Carburetor Installation

One of the most annoying things that plagues V-4 owners is how to easily install the carburetors. This question has haunted the minds of SabMaggers since the beginning. No one has been able to come up with a solution. Until Now!!

Previously, the advice given was as follows:
1     Use a big screwdriver with a thick sock wrapped around it as a wedge. Find places on the frame or wherever to provide the correct leverage.
2    For removal, loosen the clamps holding the boots to the carburetors, but not the ones holding the boots to the engine. Getting them out is relatively easy.
3      To get them in, put the back carburetor in first.
4    Heat up (with a blow dryer) or lubricate the boots with silicon spray or a light oil. This will make it easier to slip the carburetors in.
5    Carefully use the above mentioned screwdriver to push the carburetors back and down at the same time.
6    Inspect frequently the fit into the boots to make sure they are not crimping or jamming.
7    You may have to loosen the clamps holding the boots to the engine, depending on how temperamental the carburetors are being at the time.
Ok, the above does not seem that easy. And it is not. But there is a better way. Read on!

One Day I sat with the dreaded carb insertion ahead of me and thought:   "If McGuyver can sink an aircraft carrier with nothing but a plate of week old Jello and a pocket knife why did I find it so difficult to stick in a set of carbs? I have never had this much of a problem sticking anything else in! I've never had to go through such lengths as hours of wheedling, contorting, begging, and all the rest, just to stick a large diameter object in a reluctant hole.
    Well, I wasn't going to let this defeat me! All out war was declared, and I looked around the garage in a vain attempt to find something that might have helped. Then I got a flash! What if I tied the $#&*@! thing down! So I took one of those tie-downs. One of those adjustable nylon strap ones, with a crankable metal tensioner. Yes, the actual ones used to tie the bike down to the trailer. First I stuck in the rear carbs.
    Then I took the tie strap. Hooking it up carefully to the right hand side of the bike, looping around the front of the carbs, and then around to the left hand side. It wrapped around the little nubs at the front of the carbs.
Then I cranked it tight! (its always good to have it tight, but not too tight) I cranked it just enough that all I had to do was press down lightly on the top of the airbox, and..insertion! It made that sound!!! You know the sound!! The indescribable sound that you get upon that initial penetration! I looked around, expecting to have broken something. It couldn't be this easy. I expected torn boots, broken carb bodies, cracked pistons, bent valves, and all the other horrors. But there were none. It went perfect!

The Photos Below Describe the process. First, stick the rear carbs in the boots. Make sure all the boot holding bolts are loose.

Far view. First hook one of the S-hooks to a convenient spot on the frame.	In the close-up view, you can see where I hooked the strap onto the frame. I didn't think it was a good Idea to hook it up to one of the brazed eyelets, just in case the weld was not strong enough. Thus, a frame hookup.	Note the place where it hooks around the carbs. I think these nubs were put there on purpose to allow for this type of connection. Be careful not to trap anything important between the strap and anything else!
Far view of the left hand side. I put a towel over the auxiliary tank to prevent scratching.	It was looped around the left hand side of the carbs, again using the nubs.	The final hookup is again to the frame. I again chose not to hook it up to any welded pieces, for fear of breaking them off.

After the strap is hooked up, just tighten it a little. Then just press down on the front top of the airbox and it should go in very easily. If not, just tighten the strap a little more! And don't forget- You owe me a beer for this one!

FAQ
I have a 1984 V65 Sabre with under 17K miles. I saw your tie-down strap method for installing the carb assembly, would this same method help in the removal of the carbs?
Absolutely! This method will work for any of the V-4 family.

The rubber connector boots are very stiff and probably original. What about cutting one or more connecting boots and replacing all four prior to installation.
Since you seem to think you need to 'replace' the boots anyway, cutting them may be best. They are not that expensive mail order, I always keep some spares around. Usually, a large, long screwdriver (with a sock around it) wedged between the block and the carbs will allow enough leverage to pry up & out the carbs.