im new to go kart building

[qaz354]

im confused about what the clutch does could someone please explain it to me?
WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHAT DOES IT DO DOES IT CONNECT TO THE ENGINE OR CLUTCH?

[frank]

Quote from this site

"Inside the clutch housing there is the actual centrifugal clutch. When the engine shaft spins, the clutch expands based on the centrifugal forces. When it spins fast enough, the shoes "lock up" with the outer housing via friction. When locked up, the engine's force is transferred to the sprocket and chain."

your gas pedal is linked to your throttle on your engine...

[imported_robertdjung]

im confused about what the clutch does could someone please explain it to me?
welcome to the site!

Yes, basically there's the outer "bell" or whatever you call it, and the inner "shoes". The shoes rub against the bell until the engine spins fast enough to cause a lockup. When not spinning fast enough, the shoes pull away from the bell and the engine runs freely, and there's no power going to the bell. The bell has the sprocket on it.

[frank]

i just made this animation (40 frames, almost 1 MB in size)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d171/saladtossser/test10.gif

also read my clutch article in my wiki

http://makeagokart.elwiki.com/Centrifugal_Clutch

[imported_robertdjung]

Cool animation, Frank! What did you use for that?

[frank]

i used macromedia fireworks, frame by frame, then used unfreez to make it animate

[anson hansley]

im new to this diy go-karts..so i need some serious help here..im a little confused with the engine and clutch side of he story..

[imported_robertdjung]

just post a new thread asking what you'd like to know. here to help!

[bojon64]

I'm realley new to the building go-karts. I don't think I'm going to have any problems with the frame, steering, or any thing except this. If I use a 6.5 Honda eng. and a torque converter I'm not sure how to get the power from there to the wheels. I know it sounds stupid but the only thing I ever did with a small eng. was put a pully on it to a pump for a dredge. Thanks for any help! bojon64

[frank]

i think a torque converter is just as easy to use as a clutch. the torque converter should have a small sprocket, get a bigger sprocket on your axle, and link them with a chain. the wheels will be on the same axle. this site should pretty much cover all of that. if not, i have a massive collection of links that will help

http://makeagokart.elwiki.com/Links

[bojon64]

Thanks Frank I appreciate the help. I couldn't tell if it had a sprocket on it, from the picture. Is the converter better then a clutch for a single wheel drive? It sounds like you have a little more power and speed.

[frank]

well being a single wheel drive, you got some risks, with a torque converter, you might get too much acceleration, and you might go into a wheelie, thus the front wheels are no longer on the ground, your kart *may* spin around very violently on the spot. but that depends on weight distribution.

other than that, a torque converter is always better than a centrifugal clutch, if you have the money to buy it and some room to install it.

centrifugal clutches always have a sprocket (or a pulley)