[Ducati] Gear change/clutch action

[Jim Calandro]

I have actually seen where someone melted the rear brake caliper on his 996 
by doing this so be sure it is not dragging on the disc.

Jim

Jim Calandro
il Capo
US DESMO
www.usdesmo.com
704-843-0429
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin Philp" <martinphilp at hotmail.com>
To: "ducati list" <ducati at ducati.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 5:40 PM
Subject: [Ducati] Gear change/clutch action



Some thoughts from my experience with bleeding the clutch and brake systems.

I've just changed the clutch fluid on my Bimota DB4ie (900SSie engine) to 
which I've fitted an STM clutch slave cylinder (due to the larger piston 
there is more travel at the clutch lever so you have to adjust the span to 
suit). The clutch was working afterwards but the lever had some free play 
and it was difficult to get into neutral. As has been mentioned however much 
you bleed from the nipple on the slave cylinder you'll never get the air out 
from the banjo at the master cylinder, any air bubbles will rise up the pipe 
and collect there. Since first reading about this I always remove the 
clip-on  after changing the fluid and angle it so that any air will rise up 
the master cylinder, and with the pipe to the reservoir at the highest 
point. Then gently pump the lever, I always get a few bubbles appear in the 
reservoir. After doing this the lever free play is gone and the gearchange 
is better. I normally repeat after a couple of rides for peace of mind! This 
method works so well on both clutch and brake that I'm surprised it isn't 
given as standard practice in manuals. As suggested you could fit a bleed 
nipple at the master cylinders to get the air out, haven't got around to 
that yet.

Take care if you try adjusting the screw in the lever, I once tried reducing 
the lever travel on my Paso rear brake by adjusting the master piston travel 
but overdid it with dire results. The piston wasn't returning far enough to 
uncover the hole connecting the cylinder to the reservoir, at a track day as 
the system heated up and expanded (don't know whether it was the fluid or 
disk, etc) there was nowhere for the fluid to go so the pads couldn't 
retract properly and were rubbing on the disk, which in turn heated 
everything up still more, until eventually the brake locked itself on, 
fortunately on the slowing down lap. I had to wait for it to cool off then 
get lifted off the circuit - very embarassing! The pad material had come 
away from the back plates and 'welded' itself to the disk!

Martin Philp
2000 Bimota DB4ie
1989 Ducati Paso 750
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