Installing Airbox on 550 Seca

I've done a search and found a discussion that suggests removing the front engine mount and tilting the engine. That would be in addition to removing the exhaust system.

Somebody else claimed you could remove carbs and squeeze the air box in.

Any further information on this procedure?

Any guides on removing the exhaust system or is it pretty straight forward?

 

Some people have been able to get the airbox in with a minimum of force, but force on plastic this old asking for trouble. I heat the back half of the airbox with a heat gun to soften the plastic enough to fold it up a bit to remove. When I reinstall it I heat it up again to unfold and smooth it out. Gotta be careful.... It's easy to heat too much.

If you move the engine, use a floor jack so you can relieve tension on the mounting bolts.

 

Well I've got the carbs off, seat off, and I can't see how it could go in without removing the engine.

Should I remove the bolts that hold the two triangles that the rear foot rests and exhaust pipes attach to? It seems like if I do that and then remove the highest engine mount bolt (connected to a triangle with two bolts that go into the frame) it should be able to tilt the engine a half inch. Not even that seems like enough room to get the Airbox in.

Maybe I'm looking at this wrong.

Anybody have thoughts?

 

Got it done. Had to remove all of the engine mounts and even then it barely fit. I recorded the process and will post it up.

 

Yes, you're right..... It barely fits. It's that way on all of them. There are ways to do it;

Pull the engine
Move the engine
Cut the box
Heat the box

I prefer heating the box.

Glad you got it, though.

Dave.

 

I've seen videos of people that smack it around, using a mallet, to get it in, but that is very risky...... That plastic is very brittle and can easily break. Glad you got it. Now, the thing to keep in mind is, that normal procedure from a bare frame is;

Install airbox first, then do the rest.

To remove it, the directions are simple:

1. DON'T

If you are doing a resto or frame painting, then you are taking everything off anyway, just take the airbox out last, and when you reinstall, put the airbox in first.

 

Agreed! Thanks. Happy to be on the other side of that job. Excited to get the valves set, put my new battery in and turn it over! Hopefully this week