Kart Rods

[Desertduler]

LOL! And all this is extreme. For now, it'll just be some simple front end skates and rear snow blower wheels with some killer screws in them to start & see just how ole Sarge here does on a frozen lake.

Yes, a frozen lake. There's tons of em around these parts in the winter. Nice & flat, good for a starting point to see if there's any fun to be had in it... other than being cold that is.

Utah lake would be perfect to test Sarge out on the ice if it freezes this year, not too deep around the shoreline either just in case sarge decides to submarine under the ice.

 

[Kelly Wood]

Utah lake would be perfect to test Sarge out on the ice if it freezes this year, not too deep around the shoreline either just in case sarge decides to submarine under the ice.

You're coming with me to film it. (but... Utah lake? If I submarine it... I'm gonna grow a third arm or something... and Sarge would never forgive me for the acid bath that THAT lake is)

For those following along... a pictorial. Courtesy of google maps.

There's a reason that lake is this color...

LOL!

 

[Desertduler]

You're coming with me to film it. (but... Utah lake? If I submarine it... I'm gonna grow a third arm or something... and Sarge would never forgive me for the acid bath that THAT lake is)

LOL!

LOL! Ok,I can swim too should you need rescue! Hey I just got an idea that you could also try with Sarge next summer,my father took me across Utah lake when I was a kid in a Amphicar from Pelican Point to the Utah lake boat harbor,how about we bolt on some pontoons on the sides of our karts and install some paddle tires on the back and make some steering rudders for the front axle and see if we could make it across the lake at those points.

 

[Kelly Wood]

LOL! Ok,I can swim too should you need rescue! Hey I just got an idea that you could also try with Sarge next summer,my father took me across Utah lake when I was a kid in a Amphicar from Pelican Point to the Utah lake boat harbor,how about we bolt on some pontoons on the sides of our karts and install some paddle tires on the back and make some steering rudders for the front axle and see if we could make it across the lake at those points.

Amphi-Sarge. That a challenge? I'll find some arm floaties.

 

[Desertduler]

Amphi-Sarge. That a challenge? I'll find some arm floaties.

Amphi-Kart,

 

[Kelly Wood]

How about we just find some trashed waverrunners... gut them... and sit the karts inside the lower hull... put rudders on the front wheels and then the paddles for the rear.

Wonder how fast they'd go?

Kind of adds to the whole "all terrain" thing. With all the different wheels I have... and now some upcoming winter attachments... this could get weird.

Next someone's gonna want to see it fly. Hm...

 

[Desertduler]

How about we just find some trashed waverrunners... gut them... and sit the karts inside the lower hull... put rudders on the front wheels and then the paddles for the rear.

Wonder how fast they'd go?

Kind of adds to the whole "all terrain" thing. With all the different wheels I have... and now some upcoming winter attachments... this could get weird.

Next someone's gonna want to see it fly. Hm...

That's even a better idea! There are plenty of used hang gliders around too!

 

[Kelly Wood]

Update: (anyone tired of me yet?)

Dinner done, stuff all well in the house... I came up with rendition one of the front skates... and they're simple. When done, they'll look killer and bear some new stenciling work with a name/attachment number. What the heck, we'll number stuff and make it look all official.

Here's where we are now. Tomorrow or Sunday will see the finished idea, fully functional with a few simple things.

I had this pile of stuff (seen in pic 6) I was going to donate to a local guy (other go kart collector weirdo and his kid) but sitting there was something I figured I better use before I give them away.

Why? They're cheap and you can buy them anywhere. Might as well waste em right here & now eh? (NOTE TO ALL, these hubs seem great, but honestly, one good hit and they just aren't the same anymore)

So, we'll take 2 wheel hubs and pop the studs out, cut it down and make this part A of these contraptions.

Ok, so they will mount to the axle. They'll have bearings and rotate... but... you'll have to wait until tomorrow so I can get the rest mocked up & see how they'll function without totally folding on the first try. (no sid, no hinges)

Stay tuned.

 

[Zombient]

I'm from Texas, what are frozen lakes?

 

[Kelly Wood]

I'm from Texas, what are frozen lakes?

Hang out a few months and we'll show ya. This outta be interesting. I'll drown, grow a third arm, my third arm will strangle me... Sarge will be at the bottom of a lake... and Bret is gonna rescue Sarge and make up a "likely story" about my demise.

Yep! LOL!

 

[Desertduler]

We used to take a snowblower down there at the lake on the west side and clear off the snow and make a big oval track on the ice and ride our racing quads on it in the winter time,the ice would get thicker where we cleared the snow off after time.

 

[Poboy kartman]

I think I saw a show about you guys.....no wait ....that was "Ice Road Truckers"...... it only sounds familiar....

