Installing the Air Box - Tie It Up!

On 1/29/2003, in a post entitled "Air box - my installation solution", Gryphon Rider wrote:
"The problem is the six rubber tubes are splayed out wider than the frame rails, and most of us only have two hands to hold them in. Tie one end of a length of string around the bottom of one end tube. Now bend the first tube and the opposite one together and wrap the second a couple of times before bending the next pair together, working the string from tube to tube until all six tubes are "hog tied." Insert your air box and loosen the string to allow the tubes to pop back in place. At this point it might be helpful to use your ratchet tie down technique to help make the final connections to the carbs, but I managed without."

BTW this is the first time that I have removed and installed the air box.. This simple method permitted me to do it without any problems. Thanks Griphon Rider!

Slip Into Frame

With the rubber tubes tied up, it was very easy to slip the air box into the frame.

Strap It Down

After cutting the strings (in order to release the air box tubes), I used a ratchet tie down to pull the air box tightly against the manifolds.
I also fastened the bolt at the back of the air box to the frame.

Notes:

Everything went well and much easier than I had imagined. The next time that I will do this task, I will lubricate the tip of the air box tubes in order to ease their connection to the manifold.
Since it was hard and brittle, the sealant around the six rubber tubes on the exterior of the air box cracked. I have been told that everything seals OK without any sealant. I therefore didn't do anything about it and installed as is.

Hats Off to Þrúðr

For patiently answering my numerous air box questions.