no idea how they work...But what concerns me here is that in chasing a market, Guzzi are moving away from their strengths. Look at the comments re oil starvation, valve material & exploding gearboxes on this forum...The MGS1 looks beautiful but is it sound, how strong is it? I guess I get defensive about Guzzi, there are people who buy a Guzzi like they would buy a Honda & can't believe the heap of problems they're landed with - but in solving the problems the bike becomes yours. It's the opposite to buying a Jap when you (usually...80's Honda camchains anyone) buy a perfectly functioning jewel and start looking for ways to knock off the performance with aftermarket cosmetics, listen to all them jap sportsters popping & banging on the overun. I'm not saying Guzzi are right to make bikes so rough at the edges but in correcting the peripherals will they lose sight of the basics? We can sort out the suspension, the paint etc, etc, but if chocolate valves are taking the heads out, oil starvation is blowing bottom ends, and transmissions are exploding mysteriously then there ain't much left. Al, I have no argument with what you say, save perhaps for a dealer tearing down a good engine to replace the paint - as others have pointed out Guzzi rates do not permit him time to do a proper job - regardless of how good he is, he's running a business. Please accept my genuine apology for causing offence. Carry on the good work... Ride safe, KB, Wales

Well least they've given up on the exhausts! Cases don't need to be painted - black, silver or any other colour. What's the point? KB

Uh oh! I've just noticed why Brian Robson isn't fussed by a bit of bubblig engine paint - 1976 Trident...