S4r Cam BELT TENSION.

31-01-2020, 04:55 PM

Hi All.
I;m in the process of changing the cam belts on my bike and have ah Haynes electronic belt tension gauge to correctly set the tension of the belt.
The problem I have is the only units avaliable on the tester are

Kilograms Force
Lower Units
Newtons
Peiseler Units
Pounds Force

The ducati manual only give a Hertz measurement.

Any ideas on how to convert to any of the above?

Dave

Forgot to add, I'm more than happy to loan this to the monster comunity if a conversion can be found

slob · 31-01-2020, 05:41 PM

You can download a smartphone app called ‘gates carbon drive’ designed for checking belt tension. You could also use a guitar tuner app.

JPDiag software also has a harmonic tension tool but would need a windows laptop with an external microphone, so is a bit more faffing around.

There’s also some info here on other methods (scroll down for http://www.ducatisuite.org/belttension.html

Sorry, i don’t know what the ’spring tension’ equivalent would be.

Mark64 · 31-01-2020, 09:23 PM

+1 for Gates carbon belt drive app, I borrowed the Ducati tool for measuring belt tension (oscilloscope) and double checked it with the gates app - identical to 1 hertz, jobsa guddun

Luddite · 31-01-2020, 09:32 PM

Are you using genuine Ducati belts or an alternative? If you're going aftermarket, then the Ducati recommended tension may not be correct for the replacements.

For example, I've recently bought some ExactFit belts for the first time (not yet fitted). For the Evo, the workshop manual specifies a frequency of 140Hz for new belts. However, ExactFit say their belts should be 99Hz.

Like you, I don't have access to a frequency measurer, so I sent the following enquiry to Stuart at ExactUK:

"One quick question, you recommend a tension of 99Hz but I don't have the facility to measure frequency. Can I use the old tried and tested allen key method instead? If so, will a 5mm key give me the recommended tension? And no difference in tension between horizontal and vertical cylinders?"

And he replied straightaway:

"Yes many use the tried and trusted Allen key method so no problem there.
Both tensions are set the same.
If you have a smart phone you can get a free App for the Hz reading - it’s called Gates Carbon Drive 👍
Our tension is slightly less than OEM as our belts stretch less."

(Great service from ExactUK by the way.)

So, when I do fit them, I'll use the old allen key method as mentioned by slob.

If you look at the workshop manual, there is a very wide operating window for the belts. New (for the Evo), they are 140Hz and, if you are retensioning used belts, they are 100Hz. And you don't have to retension until they drop to 70Hz, which is half the new frequency.

31-01-2020, 04:55 PM	#1
roundrock Guest Posts: n/a	S4r Cam BELT TENSION. Hi All. I;m in the process of changing the cam belts on my bike and have ah Haynes electronic belt tension gauge to correctly set the tension of the belt. The problem I have is the only units avaliable on the tester are Kilograms Force Lower Units Newtons Peiseler Units Pounds Force The ducati manual only give a Hertz measurement. Any ideas on how to convert to any of the above? Dave Forgot to add, I'm more than happy to loan this to the monster comunity if a conversion can be found Last edited by roundrock; 31-01-2020 at 05:23 PM..

31-01-2020, 05:41 PM	#2
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,707	You can download a smartphone app called ‘gates carbon drive’ designed for checking belt tension. You could also use a guitar tuner app. JPDiag software also has a harmonic tension tool but would need a windows laptop with an external microphone, so is a bit more faffing around. There’s also some info here on other methods (scroll down for http://www.ducatisuite.org/belttension.html Sorry, i don’t know what the ’spring tension’ equivalent would be. Last edited by slob; 31-01-2020 at 05:47 PM..

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31-01-2020, 09:23 PM	#3
Mark64 Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Hondon de los Frailes Bike: S4r Posts: 285	+1 for Gates carbon belt drive app, I borrowed the Ducati tool for measuring belt tension (oscilloscope) and double checked it with the gates app - identical to 1 hertz, jobsa guddun

31-01-2020, 09:32 PM	#4
Luddite Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Southampton Bike: M1100evo Posts: 2,465	Are you using genuine Ducati belts or an alternative? If you're going aftermarket, then the Ducati recommended tension may not be correct for the replacements. For example, I've recently bought some ExactFit belts for the first time (not yet fitted). For the Evo, the workshop manual specifies a frequency of 140Hz for new belts. However, ExactFit say their belts should be 99Hz. Like you, I don't have access to a frequency measurer, so I sent the following enquiry to Stuart at ExactUK: "One quick question, you recommend a tension of 99Hz but I don't have the facility to measure frequency. Can I use the old tried and tested allen key method instead? If so, will a 5mm key give me the recommended tension? And no difference in tension between horizontal and vertical cylinders?" And he replied straightaway: "Yes many use the tried and trusted Allen key method so no problem there. Both tensions are set the same. If you have a smart phone you can get a free App for the Hz reading - it’s called Gates Carbon Drive 👍 Our tension is slightly less than OEM as our belts stretch less." (Great service from ExactUK by the way.) So, when I do fit them, I'll use the old allen key method as mentioned by slob. If you look at the workshop manual, there is a very wide operating window for the belts. New (for the Evo), they are 140Hz and, if you are retensioning used belts, they are 100Hz. And you don't have to retension until they drop to 70Hz, which is half the new frequency.