2019 - DuroPower (El Cheapo) Resurrection

[Tpdingo]

Originally Posted by snowjob

Don't get me started on Ford at the moment. I have been a Ford guy my whole life until a year ago when I got hit full force with the TRITON debacle. We have plans to add verbiage to the sign about how bad Ford sucks now :-(

I had a Ford minivan, and a 12 year warranty helped punish Ford for making such a ****** car. There was at least 1 torque converter replacement and 3 times the computer got shorted out....so a 6K warranty paid out at least 10K, and that was not even the start of the list! Maybe if they replaced the stupid 15$ rubber seal around the hood, 3 computers wouldn't have shorted out!

[snowjob]

Sorry to hear about the Ford issues. I have had similar bad luck with Chevy, Dodge and Volvo, but after 11 good Fords, this one has such inexcusable design flaws on the engine, that I won't have another.

We hit a setback on our build this week. I needed to cut six donut shaped rings out of 1/4" for rotor mounts and wheel flanges and before getting them close to round, my ancient Harbor Freight 14" chop saw finally gave out. A new one is $80, but a new cheap plasma is $220, so you can guess which route I am going. A coworker was nice enough to lend me his brand new Everlast plasma, but without the recently sold generator it is pretty useless on 120V. Finally, the boy said our new deadline is Summer break since we missed Spring break. The net effect is the go-kart has been set aside for various other projects for a little while. We'll see how long it sits idle, I have until December 31, 2019, right? ;-)

[snowjob]

Woohoo work has recommenced! I got tired of waiting on power for the plasma so I broke out the oxy-acetylene torch. Had not used one since school but it cuts like butter. Too bad I can’t keep a steady curve to save my life, but the lathe can hide that just fine.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[snowjob]

Donuts rough machined and fit




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[snowjob]

Design decision time, move engine back and to side to line up sprockets or make custom jack shaft so I can center engine on frame?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[landuse]

Originally Posted by snowjob

Design decision time, move engine back and to side to line up sprockets or make custom jack shaft so I can center engine on frame?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whichever is going to be the easiest....thats my motto

[snowjob]

Easiest....lol. I is a enginerd:-~

Nothing like doing it twice due to misreading a dimension.

Pine makes a good welding table


Doh


Welding comfort


Getting better


Satisfied


Engine mounted milestone, yippee!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[landuse]

Looking good!!

[snowjob]

Turning the custom jackshaft (I love my lathe)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=579Tg8lfPJ8

[snowjob]

Pretty sure we need an outboard bearing and support.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[landuse]

Originally Posted by snowjob

Pretty sure we need an outboard bearing and support.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Definitely!!

[snowjob]

Another milestone!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipa_ed6rITQ

[snowjob]

Another milestone, first drive today. Hooked up brakes and throttle and threw the seat on. The good news is it works and seems quick enough. No doubt that two wheel drive could tear up the yard in minutes. Bad news is there are lots of improvements to make. The brakes are horrible, the turning radius is awful and although the hand controls are cool, they don't work great. A few refinements and we may just enjoy it for the summer. Potentially leave other mods until the fall/winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skhkXtFWsOM

[landuse]

Originally Posted by snowjob

Another milestone, first drive today. Hooked up brakes and throttle and threw the seat on. The good news is it works and seems quick enough. No doubt that two wheel drive could tear up the yard in minutes. Bad news is there are lots of improvements to make. The brakes are horrible, the turning radius is awful and although the hand controls are cool, they don't work great. A few refinements and we may just enjoy it for the summer. Potentially leave other mods until the fall/winter.

Nice!!!

[snowjob]

Finally some more work this week. Needed a timeout to install A/C in the garage. We addressed one of the two major drivability issues, turning radius. I gave up on proper Ackerman and decided max angle was more important. Ignore the fact that I completely forgot how to use a protractor.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[snowjob]

Steering fixed and new calipers fitted....woohoo. The boy will have a nice surprise waiting for him when he gets back from Scout camp later today. Now that it is running and completely functional, I plan to leave any mods and upgrades for him to plan out and execute. My hunch is he will be putting miles on around the hood until school starts and then worry about finishing the cosmetics or any upgrades.

[landuse]

Originally Posted by snowjob

Steering fixed and new calipers fitted....woohoo. The boy will have a nice surprise waiting for him when he gets back from Scout camp later today. Now that it is running and completely functional, I plan to leave any mods and upgrades for him to plan out and execute. My hunch is he will be putting miles on around the hood until school starts and then worry about finishing the cosmetics or any upgrades.

Excellent!!! I bet he was happy when he got home

[snowjob]

First carnage on 2nd full day of riding. Not sure why I thought stamped steel could hold the full torque on the extension of the jack shaft.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[snowjob]

Too cheap for a proper pillow block and too lazy to fab the wider bolt spread....so we get a flat plate base added for support.



Next job, the front seat bolt is tearing the seat off from added torque on acceleration and added rider weight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[landuse]

Ugh!!! Like a pretzel! I think you might be looking at a proper pillow block in your future. Those stamped steel ones aren't going to cut it.