Pod People: softening hard rubber ?

My pods are a little stiff!
I know, it sounds like a personal problem. :laugh:

Picked up some used K&N's for Mikuni VM28's on a KZ1000 and the rubber that clamps to the carb throat is a bit stiff and hardened somewhat.

I have heard several methods for softening rubber such as this and was wondering what will actually work well? Is it heat only or ATF or brake fluid or Hoppes No. 9 or hydraulic oil or Old Stump Knocker...who knows what?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Post edited by: neilage66, at: 2006/12/20 22:58

Myself, I always spray 'em down individually with a liberal dose of Armor All, then heat 'em up with a heat gun set to *LOW* before jiggling 'em around too much.

Once they're off, I soak 'em in a little pan of Armor All while I'm otherwise disposed, basting them occasionally.

When they're ready to go back on, towel dry and apply a little heat with the gun, and they're nice and pliable.

Always worked for me...

Someone told me that soaking the rubber manifolds in Silicone tent sealer will soften them up. Spray them down and put them in a ziplock baggie. I have some STP Silicone spray you wipe on car rubber parts that claims to keep rubber door seals, etc., pliable. Seems to work ok too.

+1 with the silicone, it works good for me on most rubber parts.

del

If I can find an old hard boot I'm going to try PB Blaster. On the can it claims to rejuvinate rubber. I do know an old o-ring from the front brake got soaked in it overnight, and it swelled so much I couldn't use it. It got very soft too.

Bite the bullet. Z1Enterprizes and keep the new ones sillyconed so they stay supple! Eventually heat will harden them but you can stave off the effects for quite a while.

Cold makes the rubber on the K&N pods stiff. I usually warm them up with a hair dryer or stick them on the central heating vent for a few minutes and that works just fine. In warm weather in the summer I dont have a problem.

Thanks for the tips people!

I was going to "bit the bullet" as Gris said and buy some new filters for well over a C-note, but I ended up being the only bidder on a used ebay set and won the auction for 25 bucks plus shipping. They are quite clean, but one is ever so slightly smooshed (end to end) and as I said the rubber is pretty hard.
I don't even have the bike yet...will pay it off by early spring (see sig) and get it running asap. There is no air filtration on it at all...hence the K&N's for now...er uhh..then. Think spring. :laugh:

So...
1-baste in Armor All
2-soak in silicone
3-PB Blaster
4-mineral oil
5-bite the bullet

Maybe I'll try some 303 Protectant. Ever hear of it?
Check it out:
303

Pod auction:
PODS

Pictures of my new scoot:
Z1R

Post edited by: neilage66, at: 2006/12/21 18:17

A c-note! $100 for 4 boots! Damn!

Use them hard ones to make a clay mold and then mold your own. I see riches in your future!!!

No Gris...not boots (although 2 pair for 100 would be great for Lacrosse or Redwings)...pods dern it...pods I say!
Remember Invasion of the Body Snatchers...the original and the remake? Thems were nice pods too, only different.

I recently discovered alchohol softens rubber but only for so long and it swells when soft, but it returns back to the original hardness when dry. So I guess you treat it like skin when you take it out of the alchohol and apply some armorall to keep in the moisture. I did my discover with a 5 year old or more fuel line that hardened