Chain is rubbing on a section of my full exhaust system S4

Had a full exhaust put on about 1K ago, and at the time it rubbed. The dealer jimmied it around, tightened the chain to the minimum 25mm, and it didn't rub. He said "monitor it". The chain is now at maybe 27-28 mm at the loosest point and continuing it's way into the sidewall of a very expensive exhaust.

Question: How do you deal with this?
Do you take a mallet and dent the area where the chain rubs?
Do you need to take the thing to a pipe bender and have the exhaust bent professionally?
Ducati of Oceanside did not want to take it to the next level where there would be decent clearence. I can't be responsible for keeping my chain exactly at 25mm!!!
That is crazy!
Are there competent professionals in the San Diego area that can deal with this?
Thanks in advance! I know there are other DML refugees out there that know the answer!

Regards,
Rideon

for the money you pay for a full system from ducati, i would think your dealer needs to step up to the next level and fast.

One Ducs: I bought the exhaust from Section 8 Superbike, and had my local dealer put it on. They don't have the same responsibility except they do charge 75 per hour, and it IS a DP product!

The chain I have on is the smaller version as well. If I had the stock chain on, the pipe would be perfed by now! If it matters, I am running a 15/42.

Regards,
Rideon

I'm assuming you have the full Termi 'spaghetti' system.

Infoage and other S4Foggy folks have that system, and I don't recall any of them having that problem. Dealer should make good on it like oneducs said...

As a band-aid, you could run with more rear sag to keep the chain away more of the time, but that's not a good 'fix'.

I'd just use a torch & a hammer to gain enough clearence. If you do it right, it will look like it was designed that way.

Well, the 42 rear sprocket does get the chain a wee bit closer, but not much.

Sometimes a weld can get done a very little bit crooked, like at the flange where it bolts to the motor, and it turns into big problems at the other end of the pipe. Doesn't excuse the poor fitment.

It could likely be fixed with a little torch therapy, but you shouldn't have to do that.
Perhaps a phone call to Section8?

BTW, 15/42? Front tire's going to last a bit longer

The torch and hammer sounds like it would work, but Oceanside Ducati doesn't even have welding Facilities!! ( I like the shop, but come on guys!)

Does anyone know of a shop that will do cosmetically credible work in my area? (San Diego). Lees? Motopro down the street from OD? Midas Muffler?

BTW, love the 15/42 combo. It seems like you are always cruising in the sweetspot rather than bogging. Feels just right! I have no idea what it cruises at as my tach is 1K off and the speedo, well it IS Italian! (probably a little optomistic?)

Thanks for the thoughts and any leads!
Rideon

find a welding shop that can do tig welding. it may not be cheep but im sure they would be able to cut and weld a fix for you. why do you have a 42 tooth on your bike? i have the 45/50 full exhaust on my s4 and i have no such problems. maybe it's that sprocket?

find a welding shop that can do tig welding. it may not be cheep but im sure they would be able to cut and weld a fix for you. why do you have a 42 tooth on your bike? i have the 45/50 full exhaust on my s4 and i have no such problems. maybe it's that sprocket?

why do you have a 42 tooth on your bike?

Because it seems more mechanically sound than going to a 14/40, the tighter bend from the 14 vs 15 would seem to suggest accelerated chain wear. (Funny, since I have had this set up, the sprockets and chains don't last longer than 2K! )

( I am not a cowboy,either. My rolling stock gets a spa treatment every 200 miles! )

Thanks for the welding shop suggestion. That makes sense. Actually, this sounds like a job for the famous Ducman851!

Rideon

mine never rubbed Rideon. You sure they installed this correctly? Maybe you need to compare yours to Tom's or someone else's and see if the bends are wrong. If so I would have DP replace the sections.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rideon &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why do you have a 42 tooth on your bike? Rideon</TD></TR></TABLE>

no i have 15/39 two up from stock.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by oneducs &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

no i have 15/39 two up from stock.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oneducs, IMO the 15/39 just starts getting you in the right neighborhood. I think my topend is still around 135, although I really don't like going that fast. With my current gearing, it sure is spunkier getting there!

The 15/39 is Foggy gearing if I recall. These bikes sure are geared tall from the factory!

Rideon

for the most part i never get out of 3rd.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hbliam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">mine never rubbed Rideon. You sure they installed this correctly? Maybe you need to compare yours to Tom's or someone else's and see if the bends are wrong. If so I would have DP replace the sections.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The comparo is a great idea. SoCalSar has a full system, I could compare the bends, but frankly his needs some attention from a (insert word for one of those internal pipe straighteners). Need a cherry S4 full system to view locally, 30 mile radius, lesseee...... nope! Noone!

The dealer (OD) said that the systems vary. Actually, after reading all of the board posts over the years, it seems all systems vary as to bends, it must be impossible to jig each one like a perfect clone. I will call Section 8 and see what they say, this is not right. Thanks for the input.

Rideon

My first exhaust rubbed a little on one of footpeg brackets--no big deal. OS installed a second exhaust (warrantied from Monster Pissing Battery Syndrome), it rubbed on the swingarm to the point of structural concerns, so OS replaced the swingarm too (thanks Balz/Nick). After that, OS wiggled and tweaked that exhaust so it, for now, stays clear of the swingarm. If I push down real hard, the chain will just hit the collector, but the chain does not look to be hitting the exhaust in normal use, and I try to keep it pretty loose, running 15/39. I seem to remember the chain hitting my first exhaust, but I never saw any real wear. What is the diameter of that rear sprocket tooth to tooth? I think 14/40 would solve the problem. Put those on, and take it down to OS harbor and let a marine fabricator weld a SS wear plate on top.

42 tooth sprocket is roughly 8.36" pitch diameter.
39 is 7.76". So that's 0.30" on a radius at the rear sprocket.
That would be about 0.10" in the vicinity of the pipe.

Any chain line issues?

Hum, 0.10" should not be enough to matter....

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by infoage1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Put those on, and take it down to OS harbor and let a marine fabricator weld a SS wear plate on top.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

SS wear plate? do you mean a replacement for the nylon runner on the top of the swingarm? The 14/40 may be a very good thought. I will eyeball in the AM, it may take the diameter of the rear sprocket down just enough. IIRC, that is a lower gearing than 15/42, I may have to do a 14/41. The "Gearing Guru" considered, there are limits!

I was hoping for some "Infoage" input on this! I had heard you had "issues" with the spagetti exhaust, and was reasonably sure you had exhausted the subject with your usual attention to detail!

Thanks,
Rideon

I think Infoage means a plate welded on the pipe for the chain to rub on. Kind of a 'skid plate'.

14/39 is a 2.786
15/42 is a 2.800
14/40 is a 2.857

The 14/39 is the closest, just a wee bit taller than the 15/42. I wager it would be imperceptible in a blind taste test.

14 tooth front sprockets seem to do OK for most folks, unless you've really jacked the rear ride height up a bunch.

I like my 15/39 on my S4, but it's a personal preference thing...blonde, brunette, redhead?