piston from top or bottom?

[eastside 400]

Hey, im gonna be throwing a new piston in my practice bike and i just wanna know how most of you guys do it, do you put it on the rod then go in from the bottom of the cylinder or go in from the top and knock it all that way down and then put the wrist pin in? i know honda says to go from the bottom but ive heard that going from the top works better also

[d3ktrix]

I always put it in from the bottom.
Theres a taper at the bottom of the cylinder that makes it super easy to push the rings in.
Don't even need a ring compressor.

If u have a ring compressor I don't see it being any different doing it from the top or bottom.

I normally put the piston into the cylinder first then attach it to the rod. Might not be able to do it like this depending on the piston though.
Easier to work the rings in on the bench then when the pistons flopping around on the rod IMO.

[blasterfreak99]

ive always put it on the rod first so that i could get a good grip on the piston to get the wrist pin in there. ive never had any trouble out of doing it this way either

[400exrider707]

I always go in from the bottom. However I have put the piston on the rod first and put the cylinder on over, and I have put the piston in the cylinder and slid the whole deal on the rod also. I think it's easier to put it on the rod first, then slide they cylinder on, jmo.