Problem installing carbs. Which is the best way?

I have an '81 kz550 and I cannot for the life of me pop the carbs back into the boots. I can pop them in the airbox boots after much struggle but don't have enough clearance to pop them into the engine-side boots. 3 of the boots are pretty soft and pliable. One of them is a bit hard and unmanageable.

Anyone have any tips? Also: am I supposed to pop them in on the engine side first or airbox side?

I use a little silicone spray

On large fours, I use a little silicone or Armoral on the carbs and holders and then lever the carbs in from behind with a vampire stake.

Then attach the airbox hoses.

Could also use new soft pliable make-it-fun air box hoses (probably available from Z1E).

Good Fortune!

Install the carbs into the carb holders (carb front) first; then the air box boots. Ed

Yes, stock manifolds are hard.
Try heating the rubber manifolds with a heat gun first.
Then spray them with lube, then really push them in hard. it takes alot of umpyh!!!! to get them on!
If that don't work try it again, HARDER!

Install the carbs into the carb holders first, then install new airbox ducts. They're listed as temporarily out of stock at Z1Enterprises.com, so in the mean time you can heat or boil the hard duct so that it can be installed. It'll become hard when it cools down, so you'll have to work quickly. Hard ducts may not seal right.

This might be obvious but, make sure your clamps are loose enough on your carb holders. Even though they are loose, they might need to be looser for the carbs to slide in.

Loosen all airbox bolts. It will move a tiny bit. Roll down all four spring clamps on the airbox boots. Make sure all intake manifold clamps are super loose. Put a tiny bit of silicone lube on the carb outlets and intake manifold rubbers. Use a hair dryer if it's lower than 75 degrees out.

On the 550's, I line up the carbs so the airbox ends just start to go in first, with the engine side of the carbs just above or just below the intake manifolds (can't remember which way works better). Then sitting on the bike, I put my feet on the alternator cover and ignition cover, then I pull back on the carbs which makes the airbox boots collapse a little. Make sure all stay in place. The airbox will move back slightly too. This will give just enough room to nose the engine side of the carbs into the rubbers.

I replaced all the bowl screws with stainless allens, make sure each jet is put in with a tiny bit of antiseize, put some antiseize on the bowl gaskets, and this allows me to change jets and clean bowls without ever taking the carbs off the bike. You just need some short allens and screwdrivers.

Over the years I made a few. The knurled-knob one is a must. So is the short screwdriver. Notice the bottoms are pointy so you can control them with a fingertip, and rotate them on the point.
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Alright, Patton. Nobody else asked so I will. What the heck is a vampire stake? Is it like a henweigh or a grecian urn? Just wondering.

KZ1979LTD wrote:

Alright, Patton. Nobody else asked so I will. What the heck is a vampire stake? Is it like a henweigh or a grecian urn? Just wondering.

Sorry --- meaning just a cheap wood 1x2 plant stake long enough to fit behind the carbs and used as a lever to press the carb rack fully into the carb holders.

A length of paneling stud or large wooden dowel should serve lever duty just as well.

Good Fortune!

Unbolt air box from frame as suggested. Make sure, as others have already stated, that the clamps on the intake boots are super loose. Hose the carb ends and intake boots with WD or some such lube.

I put the bike in gear on it's side stand, chock the front wheel, sit on the bike with feet on the floor and put the palm of my hands on carb 1 and 4 and push forward, with a bit of up and down movement if they don't just pop in.

Has served me well for years.

Try taking a thin piece of sheet metal or thin card bord and tape it cross the intake boots. this will allow the carbs to slide [past and not get hung up. when you get the carbs where you want them, slide board out and carbs pop right in. also a little vasoline works wonders.good luck.