Maxim airbox question

OK so my 81 Maxim 650's airbox is smashed up, probably PO trying to remove it. I got a nice replacement. Carbs are out, I can just cut apart the old airbox and get all the pieces out of the way. My question comes in the installation of the replacement. I read on here about pulling the engine, Id like to avoid that. I really like the idea about the heat gun to make it pliable, good shadetree idea there, but I noticed that the airbox seems to be constructed from a few different pieces originally, joined at various seams. I am worried that if I heat this airbox up, the seams will separate. Anyone who has had to heat-gun their airbox to install it in a Maxim, any problems with it separating at the seams?

Thanks

 

nope. never. Moved probably half a dozen or so airboxes now with no issues.

Dave

 

Thanks Dave you're the best

 

Hi Swapdip, my advice to you is get more input from others, I have tried to remove intact air boxes from 2 different XJ's (Maxims) with the engine still in place; I found it to be impossible even if I removed the engine mount bolts and tried leaning the engine. Others have claimed to be able to do it with their XJ, but I'm sure they didn't have a Maxim. I think the heat gun idea will work because it just has to be deformed just a bit to fit.

 

Swapdip, I KNOW that the heatgun method works.....all the ones I've pulled and put back were on 650 Maxims. One of them was even a 650 Maxim that had a 750 engine shoehorned into it.

Dave Fox

 

I was going to try it myself, but I pulled the engine and it wasn't any problem. Good luck with it.

 

When i pulled the airbox from my 650 max, no engine leaning or heatgun seemed necessary however i did remove the manifolds (duhh), the starter and all other wires that were in the way. It came out out by turning it to the right side of the bike, so i figure you should be able to back it in from the right as well... Think of it like a very trick parallel parking maneuver.