Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods Carb removal

I bought a new set of pipes for my 02 TBA but need to get the carbs off to re-jet. Can't be done on the bike. I am too cheap to buy a shop manual. Can anyone give me the quick and dirty instructions?

Thanks,

Ted

Check out the very first sticky thread in this forum, and also the "how-to" section of the tech vault. All your questions will be answered. It can be done on the bike, but get yourself some allen head screws first.

Benny: thanks for your reply. It is late and I get more stupid the longer I am awake, but I found nothing in the places that you sent me that helped. I can certainly take off the top of the carbs, but these pipes require removal of the float bowls and I have never seen a hand small enough to remove all four screws from the float bowl of an 02 TBA. God knows, I tried.

Ted

Carb Guru's site

Yeah they are tough... Grump hooked you up with a link, I like to make people look a little first It is possible, but a true PITA to get the bowls off without pulling the carbs. Pat's site will give you some great info.

Jetting can be done with the carbs installed but it is a little difficult, especialy if you have "Gorrilla" hands like me. I did mine with them installed.As a mechanic, I have a good selection of tools, so that helped. And I would recommend #2 APEX Phillips tip. I use these to remove even stripped screws. They grab great because of there design. Also check The Jetting calculator on Dinquas site. Helped me out enormously! Good luck

Its a little more work but I found it easier to pull the carbs out using Pat's destructions. Its easier cause you can see exactly what you are doing. Just a bit more effort to take out the allens under the fender that hold the airbox in place.

The first time I changed the jets I took the carbs off and also changed over to the Allen head carb screws ($6 from Brent). Now that I know where everything is, and have the non strippable Allen head screws on the float bowls, it's much easier to just leave the carbs on. A flexible screwdriver shaft with interchangeable tips makes the job a snap.

Well, I am a day older, but the night is younger so I am less stupid. Upon further review, Pat's site gives me the destructions I need to pull the carbs. I salute those of you that are capable of pulling the float bowls off with the carbs installed. Beyond me, thats for sure.

Thanks for all the great help!

Ted

'Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both'.
-Benjamin Franklin

Nice quotes! Love Ben Franklin.
I was able to pull the bowls without removing, but ask Mark how many new and reatice curses excaped my mouth...
Where on the cape are you?

You can get a tool from Sears that makes the job of unscrewing the float bowls much easier:

Craftsmen 5 piece ratchet set

It can be tough finding the metric bits that fit the allen heads from Brent though. I picked up a bit set from a local used tool store for $8.50 that has about 30 different bits in all shapes and sizes. You can also put a #2 phillips bit in it to get the stock screws out.

Before I bought this, I took a 3mm allen wrench and cut it where it bends. Then I took a pair of needle vise grips and clamped the now straight piece of allen head wrench in it and used that to tighten/loosen the float bowl screws.

Quick & dirty??? Try a DeWalt saw...You can have those babies off in seconds.