Rubber carb boot installation

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Anthony Cording

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Jun 26, 2018
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Hi my first post, new access member. I have just finished restoring a 1971 Roadster with one last thing to do. Install the rubber airbox boots, have tried, airbox out, boots installed on face plate and carb, but no luck sliding the airbox in. Any advice before I try again.
 
Welcome to the forum. I'm newish...joined in December '17.
My bike came with a single Amal setup, stock air filter Ham-Can. It is still a struggle even with the single...can't imagine how hard it must be for the dual.
Basically, my technique is to place the filter casing on bike, carb
mounted, then compress, squish lever, jam the boot in between the gap, getting it started over the carb flange and levering with blunt object like a popsicle stick and also a blunted angled rod like a dental pick shape to help hooking under the lip etc. I find levering/proding one side then the other eventually gets it seated all way around. A little WD40 can help. I've been quite impressed at how much abuse the boot takes in my
frustrated attempts...can't believe it may be original 45+ yrs old!
 
Anthony Cording said:
Hi my first post, new access member. I have just finished restoring a 1971 Roadster with one last thing to do. Install the rubber airbox boots, have tried, airbox out, boots installed on face plate and carb, but no luck sliding the airbox in. Any advice before I try again.
Click to expand...
 
As other have told you, you are on the wrong forum. That being said, take the carbs off at the head. Fit the boots to the air cleaner. Fit the carbs back on with the retaining ring attached to the carb. Works like a charm.
John in Texas
 
Anthony Cording said:
Hi my first post, new access member. I have just finished restoring a 1971 Roadster with one last thing to do. Install the rubber airbox boots, have tried, airbox out, boots installed on face plate and carb, but no luck sliding the airbox in. Any advice before I try again.
Click to expand...
Leave carbs on engine. Place boots on filter plate. Install front filter plate. Install rear plate, filter and screen while pushing front plate towards engine. The rubber boots will allow enough movement to easily install these.
 
I’ve done it a couple of ways. I have the big air box. You can get a narrow version. The easiest way is to instal carbs into boots. The way described in the manual is doable, but as Elton said you need plenty of lube.
 
Beach said:
Leave carbs on engine. Place boots on filter plate. Install front filter plate. Install rear plate, filter and screen while pushing front plate towards engine. The rubber boots will allow enough movement to easily install these.
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I do a variation of this method. I have an assistant pull the front backing plate toward the engine with the boots on while I insert the filter with its surround from the right side; takes less than 3 minutes, but may require revisiting the fitment of the boots. Be aware that it's easy to cut up your fingers doing this as the surround and the front backing plate have relatively sharp edges.
 
Take the lid from a tin can, place it over the hole in the air cleaner and fit the boot to the carb. Position the boot correctly and slide the piece of tin out. Some lube helps.

And yes, it is a pain in the ass and then you will probably find out your boots last for about a season and you will start wondering what else you can put in there. Make sure the lube is rubber compatible.
 
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