'82 GS550L carb bank is a tight fit!

[Plutoid]

And tips or tricks that make getting them in/out less of a wrestling match? Do you mount them on the airbox side or the engine side first?

[5150/gs]

Lube,ratchet straps,long screwdriver,and a ton of creativity and patience,do a search on it,many posts on this one lol.
Easy route?pods n dynojet kit and just as much frustration tuning with plug chops.
Never had mine off when i owned my 82 550l thank god,prolly would have run better tho and i still be riding it had this site been around then.

[Plutoid]

Lube,ratchet straps,long screwdriver,and a ton of creativity and patience,do a search on it,many posts on this one lol.
Easy route?pods n dynojet kit and just as much frustration tuning with plug chops.
Never had mine off when i owned my 82 550l thank god,prolly would have run better tho and i still be riding it had this site been around then.

I'd love to have put pods on it but I'm not trying to sink too much money into it. I think I'll probably sell it by spring.

This fit problem has got me banging my head against the wall. The two middle holes on the air box keep pressing in so that even if I get the outer two on I'm still hosed. I had the whole bank seated in the boots and the airbox side didn't want to meet me halfway. *irk irk irk!!!*

I can't seem to find any helpful tips. Do you know where I might look?

[loud et]

I have the same bike, and have been very lucky with the on and off thing.
1- definately use a little lube of some sort, just a light coat will help both sides go on easier.
I put the carbs onto the cylinder head side first, not buried all the way in, just half way so the carbs are made to stay a little closer to the airbox.
You must unbolt the airbox from the frame. Its a larger bolt near the starter cylinoid and I think 2 screws from above. then pust the whole airbox assembly into the carbs. make sure its all lined up as best you can, focusing on lips of the inner two arirbox boots so they are not bunched up.
After you get them on push the whole aibrox and carbs into the cylinder head boots as a unit.
***I found it waayyy easier to hook up the throttle cable while the carbs are just resting in the opening before you install it into the boots. It lets you twist the carb bank around a bit to get the cable in.
You can also try to lightly heat the carb boots with a hair dryer and stretching them a little bit just to give some releif to them being so tight right before you slip them on.

[Plutoid]

I managed to get them in after about two hours of swearing at 'em. I read your comment a little late, of course. :\ I did like you said, and seated the carbs part way into the engine side, unbolted the air box, fought like hell with the middle two boots on the air box side but FINALLY got them to seat. I used a broom handle to lever the whole airbox/filter/electrical assembly forward while shaking the carbs in. When I got the thing bolted back in it all sandwiched back together. I didn't put the throttle cable on though. I remember that being a PITA last time, also. I did pick up a pair of long handled angle pliers though.

I still say this thing is designed all stupid. If I still have it next year I'm doing pods and jets. Harumph!!!

Thanks for the extremely useful info!

[Steve]

***I found it waayyy easier to hook up the throttle cable while the carbs are just resting in the opening before you install it into the boots. It lets you twist the carb bank around a bit to get the cable in.

To make it even easier to handle the throttle cable:

If you are removing the carbs, slip them out of place and to the side about half a cylinder, rotate them back just a bit. Pull the throttle wide open, stick a finger in the opening to jam the butterfly wide open. The end of the throttle cable is handily out in the open, remove the cable from the pulley. Continue removing the carbs.

If you are putting the carbs back in, slide them almost to their proper position (about half a cylinder off-center), pull the throttle wide open, stick a finger in the opening to jam the butterfly wide open. The throttle pulley is handily out in the open, just waiting for cable insertion. Insert cable, continue putting the carbs into the proper position.

.

[Flyboy]

'82 GS550L carb bank is a tight fit!

Yes they are.....
Your vocabulary will be exponentially more colourful by the time you are done.