Need Help Mounting Original Air Box

[Big Bird]

Need help Mounting the original Air Box on the 79 XS 1100 special.
Not sure how it bolts up.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Big Bird,

Well, I'm assuming that it didn't come to you this way, and that you acquired one and are returning it to stock, or it was a basket case, and you're trying to figure out the jigsaw puzzle!?

The top half, which has the rubber inlet hose which goes towards the seat, and it should have 4 brackets held in place with phillips head screws which should stay secured. The lower half which holds the air filter is secured by the wingnut screws and can be placed after the main part is mounted. There is a bracket on the forward portion that is bolted to a matching bracket on the frame under the gastank. The other two brackets have holes on the sides and are bolted to corresponding mounting holes on the sides of the frame under the area of the plastic side panels.

The real trick is that the front top bracket requires that you push the airbox forward compressing the rubber mounting tubes on the intakes to allow the bracket to come forward, then up onto the frame bracket, and then slid back to line up with the hole! This is one of the reasons why folks go to Indy filters!! HTH?
T.C.

[Big Bird]

Thanks Top Cat, now all I have to do is find the brakets you are talking about, or fabricate some. I am trying to put the bike back to its original.

[wildbill]

Originally posted by Big Bird
Thanks Top Cat, now all I have to do is find the brakets you are talking about, or fabricate some. I am trying to put the bike back to its original.

Have your sidecovers off.The airbox has a place on each side{up near the top back,metal taps that are treaded}look for holes in tabs below the frame.Line the holes up{takes a 10mm wrench}and tighten up. Good luck

[John]

You didn't say if the carbs are on or off the bike. They will need to be removed. There is not enough room to install the air box with them on. Did the PO, or you try to disassemble the air box? There are a bunch of small brackets inside of it that can be hell to put back together. Install the top half first. Once you have it in the frame, push it down, and back as far as it will go, and reinstall the carbs. A little lube. like cooking oil, on the boots, helps. Once the carbs are in place, then locate the airbox into it's rightful place, slip the boots onto the carbs, and follow the instructions that were given in the above threads. It's not really difficult.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Big Bird,

If those brackets aren't already on the airbox, then the innards may be messed up or missing as well, since those brackets are secured with the phillips head screws that hold the many loose parts of the inner workings of the filter chamber!! They aren't that big, the one on the top is only about 5" or so long, slightly angled like a set of wings. The other two are just "L" bent and shaped, maybe 3" or so long! Both are about 1/2" wide.

IF they aren't on the filter chamber, drop me an email with a real return addy and I can send you some pictures from the manual on what they look like to assist you in fabricating some!
T.C.

[allornot65]

I was able to install my airbox without removing the carbs. I removed the top bracket from the airbox (leaving the rubber boots in place) and basically reassembled the airbox on the bike. After going through torture and all the cuse words in the english language, I have decided next time I will pull the carbs and install the carbs and airbox at the same time.

Just thought I would put my 2 cents in and let you know there is no short cut.

Doug

78E

[Jerry]

If it is any help, here is a link to a PDF file ('79 Special) that shows the air box assembly:

http://sopris.net/~fieldsj/e-mail/sfc10.PDF

Air box is at lower center-right.

[Big Bird]

Thanks guys, The air box is in. I had to fabricate some of the missing brackets, and was able to install with the carbs in place.

Big Bird