Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods hacking box for pod filters?

ok just curious what i would need other then the pod filters if i was to hack my box up. or is that all i would need since i am keeping the rest of the box? just curious of engine breather and things of that sort. thanks guys

Frank

If you hack it up enough to make room for the pod filters, about all the airbox is good for then is supporting the side covers. If you could see what the parts to the freak looked like, you'd probly rip out the box all together and make a bracket, not much to it really...
But anyway, you have to cut a LOT out. I'd consider maybe getting a carb support brace (bellacorse) to hold those carbs up, maybe some heavy intake boots too. Engine breather and krankvent aren't a bad idea either...
Did I make sense?

yea. i wasnt aware of how much i had to chop out. i didnt know it was really that much. this sux. i was hoping to geta box cheap on ebay but now i wish i would fo asked before bidding. oh well

Frank

Since we're on the subject, lemme ask --

So a buddy of mine did the NARK on his Bonnie, and I got to see what the "FREAK" really is... and it's just a metal bracket to hold the carbs in place. Is there anything preventing me from, say, just getting that carb support brace from bellacorse, getting the K&Ns, and tearing out the airbox? (with the rebreather, of course)...

I dont' want to pay $300 for an over-engineered support brace, but I'd love to put the K&N pods on. What gives?

--Jaeger

Jaeger,
I know of a few members that have done exactly what you are asking and it looks a ton better then the old fake cheese graters and the engine seems to run better as well. The only problem is that if you take the whole box out you have to modify the side cover, as well as find a new way to support it. I know one of the members here offered to help me do this this winter but I haven’t gotten around to it. I am not sure he wants to be overwhelmed with questions so I will ask him to take a look at this thread and comment.
Later
Sebastian

Frank, the pod filters are approx 6 inches long right, so take a look at the bike and picture cutting away at least 6 inches of the airbox...

Jaeger, the NARK and FREAK are different, never seen the NARK, but I know the airboxes are quite different. Aside from a carb support bracket, it also supports the side covers, the fuse box, etc, and there's a second "bracket" that's more like a mud flap. So there is a little more to it... but yeah it would be easiy to make one too.

I've got everything to make carb brackets and such but....
NO WAY! NO HOW! is Nancy gonna let me tear down her TBA
to spec these out. So if someone can draw up the specs
on parts I'll make them.

I'll see what I can do... But if anyone else wants to, feel free.

That would be great. Now... before ANYONE gets mad at me,
I am not trying to compete nor steal business from anyone.
I make good money at my current business. This is hobby,
help good people stuff I'd like to do. As I make anything,
it will be on a break even basis. O.K.?

Cool!

Yes, I realize the NARK and FREAK are different (hence their different names), and the Bonnies and the BA/SMs are different, but the overall function is largely the same. I've pulled my bike apart enough to realize that while haveing a pre-fabricated rig would be nice, paying that ****** much money (about $200 for the frame itself, not including the $100 for the filters and rebreather -- I dont' care about the toolbox) for essentially a metal box... I dunno. I appreciate that someone went and measured it all out and fabbed it up, but the price doesn't seem commensurate with the product. *shrug*

So yes, I'd be very interested if someone came up with an "air frame/mudguard" that ignores the toolbox and all that, and simply functions as a brace for all the innards.

--Jaeger

I had a backfire and poped my box so I went ahead and hacked it up. All I need to do now is support the carbs. The mud flap and all that is still in tact and the side covers attach okay. I did leave the cheese graters off and I like the way it looks that way. When I make a bracket Ill be happy to share.

The Freak holds the carbs up, provides a place to hang the crankcase breather filter and holds the cheese graters. That much isn't hard to duplicate. The part that takes a bit if fitting is the bit that holds the side cover and starter solenoid in place. Oh, don't forget the cross bracing that also supports the little toolbox. If you relocate the solenoid and do something about the side cover, maybe mount a real oil tank there and use it to feed a Scott oiler (That would last a very long time!) the design work could be a lot simpler.

Heh, an additional galon of fuel would be nice too, though I'm sure that'd be a pain to do the plumbing. Interesting idea, tho... take the current airbox and simply hack out the parts you dont' need, then use as storage... hmmm...

--Jaeger

Jaeger,

I don't know if this is what you're talking about, but I designed a box to move the battery in place of the airbox when I put the K&Ns on. This was pre-Freak. Lately, though, I've been wondering if by moving the battery I've unbalanced the bike slightly. Anyway, my design doesn't use the stock covers at all and I've yet (in over 3 years) to build custom side covers. I'd always envisioned doing some like the ones Case made for Bruiser.

I'm still running the prototype, which is made from steel not sheetmetal. I had toyed with the idea of redesigning in sheet metal or sheet aluminum and marketing it, but the Freak beat me to it and I had other things to do. I may yet redesign it for myself. The current box is tough and works great, but it's awfully heavy and looks like he|| due to some unanticipated modifications during fabrication. I didn't care at the time because the plan was always to cover it up. I'd probably just junk it and get the Freak if I had the money laying around. But I could rebuild mine for a fraction of the cost.



The two silver coupling nuts welded to the near side is where the ignition switch mounts (roughly in the stock location), and the fuse box mounts just to the left of that. Also, I made a little strap that supports the carbs and bolts to the top engine mount. I don't think I have any pictures of that.

Full gallery

Battery box album

Ok, first I just gotta say that "Bruiser" is gorgeous! Wow. I doubt I'll ever get to that stage of custom, but D^MN. That's tremendous.

As for the "box" -- I'm wondering if there's an even simpler solution... bellacorse sells the "carb braces" for virtually nothing, and they're obviously enough to support the carbs and K&Ns. After that... I mean, How much is there really to support? For that matter, if you REALLY wanted to kludge the system, you could ziptie stuff together... ok, ok -- not elegant, and your back tire will spray crap on the inards of your bike, but still!

Currently I'm contemplating buying a "donor" airbox on ebay really cheap and then hacking it to bits to see if I can get the back and stides to stay, but then get tke K&Ns to fit... tee hee hee...

What advantages are there to moving the battery, anyway? From what you're saying if it unbalances the bike... not very encouraging.

Also: where can I get one of those tractor saddles?!? Those things RULE!!!

--Jaeger

I have the bellacorse carb brace, works great!

Benny --

Ok, did you keep any of the airbox? (I.e., the back mud guard, the mounts for the fuses, etc?)

--Jaeger

I have an airbox that I switched out before I bought the bike. Contact me if you want it. It even has the original new filter.......Angelis

Nope, never thought to preserve any bits, I guess I figured it was all or nothing. I didn't have a left yet at the time, so I hacked mine up to get it out.

Benny --

Ok, so does that mean your air filters are essentially left exposed to your rear tire? If so, had problems wiht it?

--Jaeger

Frank,
I removed the airbox, mounted a gel battery sideways under the seat, and installed pod filters. I didn't use any support brackets for the carbs and have not had any problems (and I ride alot of miles). Also that mud flab doesn't make much difference as far as your filters getting dirty. My battery mount bracket doubles as a mud flap anyway.
You might get ahold of boogieman, he has some piping that directs the pod filters forward, looks cool too.
good luck

Jaeger, no I have the Freak wich comes with a mudflap-ish thing. I plan on modifying it sometime... Make it a little sturdier.

i think i am just going to wait and see if the freak comes down in price, someone designes another option as nice as the freak, or i just have the money and buy the freak lol

Frank