KZ1000ST air box boot secret

After searching for a special way of installing the air box's boots onto the carbs, I decided just slide the carbs into place. After wrestling for about an hour, trying to get the carbs into place with the air box boots already, I took off the boots, reinstalled the carbs, and just shoved the a boot into the box, and pull it back out over the carb. One at a time.
I hope this method can help someone

that´s the way

FYI the CB900 and 83 KZ550 that is what I do to re-install the carbs. One trick I did pick up was to soak the boots in hot soapy water while you're installing the carbs. That softens them and makes them a little more slippery to help install. Do the inside 2 then the outside two.

A small pick awl with a 90 degree end and blunt tip allows you to set the carbs in and easily fit boots on the carbs. Unless they are real old and crusty the ST1000 has plenty of room. Try a 550 sometime! R

What I do is shove the carbs in place between the two sets of boots while the air box is loose. Get the carbs into the airbox boots first and then install the clamps and tighten them up.

Next step is shoving the carbs w/airbox forward into the boots on the head.

Lift up on the airbox at the back and install the bolts to attach the box to the frame.

Last step is tighten the clamps around the carb boots on the head.

If available, new boots are the way to go. The airbox boots on some models are discontinued now though. Heat will soften them up as mentioned. One thing I don't recommend is using oil on them though since while this may aid getting the boots around the carbs, it will also aid the boots slipping off.

Nessism wrote: What I do is shove the carbs in place between the two sets of boots while the air box is loose. Get the carbs into the airbox boots first and then install the clamps and tighten them up.

Next step is shoving the carbs w/airbox forward into the boots on the head.

Lift up on the airbox at the back and install the bolts to attach the box to the frame.

Last step is tighten the clamps around the carb boots on the head.

If available, new boots are the way to go. The airbox boots on some models are discontinued now though. Heat will soften them up as mentioned. One thing I don't recommend is using oil on them though since while this may aid getting the boots around the carbs, it will also aid the boots slipping off.

On stiff old boots I soak them overnight in a mixture of Wintergreen oil and xylene. They swell to almost twice their size but quickly dry to original size. Makes them feel almost new and very easy to work with. Then I'll install them into the airbox and fit that over the carbs, while still off the bike, for a day. They will take a good set and makes it a lot easier to put back on when you're ready. This is, of course, if you can't install the airbox and carbs as a unit. I also put a thin coat of Vaseline on the inside of the manifold boots to help the carbs slide in more easily. Never lube the air box boots as Nessism says. Just the intake boots.

Oh and if you want to learn new cuss words, try R&R a set of KZ550 carbs. Best advice is to try to talk someone else into doing it for you.

I wiped my boots in wintergreen, put them in a plastic bag,to subdue the smell a bit and put them away somewhere safe. That was about 3 years ago. No idea where they are! I had to buy 4 new boots for my build!!!!!!

On stubborn fitment of the carbs to the intake manifold, I found very light great on outside flanges aided getting the carbs to fit to the manifold, again especially on a 550 as you can have trouble or slip a spinal disc trying to get the carbs on the manifold. Never had near as much difficulty on the 1000.