Carb Rack reinstall...feeling stupid
 

Pulled the carbs off as a set, did the TPS reset, put in new brass choke ferrules...thanks Jack Flash...Now can't get the carbs back on properly. Rear carb...slides right in, front carb...no love....any recommendations? I've spent over an hour trying to get the front and rear carb in...

You could also try heating the carb boots a little to make them more pliable. Without teaching you to suck eggs, you have got the clamp screws backed right off? I usually set the front carb first, then push down on the rear. And definitely use a lubricant on the inside of the boots, Honda usually suggest some engine oil but I use a smear of silicone grease (which is meant to be ideal for all rubbery bits).

If time and $$ allow, buy some new carb boots, they are pretty cheap and good insurance against cracks, and they make carb mounting much easier.

I spray both the carbs and the boots with a silicone based bike polish to help them slide together, then wiggle with much downward pressure. Guess in a pinch you could use KY Jelly? :lol:

So now that several "How I do its" have been noted..
What I forgot to say in my original phone made post is..why I use soapy water spray and not lube.....lube tends to stay well, lube and slippery..after the carb install.... Soapy water when dry is no longer slippery... its why tire lube is what it is and not just spraying with a handy can of silicone or oil.

Yup about a million folks this morning already used silicone spray on a carb or air cleaner boot and the world still rotates...so of course it works....My thought is, carbs on some bikes are only supported and held in place by the manifolds and boots, I dont want the carb slipping out..or in the case of a SH motor that carb farts upon occasion, I dont want them popped out. Ive seen both, but doubt it really had much to do with what lube product was used for install..Im just removing the possibility a silicone or oil based lube MIGHT cause..
To each his own, do what works for you.

Thanks for all of the replies...After wrestling with the damn thing for an inordinate amount of time, "caveman" like I decided to take the damn things off and order a new set. Well, upon inspection of the originals, beside the fact that they were harder than Chinese Algebra, the front one was a bit "ahem" compromised. I can only suspect that the PO, or his designee, when removing the system in 1999 to put the Factory Jet kit in might have done some damage to the front carb intake rubber that made it so difficult. I actually know the fellow, it was me..It was my son-in-law's bike, he sold it to my best friend, then I bought it last month from him.

.At 6'4" and 300lbs, friends call me Mongo...might be a reason for that

Indeed, I have a No-Mar tire changing machine, use their vegetable based lube. Never thought about using it in this application. Thanks!

I believe you are to set the front carb in place first then the rear.
Mine normally plops right in there with a little heave ho action.

New boots, sleeves, whatever they're called arrived today. Carbs happily secured in them. 15 minutes...They were $45 for the pair from my local Dealership. DOH!

Dammit....got it all put back together, had reset the TPS to 510 ohms, new plugs, Mr. Marquez's R/R, nice brass choke ferrules, oil change, carb boots and started it up...Runs fine..... on the front cylinder. Rear doesn't actually kinda' fire until about 4k rpms then farts and backfires nice flames. About where the carb would be transitioning from idle circuit to full needle. Using an infrared thermometer, I get a nice 400f at the front cyl, and a wavering temp at the rear cyl depending upon throttle position.

It did this a bit before I messed with it, but not like this...any ideas? Crud in the idle circuit comes to mind...but...please no....trying the Sea Foam trick tonite with fingers crossed.

Did you take the caps off the carbs where the slides are? I didnt have one set when I did my carbs and it did the same thing.

Not sure what you're saying here. Please elaborate.

Did you test that the slide rises as it should after putting the valve, spring and cap back on? when you stopped blowing air across the port, did the slide close as it should?

Did you confirm clear each carb passage with air and a spray of brake clean or the like?

Yes, did you take the slide spring and cap off of the top of the carbs?
If you did you can test the function easy by blowing into the large tube on the end of the carbs and seeing if the slide rises and falls.

Yes I did take the tops off, and yes, the slides work fine...of course I can blow a pretty good stream of hot air!

Well, I thought I did a good job...but now I've torn the rear carb down and it is in the ultrasonic.

Should have done that in the first place, but....stupidity knows no limits.

So, the next question, Two Bros Exhaust with Factory Jet kit for street. 2 turns out on fuel screws is what Factory Jet recommends, but...read, or heard somewhere that the front should be different than the rear. You know...while I have it apart....again....Thanks to all y'all for your patience and help!