GS450 Airbox install... what is the secret?

[scratch]

Hi all, Midst of a 1980 GS450E rehab... the bike came without an airbox and thought, I'll just hunt down the parts and bring it back to it's factory intended set-up... So, over the winter managed to track down the box, boots & snorkles on ebay.
Now the rest of the bike is ready... carbs are rebuilt, wiring done, brakes, new battery, new tires... all good: Time to install the airbox!
And then, I stopped and pondered: how does this box go back in? Right side? Left side? Square-peg round-hole fumbling... carb boots out, cam chain tensioner out, starter cover out... hmmmm.... battery out, battery box out... hmmm...
wrestling and force are not getting me anywhere.
So... could anyone enlighten me as to how this goes back in? (Hoping that I don't have to pull the motor and no, not going with pods...)
Thanks in advance!

[Steve]

Well, so much for your hopes.

I have never had to do it, but I understand that the airbox goes in from the FRONT.

Yep, where the engine used to be.

Once you get it in, you will be happy you chose to not go with pods.

.

[jsandidge]

I don't know about the 450, but on my 750 I had to remove the carb boots from the head. Also had to remove oil lines and front motor mounts to pivot the motor forward just a little. Even then, it was a very tight squeeze.

[scratch]

I don't know about the 450, but on my 750 I had to....

Totally different animal here... 750 walks itself in by comparison. This is probably a problem unique to solid airbox twins with this frame & motor.

[scratch]

Well, so much for your hopes. I have never had to do it, but I understand that the airbox goes in from the FRONT. Yep, where the engine used to be.
.

Well I'm hoping that someone with GS twin experience will show up with a magic puzzle solution because I really don't want to have to enter her in any immoral or rough way...

So far the spacial geometry indicates to me that it's either: engine out, frame mods or pods
That said, been wrong before and I'm hoping I am again...

[LAB3]

On my 450t I had the battery box out, the carbs off, the cam chain tensioner off and the clutch cable off and out of the way. It seemed to go best by rotating it 90 degrees (at some point) and rather roughly working it in and out the left side of the bike.

[scratch]

On my 450t I had the battery box out, the carbs off, the cam chain tensioner off and the clutch cable off and out of the way. It seemed to go best by rotating it 90 degrees (at some point) and rather roughly working it in and out the left side of the bike.

Thank you... that's encouraging... I'll try removing the clutch cable and try to get in there from the left before pulling the motor... from the right I felt like I was going to crack the box or loose a tab if I applied any more force...

[jsandidge]

Totally different animal here... 750 walks itself in by comparison. This is probably a problem unique to solid airbox twins with this frame & motor.

Well, good luck to you then. If there is any less room than an 83 750E, you will be pulling the motor. It certainly didn't walk itself in, compared to anything.

[Gorminrider]

SHIFT the rear fender out of the way too If you have a rear fender that is ......on my gsx400 twins I have to do this just to get the airbox back enough to get the carbs out...

The fender is two parts =plastic and metal. The plastic part is pretty easy to shift once two small (rusted)bolts are removed from the metal fender...then lift the plastic part out of its sockets and get it back and up as close to the tire as you can ...
It's a real bear to get the airbox in. I think the factory put it in first before anything else .

[Rob S.]

They are all separate animals, but I can tell you the secret to removing an '82 11E airbox. A Dremel.

[scratch]

OK…Turns out, much easier than that 750E… once the right method was sorted it’s a breeze. For anyone who ever needs to do it in the future, here’s the jam:

remove battery
remove battery box
remove carbs
remove carb intake boots
remove cam chain tensioner
remove starter cover
remove sprocket cover and tie up out of the way (you will need to remove upper bolt on left foot peg, loosen lower bolt & remove shift lever)

Enter from the left side... at this point the box will go right in no prob, to get it to rotate and fit into the rear frame triangle correctly I had to remove the left bolt on the left-side electrics mounting plate… that extra 3-4mm made it happen.

Thanks to you Mr LAB3 for steering me in the right direction!

[bwringer]

*sniff* I just love a happy ending!

With GS twins, I've always found that removing or shifting the inner fender is the key to smooth airbox insertion.

There was once, I can't even remember the bike or whether it was a GS, where I heated up one corner of the airbox with a heat gun, then squished the corner slightly against a flat surface. Thus was the completely impossible made possible.

[Rob S.]

...removing or shifting...
I heated up with a heat gun...

OK…it’s a breeze...

remove...
remove...
remove...
remove...
remove...
remove...
remove...
tie up out of the way (you will need to remove upper bolt on left foot peg...
loosen lower bolt...
remove shift lever...

remove the left bolt on the left-side electrics mounting plate…

A breeze!

Like the lost gold of the Incas, the City of Atlantis or the G spot. It just ain't there. It's a myth.

"Honey, can we stop looking now? Or at least take a break?"

[scratch]

A breeze!

Like the lost gold of the Incas, the City of Atlantis or the G spot. It just ain't there. It's a myth.

Sorry, my version of a "breeze" just means there is a known answer to a puzzle... sure there are a few steps but, doing it wasn't difficult, figuring out "how" to do it had me stumped for a bit. But with those steps it went right in... and I just tried to record them for anyone else in the future.

My error was assuming it would not fit in the left side because I discovered it would in no-way go in the right...

Now that's done and I'm off to making mistakes on my other bikes

[Rob S.]

Sorry, my version of a "breeze" just means there is a known answer to a puzzle... sure there are a few steps but, doing it wasn't difficult, figuring out "how" to do it had me stumped for a bit. But with those steps it went right in... and I just tried to record them for anyone else in the future.

A noble gesture. Could you mail the instructions to me in a plain, unmarked envelope? You can name your price.

Thanks,
Rob

PS We are still talking about the G-spot, right? I've got the Dremel, a couple of torque wrenches, an air compressor, a breaker bar, and a rear paddock stand. I assume I'll be needing plenty of WD-40, but are there any specialty tools I need to order?