GT500 Air cleaner options

[joolstacho]

I'm not one normally for looking for an aftermarket air cleaner setup, -I like 'standard'.
BUT, I'm tearing my hair out trying to get my standard air cleaner box and all carb rubbers fitting properly, -there's always one rubber that wants to slide off at the carb/aircleaner rubber interface. When I tighten up the circlip there, it just slips off as there's no flange there to help hold the rubber on. (Unlike the head to rubbers joints). I don't want to risk a lean seizure!
I've spent too many hours wrangling things around, -all sorts of 'tricks' tried, yet I can't solve the problem. I get 3 joints right, then a 4th slips away.
The rubbers seem in good condition so I don't think it's them. The carb to head rubbers have a slight 'curve' which changes the carb fit as it changes angle slightly - this complicates things. I might have to employ the 'no-more-mister-nice-guy' principle and get my heat gun onto the rubbers.

I'm sure others have encountered the same problem. I really don't want to dispense with the standard system but.....

[blue.titon]

Here is what i do, connect the rubber to the air box first, i then remove the battery box now attach the air box to the carbs and tighten all clamps, the attach the air filter bolts to the frame, then refit the battery box. simples.

[joolstacho]

Yes, I'll try that, good idea. But I've now noticed that my airbox doesn't have the tab for it's rear mount screw (to the battery box).
I'll fabricate one, that should help keep it all together. This should explain it all.
When I got the bike the PO had fitted pod filters and it didn't have an airbox, so when I refurbished it I got a used airbox from somewhere, -obviously the seller had ground off the rear mount tab. So, the KSS comes off and up on the bench the GT goes tomorrow!

[jabcb]

Find another airbox that still has the mounting tab. That will help hold the rubber in place.

[joolstacho]

I'm a DIY kinda guy.

[karl pa]

Here is what i do, connect the rubber to the air box first, i then remove the battery box now attach the air box to the carbs and tighten all clamps, the attach the air filter bolts to the frame, then refit the battery box. simples.

I connect boot to carbs first, then install box, but same principle. I also clean the carb and boot surfaces with carb cleaner first. I also use emery cloth to rough up the carb surface a little.

[joolstacho]

Roughing up the carb surfaces sounds a good idea. The rubber/metal interface is very slippery... I can have it all fitted, then when I nip up the circlip it slips away. I'll try roughing up and see if that works. Edit: roughed up the carbs mating surfaces and filed a slight depression channel in them around the circumference hoping that the circlip will squeeze the rubber into it, helping to hold it on. I'll leave it all tightened up - the carbs, airbox, rubber overnight.
Next step will be to fit this whole assembly onto the bike as a unit.
Thanks for all advice.

BTW if anyone has an airbox handy (off the bike), I could use a a look at a photo of the rear mount tab that's missing on mine.

[joolstacho]

Latest:
I found the best way is to: First unscrew tops off carbs and pull out slides, remove battery box (3 bolts - easy).
Now you can assemble everything off the bike, from: CARB to manifold rubbers -fitted but circlips not tightened, carbs, carbs to airbox rubber boot,-those 3 circlips visually aligned and tightened.
(I'd roughed up the carb mouth outers - where the rubber boot fits over, and filed a slight channel around the circumference so the rubber will squeeze in and grip when circlips are tightened).
When you come to fit the carbs/airbox assembly, the back of the oil tank is in the way, it hits the RH carb, that's why you leave the manifold rubbers a bit loose, set them on a slight angle then you can push on at a slight angle avoiding the RH carb hitting the oil tank. NOTE: Insert the slides and tighten tops before pushing on. Rubber grease really helps the manifold rubbers to slip on.
It's a battle!
I'd had this all assembled before but never properly like this... the rubber boot would always want to slip off a carb. Risking a lean mixture seizure is NOT so good!
I'll always do it like this in the future, it's a hassle but nothing should go wrong with it.

Now all I have to do is fit the battery box, then measure and make/mount a tab on the rear of the aircleaner box to fit the aircleaner box to the battery box.
I'll need to pull the whole thing apart to add the tab!
Hahaha! Are you laughing yet?

[Steve zodiac]

After struggling for years with the airbox rubber on my T500.
I bought a replacement from Clauss studios. What a transformation! The original Suzuki item shrinks in all dimensions very quickly. Making them virtually useless