Recent content by chetcpo

I'd speculate (unfairly perhaps) that these folks that quit feel like they are being overworked and or underpaid or they are in a toxic job environment. Nobody just up and leaves a job they are happy at unless they are being forced to move. (like your MN bound employee)

I gotta agree on this one. Quality steel tubing is dirt cheap. Check your local steel supplier. It doesn't cost anything to call and get a quote. You can buy it over the phone with a credit card, but you need to be able to explain exactly what you want. (Hot roll is the cheapest- 1"...

+1 This is a crucial and often overlooked step. Structural steel bought at the steel yards is often hot rolled "oil pickled" steel. As such it's really black and grimy with this nasty used motor oil like stuff on it. You can clean it off with solvent and swear your metal is as clean as...

What tubing are you going to use? Some of the 4x4 community has success using the pipe benders but that's only because they are using much larger and thicker tubes (and in some cases pipe) then one would use on a kart. Aside from that I haven't heard many success stories of people using these...

This might be worth the read for you. It's a discussion of how to diagram an ultralight sports car frame so there's bound to be some overlap. http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4515&hilit=sketchup The pic below is an example of what sketchup can do if you take the time to learn...

Stick is really great learning, it's not at all impossibly hard and beyond that, it's downright useful for welding bridge girders and heavy beams together. hat being said I can't imagine it being very useful when welding together the type of thin tubing these lightweight vehicles are made of...

The Toyota 4A-GE is probably the best all around from a rational objective standpoint. Naturally aspirated it makes 100hp per liter and is reliable as hell. (to match this feat a 454 would have to make over 740hp- in stock configuration!) It was avialable in one form or another for 15 years in...

You're right that is a stupid reason. :p :roflol: J/K, man, where are you located? I'm in WV and I usually get my stuff in a few days when I order from them. I think they are in Ohio if I'm not mistaken.

My craptastic welding I'm an admitted self taught hack when it comes to welding. To up the ante I use cheap garbage disposable equpment to boot. My crappy equipment and shoddy skills have held a lot of stuff together over the years however, so I felt I should step up to represent the cheap...

I know I should mind my own business, but that might very well be the most god awful welding job I have ever seen. I think I'd be more than a bit dis-satisfied. I hope you guys can work this out.

I know you said you were anti-online ordering, but that's where the deals are: Poke around here... Their non ebay site has some good deals as well... http://www.bmikarts.com/ Good luck!

Stick welding frame components together is a royal pain in the ***. I'd recommend buying a cheap MIG machine from HF or something along those lines. The flux core variety can be had for around $100. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98871 Although I would spend...

Thanks for the links, and yes I plan on using antisquat geometry. I've already done the reading and calculations elsewhere but I will certainly have a look. I think it's hard to say the exact percentage of AS on a kart with any consistancy, especially with the engine unsprung since the center...

OK, so some parts have come in and I've had a little bit of time to play in the garage since my last post. So far I have the basis for my rear axle frame built, now I just need to locate the engine proper, and the brake caliper, and then of course mount the links. Then I have to hack all of...