 

[Kelly Wood]

Update: (part 1)

Thrift store...

As many times as I've been thrift shopping (we do it a lot) I could swear I've seen ice skates there every d@mn time.

Oh... 4 stores later...

Finally... I found an old pair, 5 bucks.

Home we went and... well, cut them off.

Go to part 2... LOL

 

[Kelly Wood]

Update: (part 2... the best part)

I had to sure up the hubs because I know they'll bend under pressure... so some braces on the bottom to make it solid...

Then... I still need a bracket up top for the bolt that holds the turnbuckle (that's what allows me to angle them any way I want)

and you end up with this.

I love em. I really do.

The army green piece is just a wood template for now, but this WILL work... I guarantee it.

Now to make the other one & finish them up. The template will change with an adjustable one allowing me to raise or lower the skate. I'm thinking 3 positions vertically.

Who knows.

Now for some snowblower tires.

MUA HA HA HA!

Thanks for lookin!

 

[itsid]

looks good...

the first pic sparks an idea...

could you -in case you end up adding some kind of shock -
tilt the skates slightly forward with the brake pedal?

front brakes and such

using the turnbuckle as a tilt mechanism and the shock doubling as a return spring and the adjuster for setting the angle..

'sid

 

[Zombient]

Now I'm waiting to see someone stick pontoons on their go....










(Runs out to the shop)

I SAID IT FIRST! I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO MAKE A GO-BOAT!

 

[Kelly Wood]

Now I'm waiting to see someone stick pontoons on their go....










(Runs out to the shop)

I SAID IT FIRST! I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO MAKE A GO-BOAT!

Nice. Bring it!

---------- Post added at 09:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ----------

looks good...

the first pic sparks an idea...

could you -in case you end up adding some kind of shock -
tilt the skates slightly forward with the brake pedal?

front brakes and such

using the turnbuckle as a tilt mechanism and the shock doubling as a return spring and the adjuster for setting the angle..

'sid

That, sir... is a unique idea. Hmm... Um...




Um...

 

[Desertduler]

Looks like it will work well Kelly, I don't know what the steering geometry is on Sarge as far as frame jacking goes but you ought to know,I want to see this happen so if I can help you out if you need anything fabricated or machined let me know and or filmed etc, you might be a pioneer with this adaptation which might sound crazy to some that do not encounter snow and ice in their locations but this is real for us. I might have to copy you to some degree as this concept has my brain churning with possibilities for my red kart just for the h_ll of it! After all the Rotax 277 that I have on that kart is from a snowmobile.

 

[Kelly Wood]

Looks like it will work well Kelly, I don't know what the steering geometry is on Sarge as far as frame jacking goes but you ought to know,I want to see this happen so if I can help you out if you need anything fabricated or machined let me know and or filmed etc, you might be a pioneer with this adaptation which might sound crazy to some that do not encounter snow and ice in their locations but this is real for us. I might have to copy you to some degree as this concept has my brain churning with possibilities for my red kart just for the h_ll of it! After all the Rotax 277 that I have on that kart is from a snowmobile.

Thanks Bret, I do appreciate it. There is one thing that I might need. We'll know that... after the first test though.

 

[Kelly Wood]

Update:

Sure... I could just get a new set of front axles... weld on a plate... and some skates... but it wouldn't look like the unique attachments that they are.

The idea here was to make an attachment that just bolts on with minimal effort... then again, in the end here... it's still 4 bolts to get them on either way you slice it.

If they were just new axles... it'd be 2 kingpins and two steering rod ends. In my version here though, it's two rod ends and the main wheel nut... slightly easier.

Add the fact that these, can basically be taken off an put on any other ride with relative ease (due to the turnbuckle)... and that's a win I say.

Ok... so...

I mocked up the left side and made one change. That adjustable rod simply would not work where I had it sitting the other day.

Reason? Any rocking motion (e.g. the main hub moving/rolling) would have literally bent the steering arm on the axle.

This way, the movement goes along with the straight edge of the steering resulting in much more strength... but we'll see. The other end, bolted right into the inside of the hub, grade 8 bolts. (10 bucks says this cheap hub toasts itself pretty quick. They seem to be made of pudding)

I'm happy for now and it looks pretty neat.

We're not done yet, and the two pieces are still just wood pattern material... but it'll come together.

If you're curious, I've gone off the deep end here. Sarge's accessories have numbers now. The SA-K01 = Sarge Accessory, Kelly, rendition 01.

And of course, the stencils are hand cut out with a razor blade... just like I do with every one of them. The font, Phantom Stencil.

Next up, cut the patterns out of, oh... steel... and find some tires for the rear rims I have set aside for this whole stupid idea.

But wait... there's more. My boss is tossing a few sets of downhill skis. LOL!

Thanks for a lookin.