Carb rebuild, send out?

[MIAirhead]

I think I should get my carbs rebuilt. I not the first owner, or second or maybe third,
So to Odometer says 35000 but I know it has a lot more miles on.
I not sure I want to try and learn to rebuild the carbs, and thinking about sending them to a shop.

[Kirbster919]

Are you thinking about dropping the bike off at a shop, writing a check and picking the bike up later? Or are you thinking about mailing the carbs off to be rebuilt? If you just mail off the carbs, somebody will need to sync them once they are back on the bike.

[41047]

I was like you, not comfortable to try to rebuild, sent mine to Bing, expensive but sure made a difference. It took about a month. The sync was not too bad, Airheads web site has an article on how to build a synchronizer and how to use it. Good luck!

[sumran]

Rebuilding the carbs is not complicated. The exploded drawings are far more complicated than the carbs. It does take time and you have to decide what your time is worth. If you rebuild them you will have a better understanding of the machine a sense of accomplishment. Again, that may be worth more to one person than than another.

There are a few bits of knowledge that make the job much easier. I don't know everything, but I will share what I have learned in a dozen or so rebuilds. Others would also add valuable info.

Cleaning, tuning and occasionally rebuilding carbs is a normal part of airhead ownership. I have found learning to do it myself greatly enhances my enjoyment of the motorcycle. Others feel differently and that is fine by me.

[RandyB]

This is certainly more entertaining than a tech manual.
http://home.insightbb.com/~cdpumphr/the_carb_chronicles.htm

Carbs are fairly easy, I think. Replace the Phillips LOOKING (they are not Phillips) screws with some Allen screws and beware the peening on the shaft screws. Make sure everything is set to factory settings and the butterflies are oriented correctly. Do one at a time and mark everything.

Bing makes a nice kit. Some people (me) use regular orings, but I'm thick skinned and generally ignore the beatings I take here for doing that.

Snowbum has good articles on this.

Get the Bing manual.

[crazydrummerdude]

You can do it!

It's really not that tough,

[88bmwJeff]

The carbs are relatively easy to rebuild, and there are plenty of write ups in manuals and online. There are some "tricky issues" as with all things, but they are well documented and easy to overcome. Rebuilding them does take some time, and does require some workspace. You didn't mention what your ability level is, or how much you are willing to dive in and learn. This varies from person to person. If you're not willing to dive and and learn, then perhaps you should drop them off to be rebuilt. Lastly, it's the beginning of the riding season, so pay attention to local tech days. You could show up with the proper kits, and rebuild them with the assistance of more knowledgeable folks.

[shire2000]

If you do decide to rebuild yourself, the best advice I could pass along is to do one at a time. That way you have one that is still complete to check on when putting things back together. It is never fun thinking "Now were did that little o-ring go?"

Also, if you have a digital camera, take photos all the way thru the process. Removal, dissassembly, cleaning, reassembly and replacement on the bike. That way you can compare things to make sure everything goes back where it should. Save it all on your PC for future reference, maybe for yourself, but also you can pass it along to someone else that is in your present situation.

I have just started doing that with my maintenance and fixing. Haven't had to do carbs in a few years, so don't have that procedure saved. But, next time I will.

It would be great if everybody did this and we could get a spot setup on the forum for that sort of thing. More new airhead owners would bemore willing to do their own maintenance if they could see how easy it is to do it.
:thumb