Topic: Carb installation/removal easily

[DammitDan]

Anyone have a recommended method of installing/removing carbs easily with the stock airbox?  On my '82 CB650 it's a real pain in the ass to work with, since there's only half an inch or so of space to work with once I get everything put together.  So how does everyone else do it?

My method right now for removal is to pull the carbs back into the airbox boots, take off the intake rubbers, pull the carb body forward and remove the airbox sleeves.  Then I pull it down and out to the left.  Took me 10 minutes tops.

As for installation, I have no clue.  The last time I tried, it took me 3 hours to get the things back on (and it was a pretty haphazard job, too).  There's gotta be a method for reinstalling them...  And doing the removal steps in reverse doesn't seem to cut it!

[Gordon]

On the 750 and 550 at least, the air box has to come out first and go in last.  This gives you plenty of room to get the carbs in and out, but there is no "easy" method.   

[Bob Wessner]

On the 750 and 550 at least, the air box has to come out first and go in last.  This gives you plenty of room to get the carbs in and out, but there is no "easy" method.

Ditto, job is bad enough with the airbox out of the way, wouldn't even want to consider trying it any other way. 

[DammitDan]

Are the airboxes on the 750 and 550 molded to fit around the frame?  It doesn't seem possible to take the airbox out first on the 650 cause it's fat in the middle, with 2 skinny molded places for the frame to seat into, and fat on the outside.  And it's simply not flexible enough to bend around those recessed moldings!

[Bob Wessner]

I can only speak to the 750 myself. Once you have dropped the lower half and filter, the top half unbolts from the frame and is easily removed. No mold-to-fit issues, at least on the earlier 750's.

[jime]

ok what i did for my 650 is thisafter detaching from both intake and airbox boots pulll the carbs down about halfway on the boots slide and shimmy out the left side while pulling back on the airbox at the same time you can do thiis by sitting above them after taking your seat off..just be careful not to rip the boots...turning them down forward helps a bit also..installation is about the same but you will squish the air boots a little until you get  the carbs seated in the intake boots then straighten out the airbox boots....it's a little rough but it is the only way i found works

[CharlieVT]

My 74 CB500 has a one piece airbox. I don't believe you can remove the airbox before removing the carbs. I have only removed and replace the carbs once but expect to be doing it again. I would like to find an easier way to do it.
What I did: pushed the rubber couplings that connect the airbox to the carbs back into the airbox. Then I pulled the carbs back of the couplings that attach to the intake manifold.
The install was basically the opposite: with the air filter and the airfilter box removed I pushed the couplings from the airbox onto the carbs.
It was a knucke-busting PITA, and I hope to learn an easier way.

[TwoTired]

From memory and for the CB500/550:
Remove completely the band clamps for the rear rubber couplers on the carbs.  Loosen the band clamps for the front rubber couplers only on the carb end.  The air filter box frame mounting bolts must be removed so the filter and air box can move rearward about 1/2 inch or so.
Remove throttle cables, disconnect bottom hoses and fuel line.
Disconnect engine breather hose and move it out of the way.
Work the rear rubber couplers off the carbs at the rear.  Fold the bottom of them in on itself so the rear of the carbs may move down.
Twist the carb bank down in the rear and pull them back out of the front rubber couplers simultaneously.  The rear couplers will crush some with the band clamps gone.
Once the carbs are out of the front couplers work the bank sideways out the left side of the bike mashing the rear couplers out of the way as needed. The rear rubber couplers are thin wall, more compliant, and flop around way more than the front ones.  With them yielding, and the 1/2 to 3/4 inch gain from moving the air and filterbox rearward, you get just enough room the get the carb bank out.

Going back in is pretty much the reverse.  Using a wedge or tying the air plenum and filter box rearward eases installation.  Leave those rear band clamps completely off the bike.  Push the carb bank in from the left side and work them across,  almost ignoring the rear rubber couplers until the carbs are aligned with the front couplers.  Then wiggle them home into the front rubber couplers.
I use a dull pointed "L" shaped scriber to guide the rear rubber couplers onto the rear carb throat nipples in the same fashion tires are mounted onto rims.
Push the air/filter box forward and reinstall all the band clamps on front and rear of carbs.
Reinstall filterbox fame mount bolts.
Reinstall hoses.
Reinstall throttle cables.
Bandage knuckles.

[Dennis]

From memory and for the CB500/550:

Remove completely the band clamps for the rear rubber couplers .....
Going back in is pretty much the reverse. ........

Bandage knuckles.

 

Two of the finer points I seem to have missed!

[jdpas29]

i learned a GREEEEAT trick for getting the carbs on and off easily... at least after the airbox was not an issue (i have pods)...

i found at first that it was a real pain in the hiney to get the carbs off and even worse to get them back on.  the remedy i found was to loosen two of the rubber boots on one side from the block(motor)  and on the other side from the carb bodies.... especially when putting them back on because of the angle that the boots are at.  putting the carbs back on is easy as pie if you use this method.

[robermcm]

CB550k - I used TwoTired's method this weekend and it worked great as compared to the first time I took the carbs off without any advice (hours of pain and wasted effort).  Just be sure to hold the front of the carbs even to the face of the intake manifolds and work the soft rubber on the airbox aside s-l-o-w-l-y.  Remove towards the kick starter (right).