removing battery box on 1981 XS650H

[mikethedruid]

Does anybody have any tips on removing the battery box on a 1981 XS650H? I have removed the air boxes, and the various attached relays, etc. The box is still trapped inside the frame. Do I need to remove the rear wheel and fender to remove the battery box? I have to remove the battery box because my ignitor unit is attached to the bottom of the battery box on my model, and I can't get at it to try replacing it any other way.

 

[SangreDeDios]

ive never found any other way other than removing the rear wheel.

 

[xjwmx]

I have to remove the battery box because my ignitor unit is attached to the bottom of the battery box on my model, and I can't get at it to try replacing it any other way.

If your ignitor box is attached to the battery box the normal way, you don't have to remove the battery box. Remove the plastic panel in front of the rear wheel (three bolts). If I remember right, you need Stubby Phillips for the ignitor box. You might also have to remove the security chain box (one bolt).

 

[gggGary]

yeah the inner rear fender about everything else in the area and lots of cursing and maneuvering. Here in the great white north those damned Phillips need to be drilled out sometimes. Don't ask me why Yomama thought that was a smart place for a Philips head. It's about as bad as the screw holding the starter solenoid.

 

[xjwmx]

My way will be quicker unless the Phillips are messed up. I had a pretty easy time of it, but did anti-seize them when they went back in, jic. I almost needed to take the chain guard off to get a straight enough shot at the left one, but not quite.

 

[mikethedruid]

xjwmx, you must have small, very nimble hands! I am going to go with removing the rear wheel, inner fender, etc. I have a set of new sprockets and a new chain, so I might as well do that too while I have the back wheel off. Too bad the engineers didn't think of servicability when they decided where to put stuff. The whole air cleaner / battery box area could have been MUCH better designed! Making it in more than one piece, so it could be scewed apart and removed in sections would have been the way to go. I might just do that too, while I have it out, a redesign of that area I mean. We'll see.

 

[Travis]

The only way I have ever removed an XS650 battery box is by smashing it and destroying it! I hate those damn things.

 

[xjwmx]

xjwmx, you must have small, very nimble hands!

I do! I can also see with them

 

[XSLeo]

You can leave it in the frame just tip the top one way and the bottom the other. This gives you room to get the TCI box off.

 

[DLD1]

All,
I learned while repairing Japanese photocopiers that there is a difference between the phillips head screwdrivers we use and the Japanes use. The Japanese versions don't have a point, the tip is ground off. You'll find that if you grind the very end of the tip off, about .050"-.100", that the screwdriver will fit into the screw head much more snugly and will not tend to slip. I still have screwdrivers I used on the photocopiers in the 80's that I use on metric stuff.
Just thought it might help.

DLD

 

[rawxs]

i removed that box thru the rear wheel area. it will not come out any other way. i have a 81 special also. rawxs