Topic: carb removal

[gto_ron]

At the advice of several members I'm rebuilding the carbs on my 76 750K.  It looks like the carbs have never been off the engine.  How do I get the carb rack loose from the rubbers going to the head?  I don't want to damage the rubber but the rack is stuck solid.  Is there a trick to it?

Ron

[flybox1]

Remove your gas tank.
 Get your airbox off and out. 
Remove the throttle cables from the carb bell mechanism.
Loosen all the engine side carb boot clamps.
Sit on your bike. Gloves on...
Reach down and grab the ends of your carb, and with a roll up and roll down motion, wrestle them off...

[brewsky]

+1
You can also heat them up with a hair dryer first

[bjbuchanan]

just wiggle the hell out of them and if you aren't smart you will get a nice knuckle buster

afterwards i take the boots themselves off by just leveraging with a screwdriver. don't be ham fisted but the components are tough

[mac_48]

it takes a while so don't get discouraged... I don't know if it was smart or not but I used a broom handle made of soft wood to pry them off a bit in combination with the previous suggestion

[Bailgang]

You can also heat them up with a hair dryer first

+1 on that. You can also use a heat gun so long as you don't let it get too hot.

[ekpent]

Big +3 on the heat gun. I get them good and hot and the rubber softens up nicely. Use a little lube and heat when you put them back on. I only loosen the clamps up by carbs and use the Flybox style with Gloves,when they pop off you may appreciate that protection 

[gto_ron]

thanks all,

 I used everyones' tips, the carbs are off and my knuckles aren't bleeding.

Ron

[Thousandson]

I took my carbs off a few months ago. I'm kinda bummed, I wish I put a cloth rag over the starter cover I have some nice pretty dents on the cover now. Back to the bench to flatten them out.

I also put the carbs back on, with a 1" ratchet strap all the way around the motor, and lubed the inside of the boots and the aluminum inlets with some air tool oil. worked pretty well, no heat required.

[mac_48]

Before you try to put them back on, I'd soak the carb boots in a wintergreen oil and xylene 50/50 mix for a day or two to restore the rubber.  It makes the rubber like new and will make it way easier to slide the carbs back on.  Also, if they swell up when they soak don't worry about it because they will shrink back to normal size.

[flybox1]

My 350f's carbs slid on easy.
My K8's won't go on without a little lube and a ratchet strap.

[Tugboat]

+1 on the wintergreen/xylene trick. Works a treat!