Carb float mounting pin removal the safe, cheap, and easy way!

[markjs]

The first time I had my XSElevens carbs out, I was baffled by how to get the pins out to remove the floats on my carbs. After some reading on this forum, I concluded that this can be very difficult and risky business indeed. These particular carbs pins are uncommonly tight and hard to remove without considerable force at times, resulting in much potential heartache, if one is to slip up he could easily break the cast aluminum mounting post that holds the pin, and thus the float, in place.

I found an easy method I can share with the class!

I can't remember all the elabborate things that were suggested, but what I did, was take a small woodscrew (nice and pointy sharp), and you will have to have a "ball park", right sized one, but then I took it and put it against the center of each pin on the side it has to be pushed out from, and then took a small flathead screwdriver and GENTLY apllied ever so slightly increasing pressure against it, using the neigboring carb as a fulcrum, till the pin "popped" free and was out enough to grab the other side with needle nose pliers and gently work the rest of the way out.

I hope this will save future DIYS'ers a lot of heartache.

[prometheus578]

"You were lucky..."

I hope this will save future DIYS'ers a lot of heartache

This is also one of the techniques that cause a lot of DIYS'ers heartache.
Had the pin not moved so easily... would you have applied increasing pressure?
If I may...
As someone who spent the last six years rebuilding carbs for a living, I can only state (based upon my limited knowlege)that you were indeed fortunate.
That goes for your float needles, too.
And also goes for your "one caliper" brake system.
(I know... "The brake light doesn't work all the time, but sometimes, there's no one behind me so it really doesn't matter.")
Might I suggect that you take some time over the winter and properly fix a few things?

[Crazcnuk]

I just put the upper pin stanchion against the vice, at an angle and tapped them out with a center punch and hammer.

The only reason the stanchion would break is because it has no support. Support it and it should be fine.

[JWSanders]

Take it from someone who has hamhandedly broke several float posts....

Short of the little thingamajig someone on here made for removing them, the safest way is with the side-cutter method. Works every time.

Once they've been removed, it's so much easier though.

Pushing them when they're really stuck will break a post way too easily.

[fredintoon]

Bill Denton from the XS650 list told me this. Take a spring-loaded centerpunch to 'em.
The little bastards just fly outa there with absolutely no loads applied to those frail potmetal pivot posts. Four full teardowns on all four carbs before mine were clean enough to work right equals 16 perfect pin extractions & refits.

[TADracer]

What to do once you get them out? Dont tap them back in tight. Just push them in finger tight and leave it at that. Next time you wont need tools and gimicks. Once you install the float bowl they are captive in the recess of the bowl and cannot go anywhere.

[81xsproject]

TAD, an even better thing to do is put them in a drill and use it as a mini-lathe with a file. Take the head completely off and trim down the fat part that wedges it in. I have done this on all the carbs I have worked on. The bowl is designed to keep the pins from being able to slide out. It works great.

As far as removing them goes, risking your posts to save a whopping $16 for the automatic center punch from the hardware store is just silly.

[stoked]

I just cut mine off post and all. I secure the floats with a carefully bent paper clip and some JB weld.

[skids]

I saw a kaw's with the pin protruding out of each end of the goal posts, being held in place using the sides of the float bowl. Simple and effective.

[mro]

Check page 4, 5, 6

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...l&pagenumber=5


mro