Time for new boots

[Burque73]

Hey guys. I'm getting ready to order the airbox boots and new clamps all around for my '83 850G. My question is about the Ring which is #9 in this fiche. Is that a reusable part or should it be replaced as well.

Thanks for any input.

[Charlie G]

They are reusable.

[Burque73]

Sweet, thank you.

[bwringer]

Yep, it's just a steel spring ring.

[Burque73]

I got the new airbox boots installed today. May make a difference, may not. Peace of mind is worth the effort though. The old ones were pretty pliable which surprised me.

Last time I had things apart I cut small strips of bicycle inner tube and wrapped the intake boots in order to continue using clamps that had bottomed out. It sorta worked but new clamps were installed today (without inner tube strips).



New clamps, now onto the airbox...



I tried a redneck repair on these as well that didn't work. Old clamps stretched out so I wrapped them with a couple layers of electrical tape trying to make do. The tape bunched up and slid, probably creating a leak.



I couldn't find any info on the airbox in my manual. The "hoses" as the parts diagram calls them are not straight. There's an offset about a quarter inch in each hose. I had applied a few drops of silicone lube to each hose and was able to turn them after installing into the airbox in order to align them to the carbs.



I could see by holding the carbs up to the hoses which way to turn them for the best fit, then install the retainer ring inside. If they are rotated wrong I could see how this would make reinstalling the airbox very difficult, possibly creating an air leak.



Just about back together now. A few more drops of silicone lube made assembling everything a real breeze! That and having new rubber. No ratchet strap, no 2x4's or busted knuckles, LOL!



Ah, completion! Time for a ride...

[2BRacing]

Well, now you are set for the next 35 years with the new boots! Your "trick" of using bicycle tube around the inlet boots for stretched clamps is very clever!

The airbox boots have index marks on them for correct placement in the airbox (see the index marks circled in yellow). The pics and part numbers are for my 1981 model 850, so not sure if your 1983 model will be similar.

The airbox also has index marks for alignment of the boots. However, I cannot remember if the marks on the airbox are at 12 o' clock, or maybe 3; 6 or 9 o' clock, and if all 4 marks are in the same orientation (maybe different left to right?).

It sure looks like you found the correct orientation by turning the boots until they matched the carbs. Happy riding!

EDIT: Just looked at the parts fiches for 1981 vs 1983 models, and noted that your 1983 model takes all 4 boots of same part number, and not 2 x LH and 2 x RH like the 1981 model. However, the index marks should still be on the boots/airbox.

[Burque73]

Boy, that's good to know. Looking at the pic I took there are what could be index marks. I may have fumbled through it but eventually wound up in the right spot. Sometimes it's good to see why things fit together the way they do instead of just doing it the way I'm told.

In hind sight I should have just asked like I did with the spring ring. Which by the way is not in the 81 model.

Oh, thanks for the compliment as well, Ben. I used some inner tube to tighten the crush rubbers on the V-Strom when I changed the chain and sprockets. Pretty handy stuff to have around.