Mixed up wheel spacers
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- Falco Frank
- SuperSport Racer
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- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:48 am
- Location: Hartlepool, UK
Mixed up wheel spacers
Apologies as I've had a few drinks after emerging from the garage.
I've had both wheels out to get them painted and the rims polished, which took longer than I expected and then I found the rear linkage needle bearings were shot & had to replace them as well.
The upshot being it was a while since I remembered the wheel spacer order!
I reassembled the rear wheel with new sprocket and for some reason had a shiney, nickel plated looking spacer that I got it into my head fitted between the bearing in the outer hub & the cush drive houseing / wheel..
But when I installed the wheel I pushed it right forward to fit a new chain and the cush pin bolt heads were catching on the weld at the very rear of the swing arm, where I guess the wheel adjuster assembly is welded on.
Worse still the rear wheel diagram on the SL Mille 2001-2005 pdf (from the Martin site) is different to the one on the Aprilia Yorkshire (parts manual pdf) !
I'm confused and goign to bed but any illumination is very welcome.
I've had both wheels out to get them painted and the rims polished, which took longer than I expected and then I found the rear linkage needle bearings were shot & had to replace them as well.
The upshot being it was a while since I remembered the wheel spacer order!
I reassembled the rear wheel with new sprocket and for some reason had a shiney, nickel plated looking spacer that I got it into my head fitted between the bearing in the outer hub & the cush drive houseing / wheel..
But when I installed the wheel I pushed it right forward to fit a new chain and the cush pin bolt heads were catching on the weld at the very rear of the swing arm, where I guess the wheel adjuster assembly is welded on.
Worse still the rear wheel diagram on the SL Mille 2001-2005 pdf (from the Martin site) is different to the one on the Aprilia Yorkshire (parts manual pdf) !
I'm confused and goign to bed but any illumination is very welcome.
01 Hyper Falco / 93 - 900ss Ducati (944cc)
My Ducati Alter-ego = Iconic944ss
My Ducati Alter-ego = Iconic944ss
- Falcopops
- GP Racer
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- Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:00 pm
- Location: Back to sweating in the tropics
- Main bike: Still loving the Falco
I reckon you're spot on with the location of the spacer, No.24 in the pic.
The issue with the cush pins hitting the swingarm has raised its ugly head a couple of times recently which seems to be due to the new sprockets being thinner than they need to be. IIRC the solution is to put some washers on the cush pins behind the sprocket, this will push the pins further into their sockets and reduce the amount of bolt protruding beyond the sprocket carrier.
Hopefully others will confirm this, worth having a search while your hangover is clearing and measure the relative thicknesses of the sprockets to confirm.

The issue with the cush pins hitting the swingarm has raised its ugly head a couple of times recently which seems to be due to the new sprockets being thinner than they need to be. IIRC the solution is to put some washers on the cush pins behind the sprocket, this will push the pins further into their sockets and reduce the amount of bolt protruding beyond the sprocket carrier.
Hopefully others will confirm this, worth having a search while your hangover is clearing and measure the relative thicknesses of the sprockets to confirm.

- Falco Frank
- SuperSport Racer
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- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:48 am
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Many thanks Falcopops, i ended up pulling the wheel out again and checking and found some crud between the no24 spacer and the sprocket carrier.
Made little difference because when i progressed to fitting my new chain, with the 44T sprocket ive fitted i ended up needing it half way along the available adjustment and well away from the weld.
I dont think using spacers will work anyways sadly, as the hex flanged part of the cush bolts are hard up against the cush drives, so spacers would only move the sprocket carrier outwards?
Out of interest i measured the sprocket thickness' on the carrier and my new one was 2mm thinner, alloy Tallon, than the steel Afam, which was 8mm thick.
Cheers, Frank
Made little difference because when i progressed to fitting my new chain, with the 44T sprocket ive fitted i ended up needing it half way along the available adjustment and well away from the weld.
I dont think using spacers will work anyways sadly, as the hex flanged part of the cush bolts are hard up against the cush drives, so spacers would only move the sprocket carrier outwards?
Out of interest i measured the sprocket thickness' on the carrier and my new one was 2mm thinner, alloy Tallon, than the steel Afam, which was 8mm thick.
Cheers, Frank
01 Hyper Falco / 93 - 900ss Ducati (944cc)
My Ducati Alter-ego = Iconic944ss
My Ducati Alter-ego = Iconic944ss
- Falco Frank
- SuperSport Racer
- Posts: 429
- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:48 am
- Location: Hartlepool, UK
- Falcopops
- GP Racer
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:00 pm
- Location: Back to sweating in the tropics
- Main bike: Still loving the Falco
That's the same sprocket as I have on mine I think, good that it clears.iconic944ss wrote:Made little difference because when i progressed to fitting my new chain, with the 44T sprocket ive fitted i ended up needing it half way along the available adjustment and well away from the weld.
That's point, the swingarm bears against the outer spacer in the sprocket hub, so if the hub is further out and there is less of the cush stud threads sticking through because of the washers the clearance will be improved.iconic944ss wrote:I dont think using spacers will work anyways sadly, as the hex flanged part of the cush bolts are hard up against the cush drives, so spacers would only move the sprocket carrier outwards?
Good work, it's useful to know what thicknesses are out there so we know what may cause problems.iconic944ss wrote:Out of interest i measured the sprocket thickness' on the carrier and my new one was 2mm thinner, alloy Tallon, than the steel Afam, which was 8mm thick.
- Falco Frank
- SuperSport Racer
- Posts: 429
- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:48 am
- Location: Hartlepool, UK
- Falco Frank
- SuperSport Racer
- Posts: 429
- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:48 am
- Location: Hartlepool, UK