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Wednesday 9 July 2014

Simplified airbox for Triumph T300 triples

Ok boys, so your triple looks daft and you hate the standard U shaped airbox because maintenance is such a nightmare you never do it?
No probs. We got it figured out.
Here is how to make your own rider friendly air filter.

Stuff you need:
Standard airfilterbox, sheet of metal grid, jigsaw, cutting pliers.

1. Remove the old airfilterbox, see my guide

http://motorpsykos.blogspot.it/2014/07/about-t309-triple-classics-air-filter.html

so that your bike looks like this




Yeah kind of... just put the carbs back on.

Ok done?

2. Take the existing air filterbox if the filter sponge is in good shape, in which case you may want to clean it and oil it. Otherwise get a new aifilter kit and open it up by unbolting the U shaped box.

3. Take the metal grid sheet and cut it to size to fit over the air filter. I like alluminium grids because they are softer to work with and don'rust.

Your work table should look something like this





4. Grab the jigsaw and the U shaped airbox. Start slicing the box from the round small opening and work your way to the large opening that attaches to the air filter, then simply work your way round the perimeter.

So you get this



5. Take the sawed perimeter thing and bolt it back on the air filter placing the grille in between to give the sponge some protection.
You may want to give the perimeter thing a finish of some kind. If you like.

So you have this



6. With the pliers, cut the excess grille or fold it back or paint it, to your liking

Mine looked like this when finished




7. Slide the new airfilter on the carbs and you are done. Basically that's it.



Saturday 5 July 2014

Tuesday 1 July 2014

About T309 triple classics, air filter, the frame and the cylinder in the middle

Ok raga, so, if you need to change the air filter on your 90's Triumph Thunderbird, Adventurer or Legend, make sure you have a crow bar.

The U shaped airbox with the filter rally sticks around so you need to get ugly and change the sucker.

So, here is my step by step guide to making life easier to enjoy diy maintenace on your triples.

1 Buy a CROWBAR. The Haynes manual will never tell you this but me yes.
The key to removing the airfilterbox is unscrewing its central bolt, hidden by the frame tube.
No sorry, the key is ripping out the central bolt with the use of a crow bar because the specific tool to unscrew that bolt is still pretty much science fiction. So stick with the middle ages. They always work.

2 Remove stuff from your bike:
switch off the petrol flow and remove the tank, remove the seat, unfasten the secondary airbox under the seat and remove that too or place it aside.



3 Switch on the bike and let it run untill all the fuel from the carburettor is gone. You know this because the engine stops.

4 Now have a drink and let the bike cool down

5 While you are drinking go and see the tutorial about changing the airfilter here

http://www.webbikeworld.com/tbird/air-filter/

6 After reading the tutorial don't worry: you have a crow bar.

7 OK remove also the horn if you have it attached to the left cylinder because we are going to need that space to move around the carburettor.

8 The plan:
open the airfilterbox, remove the part with the air filter, remove the carburettor, remove the U shaped airbox. In that order.

9 Take a LONG FLAT SCREWDRIVER and unscrew the rubbers that hold the carburettor to the engine. I used a short one and it sucked.




10 If necessary for space, uncrew also the rubbers by the carburettor.

11 Unscrew the rubbers connecting the airfilterbox to the carburettor.


12 Detach all rubber tubes connected to the airfilter box: one behind and one in front easy to see. Use gardening gloves or pliers.

13 Remove all bolts from the airfilterbox. Ah, there is one hidden behind the central frame tube... save that for last and then grab your CROW BAR.

14 move over to the right side of the bike, insert the crow bar by the low outside end of the airfilterbox, insert the crowbar and pull and push. The central bolt will easily pop out.



You could use a big long screwdriver but it will not feel like macho man like anly a crowbar makes you feel.

15 Pull back the airfilterbox liberating the carburettors and making some wobble space.

16 Slide out to the right the airfilter bit



17 Pull back the carburettor detaching it from the engine block.

18 Congratulate yourself. Sit down and have a drink.
Why not, wash your hands.



19 At this point the U shaped part of the airbox will still NOT come out so place the carburettor on the left side of the engine nice and easy and make loads of space to remove the airfilterbox.

Go from this



To this



20 Now it's time to use the simplified airfilter you prepared earlier...

More on this on another topic:

http://motorpsykos.blogspot.it/2014/07/simplified-airbox-for-triumph-t300.html





21 Time to reassemble:
put the carburettor back on the engine
Slide in the smart air filter
Attach tubes to the air filter
Attach filter to the carburettor




All set up, turn the bike on with NO choke, start the engine and watch it run beautifully.

22 Where is the horn? Aha!
Put the horn back on and you are finished.


23 Now is time to congratulate yourself and get your trouble amd strife up them stairs.
But first, put the tank and the seat back on.