Airbox reclamation

[97tiger885]

I have completed my first airbox swap.  Let me say "AAAAAAAAAAAGH-Die Motherf......die!"  I feel better now.  My current problem is taking the used airbox apart.  The 10 small black screws along the top and bottom came out easily.  The 4 larger silver screws/bolts on the sides will not come out.  They turn but refuse to back out.  I don't see any nuts inside the box holding them.  I do see some half-round cylinders attached to the rear part of the box that the screws pass through.  They do not spin with the screws.  I know Mustang has taken the box apart and cleaned and/or replaced the filter/screen inside.  Any advice here?  And I could use some detailed advice on cleaning or changing the inner elements.  I searched for Mustang's posts on the subject but couldn't run them down.

[nightrunner]

Interesting.  When I revamped my airbox, all four of those thread bosses (half cylinders) were broken off and I had to glue them back.  So of course the box came apart easily.   It could be there are brass thread inserts in those bosses and they have broken free and are now spinning.  So the two halves wont budge eh?  Try prying apart while turing the screws?  If there are no brass inserts in the bosses then maybe the threads are stripped.

If none of the above helps then maybe use a drill or dremel to grind off the heads of the screws.

[JetdocX]

Same thing happened to me.  Brass inserts spinning.  Cheese failure mode if you ask me.  I suceeded finally by putting extreme tension by prying the halves apart while unscrewing the screws.

[97tiger885]

I lost patience and decided to drill off the heads of the bolts.  That allowed me to separate the box.  There are are inserts in the bosses which had broken free and were spinning.  I only saw two solutions.  The first was to whack the top of the headless bolt hoping I could drive the insert out of the boss.  That, of course, resulted in one broken boss.  The second was to cut off the bolt as close to the top of the boss as possible, drill out the insert and glue in another insert.  At this point, I punted and threw the whole thing in the garbage.  I may take it out and try solution two at some later date.   Thanks for  the input.

[EvilBetty]

I've had that happen on other toys with inserts embedded in plastic.  One trick I used was to hold a soldering iron on the metal to heat up the glue and plastic then let it cool.  I think it also freed up the threads a bit.

Make sure the threads are clean and use anti seize when you put it back together.

[Mustang]

I lost patience and decided to drill off the heads of the bolts.  That allowed me to separate the box.  There are are inserts in the bosses which had broken free and were spinning.  I only saw two solutions.  The first was to whack the top of the headless bolt hoping I could drive the insert out of the boss.  That, of course, resulted in one broken boss.  The second was to cut off the bolt as close to the top of the boss as possible, drill out the insert and glue in another insert.  At this point, I punted and threw the whole thing in the garbage.  I may take it out and try solution two at some later date.   Thanks for  the input.

yep every now and then you have to bite the bullet and give triumph your 75 bucks for a new filter that comes with a new air box

[nightrunner]

Yeah I wouldn't worry too much.   Even if you had fixed it, the foam filter is 13 years old.    Start fresh with a new one.

[Birdy68]

...One trick I used was to hold a soldering iron on the metal to heat up the glue and plastic then let it cool...

What a blummin good trick!
I like that... I'll put that down in my little black book of secret tricks - Thanks EvilBetty!

[Mudhen]

I used a dremel and cut them in half in the middle.  Of course, I pushed too hard on a couple and they completely melted through...but at least they were out!

Unfortunately, that was on my brand new airbox that I was going to move my K&N over to.:oops:

Now I use 'Goop' sealer/glue and the remaining screws when I put it back together.  Every 6 months or so I take it apart to clean the filter - the goop pulls out fairly easily and it's ready to go back together after.

[ramseybella]

I used a dremel and cut them in half in the middle.  Of course, I pushed too hard on a couple and they completely melted through...but at least they were out!

Unfortunately, that was on my brand new airbox that I was going to move my K&N over to.:oops:

Now I use 'Goop' sealer/glue and the remaining screws when I put it back together.  Every 6 months or so I take it apart to clean the filter - the goop pulls out fairly easily and it's ready to go back together after.

Well I cant't even get two damn side screws out of the side panels and tank to get the tank off!
I was wondering who had the link to a member that took the air box out without taking the carbs off the manafolds??

[Mudhen]

Well I cant't even get two damn side screws out of the side panels and tank to get the tank off!

Search for the thread about that...don't do what I did and drill off the screw heads (although, I like having a couple studs to use when putting the panel on!).

I think the preferred method is to get all the other bolts out, and then use an electric drill to spin the others until they melt enough to pull the anchors and all out.  Then work on gluing the anchors back in later.

The other method I've read about is to use a little drill bit to drill down into the anchor, then snap the drill bit off and glue it in place so it holds the anchor in there permanently...

Tigertrax and Mustang are the guys that I know have done it.  You're going to want access to get those panels off a lot, if you know what I mean.

Good luck!

Pat