Refitting carbs

My bike's an '83 kx550 ltd. I'm in the middle of a top end rebuild.

Guess what, if removing the carbs wasn't a big enough headache, I'm having an equally hard time putting them back.
After a long sweat and an overnight rest I managed to get them off the air box using a hair dryer on the rubbers.

I am now struggling putting them back. I softened up the rubbers with the dryer but now they keep popping in to the air box as I try to get the carbs into place,

Has anyone out there got any tips.

Here is a set of 4 Airbox Hoses:

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=331

Here are the individual and associated Airbox Springs:

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=352

Budget about $60 USD plus shipping. I changed all of these and it was great to work on the carbs after that.

BTW, could you add your year, model and location in your signature, its considered real friendly and gets better replies.

Best of success!

Post edited by: bill_wilcox100, at: 2007/11/24 05:32

Post edited by: bill_wilcox100, at: 2007/11/24 05:35

I know your pain!! I had the same problem PLUS had to pull the carbs again to clean them better:angry: I traded for a box full of NOS parts including 4 new air box boots. They made the job sooooo much nicer I wouldn't mind pulling the carbs 100 times now:cheer:

Thanks for help and advice. I have refitted the boots one at a time using the hair dryer and praying.
I will definitely buy new boots as mine when cold are more like hard plastic than rubber. They are so hard it is not worth re-fitting the retaining springs. Still what do I expect the bike is an '83.

To all those others who are struggling, don't give up these bikes deserve our efforts to keep them around.

Grandad Bob
1983 kz550 c4 ltd
In Essex, UK

grandadbob wrote:

To all those others who are struggling, don't give up these bikes deserve our efforts to keep them around.Grandad Bob
1983 kz550 c4 ltd
In Essex, UK

You are so right! I pretty much gave up on a great bike after finding out I needed to pull the carbs again and hated the idea of the hassle with the hard boots. I'm not sure what made me decide to work on her again a few days ago but I'm sure glad I did. Only have 30 miles on her but looking forward to letting the good times roll soon. To all having troubles & aggrivation....DON"T GIVE UP!!

As Bill Clinton would say... I feel your pain. I had the same problem on my 79'. The old hard boots kept popping back into the airbox on me too. I actually took my wifes hot glue gun she uses for crafts and mounted the boots on the box in the correct position and put a bead around where they touch the box. It will hold the boots in place till you can get the carbs wrestled back on. You can easily peel it off once the carbs are on or leave it there and it seals off any chance for a potential air leak. Worked for me. I also used a couple beads on the top of my frame to keep my tank from slowly wiggling its way toward the seat. You can buy the glue guns at Wallyworld for $10. Good luck Tom

What I've done is mount the carbs and then feed each boot from inside the air box onto the carb. I strongly suggest getting new boots as 30 yo ones WILL NOT work with you. I actually melted one trying the microwave method! The new boots were a night and day diff working with them!!

oh come on, it's not so bad...

spray WD40 all over the inside of the boots.

loosen or remove the airbox bolts so it can slide back a tad

set the carbs in so the front is tilted up into the engine rubbers and the back is under the airbox rubbers.

lever the back up and slide them forward into the engine rubbers while monkeying with the airbox ones at the same time

I use a Snap on cotter pin puller to slip on the airbox rubbers kinda like a tire on a rim. you can make a similar tool by bending the end of a screwdriver 90 degrees. with this you can reach around the back and get the lip of the darn thing.

good luck!