Top of band brake keeps slipping off. Nearly killed myself cause of it

[Aryukei]

Hello, my latest kart uses a band brake setup. The bottom of the band is held in place with a bolt, which is screwed onto the side of the engine, just like every other band brake setup; and the top of the band brake is connect to the rod that's connected to the pedal. The probem is, the top part of the brake that's connected to the rod and the brake pedal; keeps slipping off. How can I make the top part of the band not keep slip off the drum?

Thanks.

P.S.
I've always had this problem, but when I thought I fixed it, this is what happened...


What happen on Saturday afternoon was, I went speeding up to my hill, once I reached the top I made a 180 turn and went slowly down my hill, only 4 house down, doing around 10-18MPH with my foot slightly pressing the brake. As I was coming up to my house I pressed brake harder, brake pedal was very loose, meaning the brake slipped off the drum once again. So I panicing of course, and since I was going down a hill, I was gaining speed. After I knew my brake came off, I quickly killswitched my engine and a second after that, I smashed face first with a car. I became unconscious about 15 minutes later.

As a result, My steering wheel completely got broken off, and my front left side of my kart was all smashed up. I fractured left shin, and the upper left of my right thigh, and banged up my left side of my right ankle pretty bad too. My lower back and the back on my legs have a couple of bruises on them, and my legs have deep cut from when my steering wheel broke, and the sharp edges ripped open my flesh from the impact.

 

[kibble]

Dang dude, sounds like you took it hard! I don't know much about band brakes to make a suggestion, but what about having something in place on both sides of the band to keep the band from moving side to side? Some pics would help to see what you got going on.

 

[EagleTalons]

You know...drum brakes are pretty cheap. They
have better stopping power.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

You know...drum brakes are pretty cheap. They
have better stopping power.

They lock up my live axle at 30mph easy.


Or you can find an old sled thats got disk brakes, a lot of them have a perfect 1" keyed bore. And there hydraulic, and have great stopping power.

(yes Eagle, i know...)

 

[Rickracer]

A pic would be worth a 1000 words, but it sounds like you need a washer welded to the frame, or something of that nature, to keep the brake rod and band in position.

 

[Khyren]

I second the washer but you might also try double nutting it so that the nuts/bolt stay in place. Heal quickly, hate hearing about anyone that breaks a leg after I broke my ankle. It's utter agony not being able to move like you normally do.

Khyren

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Wounds heal
Pain is temporary
Chicks dig scars
GLORY IS FOREVER!

You need some supports to keep it on there. Always remember the #1 rule DON'T PANIC.

 

[EagleTalons]

I violated Rule #1 today... I put the GC on my mini bike with just the stationary throttle... It picked up loads of speed and hurtled me through cars before I could reach my hand under and hit the kill. I was only about 4 feet from the house when I stopped.

 

[SpyGuy]

Dude ........... you got a death wish or something?

When all else fails, POWER SLIDE.

 

[lemegacool]

first time i saw these band brake i said: wtf is that! i always used disc brakes, on my shopping cart the live axle locks at 1/2 way through the pedal... YEAH ! STOPPING POWER AND DRIFT POWER!!!!

this is what i use... it's more expensive than a band brake
but it's your own secutity thats depending on it...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Go-Kart-Go-Cart-Mini-Chopper-Disc-Brake-Package_W0QQitemZ360158149513QQcmdZViewItemQQptZOther_Vehicle_Parts?hash=item53db193b89&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

 

[Orange Krate]

I'm gonna try one of these for that problem.

http://www.gokartsupply.com/brakes.htm

I was thinking of going disc but didn't know if it'd lock up good like bands

 

[Affair_driven]

Bands are on the low end of the food chain.
Disc outperforms all.

 

[Orange Krate]

Yes disc outperforms, but will it lock up at 30mph? That's kind of an underperformance by most brake standards. Desired effect in my case

 

[lemegacool]

wtf! band brakes locks shafts at 30mph!!! lol yeeeees disc brake will totally block the shaft!!!

 

[Rickracer]

I've got a single disc on my live rear axle and it will lock up the rear at 60 mph, with 10" wide tires on the road, if I want it to,

 

[porsche930dude]

some bands have tabs welded on the sides to keep them centerd on the drum. Sounds like thats what you need. My bands lock up easily. it really depends on what kind of brake material is on it

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I have a Toyota pickup truck hydraulic master cylinder, feeding a Mercedes brake caliper and a single disk, on a live axle, 18x9.5 tires. If I so much as SNEEZE at the brake pedal, she'll lock 'em solid on pavement at full speed!!!! No band brake will survive the sort of abuse I dish out!

 

[lemegacool]

^^^^^^^^^^ cant wait to install my raptor 660 caliper on my shopping cart

 

[eesakiwi]

Inside a cars automatic gearbox theres brake bands & drums for them.
Theres several in each gearbox & by checking out a few gearboxs you may find a drum that has the right ID so it will fit directly onto your axle or whatever.

On one project gokart (Kids, uses a reel lawnmower motor/clutch/reduction).
I have I got past the 'tiny drive sprocket-huge driven sprocket' problem by making a jackshaft for it & fitting the 'auto gear box drum brake setup' to it.
That way I didn't have to fit a brake setup to the axle & could still use a bicycle chain that come with the motor.

The final driven sprocket is from some part of a exercise machine.

Yeah, & the number 1 rule is...
NEVER drive a Gokart in a area where there are Cars.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Eesakiwi, you wouldn't happen to have a pic, would you? I'm interested to see what this looks like. Also- are you saying the brake is on the jackshaft? I was thinking about doing that on my kids kart until I came to the realisation that if the secondary chain breaks, the kids can't stop!!!