Can someone explain the wet set in a simpler way

I have read the write up on wet setting the floats. I am really confused about it. I know you have to keep adjusting the tang until you get the right heights. I have searched eBay for the rulers and can't find them. Len probably has them.I don't have the tubes with marking on them. If some one could just put everything in easier to understand Terms that would be great. Are their specific dimensions on the carbs rack to make or what. 85 xj700 thanks

 

you can go to any hardware store and buy a ruler with a pocketclip slide. it will measure in 64ths of an inch you use that to measure float height with carb up side down to see how much you moved the float. write start height and each change. 1/64 equals .3968mm
or you can buy a caliper at the auto parts store measures in mm or inch.
on the side of the carb measure down from the carb bowl carb top joint (carb mixing chamber body edge) bowl to your ideal spec put a scratch there
my spec for a 550 is 2mm below +- 1mm

brefore starting drain some fuel out of bowls to make sure they are not over filled
insert tube into port on carb (you will need an adaptor for this. carbs must be level.)
measure height for carb 1 in middle of bowl then check the height (for carb 1) on carb 4 should be same height . this means your carbs are level.
check the 3 remaining carbs using bowl 1 or 4 as your referance point you can put a peice of tape to mark there. the level is the bottom curve of the gasoline.
drain some fuel again and remeasure.
if fuel level is high bend tang slightly towards top of carb. this will move float down towards bottom of carb
if low bend to wards bottom of carb
small bend will move float a lot. measure float height to confirm change
assemble carb recheck.

 

this is the tang you bend

you can go to walmart and buy a ruler in the stationary dept inches one side mm the other

 

You don't so much bend the tang as give it a little tweak.

 

I like to take a sharp instrument and scribe a mark on the bowl at the target fuel height. Then I don't need to keep measuring.

 

Can you wet set without the pvc stand

 

Yes. I have done it using a large C-clamp and a bench vice. The C-clamp goes on the lower (or upper; your choice) rack bracket and is used to fix the left-right level. The C-clamp goes in the vice, and the vice sets the fore-aft level. You can also make a fixture out of wood. The PVC stand simply makes the job of keeping the carbs level much easier, and allows better access to the float bowls.

 

Writing from experience, I took the time to build the pvc stand and it has made working on all aspects of the carbs much easier. Just make it tall enough so you can get a screwdriver onto the float bowl screws from below.

 

Yeah I am probably gonna build the stand but could you really do anything as long as it is level.