13 replies to this topic

[Nathan]

Obviously different from a sprung car. How would I go about putting together a frame? Is there an ideal way to design the steering/front end? Kingpin an issue?

[Stian1979]

I have ben forced to stepp into a diferent position at work witch include learing autocad so I have spent some time drawing a go-cart in my spare time as exercise.

I have truble finding dimensions for components that I would be using so it has ben on hold for 2 week's now

[Supercar]

Originally posted by Nathan
Is there an ideal way to design the steering/front end? Kingpin an issue?

Yes. The ideal way is to make everything adjustable, so that if you decide to tweak your camber or caster you would not have to weld a new front end.

[Bill Sherwood]

Originally posted by Nathan
Obviously different from a sprung car. How would I go about putting together a frame? Is there an ideal way to design the steering/front end? Kingpin an issue?

The most effective way is to find the Kart that wins the most, and copy it very accurately.

Really.

[Ross Stonefeld]

No, you hire the best karter you can get. Then when he wins regularly, everyone assume he's in the best equipment (he cant possibly be beating us on talent) and starts buying your chassis.

[Wolf]

Originally posted by Stian1979
I have truble finding dimensions for components that I would be using so it has ben on hold for 2 week's now

Stian. just the other day I've been contemplating 'reactivating' my cyclekart project (Panhard 'Razorblade'), so I've found few links with go-kart equipment. Hopefuly You'll find something of interest there:

Asuza parts catalogue
Gokart USA parts catalogue

[m9a3r5i7o2n]

Quote from Bill Sherwood;

The most effective way is to find the Kart that wins the most, and copy it very accurately. Really.

Question; doesn’t someone build/supply blueprints/sketches/parts to do just that for people who want to do their own chassis? After all there are suppliers who do that for all sorts of stock(?) cars sprint cars etc.!

M.L. Anderson

[Wolf]

OK, time for another question- what are pros and cons of 1WD vs 2WD (w/o diff)? Thnx in advance.

[Fat Boy]

Karts are very interesting little beasties.

If you are running at all competitively, don't build your own chassis. The time, effort, and expense that it takes to make a competitive chassis is miles beyond what anyone with reasonable intelligence and wallet thickness will want to deal with.

Karts are very tricky to figure out because they don't have a suspension. If they did, things would be different (say, like a 1/4 midget for a kid). Getting the proper spring rates in each different mode to match up while just using chassis deflection is not an easy thing to do. Yes, you could chop up a perfectly good chassis, but at that point, if you already have a chassis, why not just run the damn thing?

All racing karts are 'two wheel drive'. There are no differentials. The trick is to get the lateral load transfer, chassis deflection, and steering geometry to lift the inside rear tire at the correct time and in the correct amount to act like a crude differential. In general, the more the inside rear tire is on the ground, the more rear grip (understeer, but it doesn't 'feel' like car understeer) the kart will have. It doesn't sound overly tricky, but I promise you that it is.

Having a good chassis is absolutely vital in having a fun time at the kart track. I had a homebuilt chassis when I first started karting. The fabrication of my kart was very, very nice. Most are MIG welded, but mine was TIG welded by a really good fabricator from the race team I was working with at the time. Regardless of how nice the kart looked, it didn't handle worth a damn. After a short sprint race, I would literally be spent physically. I did all the normal tuning tricks, but couldn't make that kart work. I finally put a friend in the kart who is a professional driver and a very experienced karter. After about a 1/2 dozen laps he came in the pits and dubbed by ride "Satan Kart". I took the engine, clutch, tires, etc. off of that kart and put it all on a run-of-the-mill European chassis and picked up about 2 seconds around my local track the first day out. I could run 20 laps and be just slightly winded as opposed to spent at 1/2 that distance. I went from being a mid-packer to contending for race wins (even winning 1). The difference to me was pretty amazing. I would have never guessed that the difference was that big, but it really was.

My advice to karters is to find out what is winning at your local track and what has the best customer support and then just go buy it. The up-front costs will be a little more, but in the end, you'll save money and have a much better time.

[Joe Bosworth]

FB

Anybody that doesn't follow your advice is foolish indeed!!!

Regards

[Nathan]

Thanks everyone!

The purpose of the kart is purely for enertainment and not any serious competition :yawn:

[Wolf]

Originally posted by Nathan
Thanks everyone!

The purpose of the kart is purely for enertainment and not any serious competition :yawn:

Mine too, I have been fiddling a bit with CAD to find the proportions and stuff (very technical term ), so it's in very early stages:



I've just dimensioned wheelbase, for reference.

[rhm]

Are you going to enter that in a pre-war kart race then?


Actually that picture makes me think of another idea : How about an Atlas Soapbox Derby?

[Wolf]

Heheh, actually there seem to be loonies in US racing those- 200cc Honda engine with torque-a-verter, &c. If one is to believe R&T test, little buggers go 36mph (0-35 in 8sec). They have a site with photos, vids (even aforementioned test)- AMCK. I want to build one for my god-son (with throttle-limiter, naturally).