To get at the plugs in the 851 heads I need a deep thin walled socket, preferably with a rubber insert to aid removal of the old plug. Is a thin deep socket widely available or am I going to wind up grinding one down? I'd rather not be getting the grinding tool out if I can avoid it - mainly because I don't have a grinding wheel and neither of the specific plug tools in my Halfords kit are 18 mil' anyhow! Thanks in advance!
Yes Ian, one is definitely available without the need to modify , perhaps a kindly soul will come up with a link to one or a dimension. All I can add is that it needs to be a dual-start type, not a full hex.
Yes , there is / was in the original toolkits . Pretty good tool as well ..... it goes deep enough for the rubber to grip the plug , and also gets a good secure grip on the flats . Long enough to leave the solid hex head sticking out , so that you can get a socket and a torque wrench on it , if you want . Buying a genuine replacement from Ducati costs Stupid pounds and 95 pence. My entire tool kit got stolen , so for the plugs I bought this narrow body socket , after doing some measuring . 1/2" Drive. 16mm single Hex. 22mm outside diameter, 55.5 overall length ..... £4.24 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tool-Hub...537137&hash=item4b0194f09d:g:eXAAAOSwAata7Eea It needs a short extension bar to get on the plug , and the rubber grip is tight so I always put some spit on the plug body , before replacing . If not , the socket will stay on the plug and you end up holding only the extension bar .....
Regarding the, errr, spit problem, I had the opposite - the rubber wasn’t gripping the plug on the 18mm. I loosened the plug with that, then swapped to the 14mm (which obviously wouldn’t fit in fully) and used the rubber to grip and do the final few turns then remove the plug. The reverse to install, job done!
I just stick a magnetic screwdriver down to pull the plugs when undone. Lost my rubber insert ages ago
These are very good. I’ve got the 16mm version. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-PT18-3...50mm-Magnetic-Long-Reach-Wrench-/121807275258
Interesting but sadly that particular one is too long to fit under the raised tank or behind the front wheel of a 999, which I know is not the bike in question. I did try a magnet but maybe I didn’t persist enough and maybe iridium plugs aren’t magnetic enough Don’t you??? :/