Snoffulifigus looking Air Cleaner Housing

[pancho]

Man,,, that air cleaner housing installation…. By the time you finally get it to the place where you KNOW that every tube is seated correctly and all breather tubes are on, you don’t know if you want to start drinking, go to church to praise the lord, or take it back off so you can do it again!!!!   What a piece of work.

[Patrick]

It gets easier the more you do it, well, somewhat easier.  And, its one of many reasons to start drinking ! 

[JaysGone]

It gives you a good reason to want to tie something up.
Then go have a drink..........or 3

[Bigun]

yep done it 3 times in the last week trying to sort out my interstate after the motor swap. Would pay to have 5 min alone with the engineer that designed that nightmare.

[Brian]

The biggest hassle is getting the hoses on the carbs correctly. I agree that it does test your religion. The last time I did it the carb intakes were not attached to the head and I used a small amount of dielectric grease inside each rubber tube. It seemed to work better this time.

[RP#62]

I've heard it described as like trying to put an octopus in a straight jacket.

-RP

[sandy]

I've heard it described as like trying to put an octopus in a straight jacket.

-RP

Or in this case a septopus.

[CajunRider]

Hey.... it could be worse!! 

2003 Triumph Thunderbird Sport... you have to pull the carb bank to replace the air filter.    

Now THAT is an engineer I'd like to have a talk with!!! 

[JaysGone]

Hey.... it could be worse!! 

2003 Triumph Thunderbird Sport... you have to pull the carb bank to replace the air filter.    

Now THAT is an engineer I'd like to have a talk with!!! 

Id like to hang who ever designed the air filter assembly on my GL1800.
Honda engineers are a sick bunch.
The Valks a piece of cake compared to the 1800.

[al v]

The secret to taking the airbox out is to not be shy about folding the rubber tubes.

The secret to putting in is to zip tie each left side to its corresponding right side. Pull them together until they are vertical. Drop the box in and cut the zip ties. Saw this in one of dags videos. Works great.

Do the desmog and you eliminate 1 of the 3 hoses. Use needle nose pliers to push the clear hose on.

[HayHauler]

Hey.... it could be worse!! 

2003 Triumph Thunderbird Sport... you have to pull the carb bank to replace the air filter.    

Now THAT is an engineer I'd like to have a talk with!!! 

Id like to hang who ever designed the air filter assembly on my GL1800.
Honda engineers are a sick bunch.
The Valks a piece of cake compared to the 1800.

+1 Jay.  PITA. 

Hay
Jimmyt

[Oklahoma_Valk]

Put a 2x4 across the top of the air box (with the lid on)

throw a ratchet strap over the board, and hook it under the valve cover on the engine guard on both sides. Crank it down until the boots line up correctly.

Personally, I put allen bolts in the clamps instead of the phillips head bolts. The phillips head bolts are a big part of the problem.

If you can find a dental mirror, it will help to view the back side of each boot. The boots often catch on the lip on the back side, and dont slide down correctly. Warming the boots with a heat gun will also help the process.

[Russell Rice]

I have never had any problems with the air breather box. I for one do not think I would rachet strap  the air box down in no way shape or form. If it dont fit, force it, is no way to treat a lady. I have had my air box off and plenty of other air boxes of other bikes and have never had to force one off or back on. I am not bragging, I just cant seem to understand why so many have such a hard time doing this. I do take the coils off the left side gives me a little more room to work on it.

[vic]

I've never had a problem with the airbox either but like a previous post in this thread says, "you can't be shy about bending the rubber tubes".   I bend the left (clutch side) tubes in first then bend in the right (brake lever) side.  The adhesive at the junction of the rubber tubes-to-airbox is Honda Handgrip Cement.....not sealant.  So bending these tubes doesn't seem to harm anything.

And I agree with another post in this thread, if you think the Valk airbox is hard, count yourself lucky if you don't have a GL1800 air filter to deal with.  The first time I changed it on my GL1800 was a 4-hour job.  Now I've got it down to around 2+ hours.

[pancho]

I actually did take it back off and did it again!!  I found the second time that if you have the clamps above their seats without the screws in them, it makes getting the backside of the tubes on the carbs correctly much easer.  A dental tool helps. Yes, have the coil out of the way, and the four wiring harness connectors in the boot in front pushed to the right out of the way. Learning process.

[al v]

I take the clamps all the way off so they don't catch on anything. Only takes a minute to put them back on once everything gets into position.

[BobB]

I have used string to tie the clamps snug against the box so that they are out of the way (three strings crossing over the top of the box).  Once all six hoses are in place, cut the strings and let the clamps drop in place.

[Oklahoma_Valk]

I take the clamps all the way off so they don't catch on anything. Only takes a minute to put them back on once everything gets into position.

+1 I do this as well. It's like learning a dance, really. The valkyrie airbox. Sure is nice when you get it back on though....and the beast roars to life!

[Attic Rat]

Out of all of the air boxes that I have had off and that is a lot. I only had one that gave me any trouble. I kept trying to figure out why. Finally I discovered that both frame rails were bent. I replace the lower frame rails and she fit like a glove. I later discovered that the bike had been in an accident causing this problem. I have never had to pull one down with a ratchet strap so if you are having problem stop and figure what is causing this problem

[Denny47]

Have had mine off a couple of times and to me, using a stout twine works good. A 4' piece of plastic baler twine, tie one end around one of the front tubes and then start criss-crossing, when you have the box back down in there just release the one end and start pulling it out. O'reilly's sells a nice small extendable mirror that works well to see behind the carbs.
  I also mark the tubes and the box on the inside just in case the tubes get twisted while installing and then check the marks before I tighten the clamps.