Hi all! 1st post here.....
Some years back I hired a lawn service and junked my lawn mower that was originally purchased for $50 at yard sale. It ran, but the motor had a miss and clearly needed work. I LOVE engines and tinkering, but didnt have time or use for it, so I removed it, tossed the frame, and it sat in a cabinet for the last 5 years.
I have impulse control issues when it comes to making, and last week I decided it was finally time to build a kart. I am starting from SCRATCH. The motor is vertical shaft, and after a week of reading and research, I decided on a Peerless 700 transmission to provide right angle power output, reverse, and a "range box" (I do NOT plan to shift on the fly).
This brings me to my question. After all these years, I never paid any attention to the power rating on the mower engine. I figured people used mower engines for karts "all the time", so whatever it was would be fine. After dusting it off and reading the plate, the answer was 4.25HP. So the TL;DR question is, would this be enough?
Now I have done enough reading to know that no one can answer that without knowing some other things about gearing, tire size, and what I want out of the kart. I dont know all these answers, and I am at the VERY VERY beginning of this process, but I can say that the transmission is 5 speed, and I estimate the ratios to be from 1:4.5 to 1:1.8 (I still need to open it and count teeth, or at least make some marks and count turns. My estimates come from heymow.com guides on the tranny, but there are a many different arrangements and configurations). I am thinking a 10" tire, pavement and grass only, no off road. Target speed maybe 20-25 tops? NOT looking to build a death machine, just some family fun. I have a 7 y/o son I want to build with me, and as he gets older teach him to drive it, so speeds must stay low, at least at first. (the range box aspect of the tranny should help. I could also govern it).
Whew, I got a little long winded there. All I really need to decide right now is, should I be engine "shopping", or should I cut my teeth on the 4.25 and see what happens? I dont want to spend the time rebuilding it just to decide it isnt strong enough (although it would still be fun, and a learning experience, so there is an argument in favor)
Thanks!
Some years back I hired a lawn service and junked my lawn mower that was originally purchased for $50 at yard sale. It ran, but the motor had a miss and clearly needed work. I LOVE engines and tinkering, but didnt have time or use for it, so I removed it, tossed the frame, and it sat in a cabinet for the last 5 years.
I have impulse control issues when it comes to making, and last week I decided it was finally time to build a kart. I am starting from SCRATCH. The motor is vertical shaft, and after a week of reading and research, I decided on a Peerless 700 transmission to provide right angle power output, reverse, and a "range box" (I do NOT plan to shift on the fly).
This brings me to my question. After all these years, I never paid any attention to the power rating on the mower engine. I figured people used mower engines for karts "all the time", so whatever it was would be fine. After dusting it off and reading the plate, the answer was 4.25HP. So the TL;DR question is, would this be enough?
Now I have done enough reading to know that no one can answer that without knowing some other things about gearing, tire size, and what I want out of the kart. I dont know all these answers, and I am at the VERY VERY beginning of this process, but I can say that the transmission is 5 speed, and I estimate the ratios to be from 1:4.5 to 1:1.8 (I still need to open it and count teeth, or at least make some marks and count turns. My estimates come from heymow.com guides on the tranny, but there are a many different arrangements and configurations). I am thinking a 10" tire, pavement and grass only, no off road. Target speed maybe 20-25 tops? NOT looking to build a death machine, just some family fun. I have a 7 y/o son I want to build with me, and as he gets older teach him to drive it, so speeds must stay low, at least at first. (the range box aspect of the tranny should help. I could also govern it).
Whew, I got a little long winded there. All I really need to decide right now is, should I be engine "shopping", or should I cut my teeth on the 4.25 and see what happens? I dont want to spend the time rebuilding it just to decide it isnt strong enough (although it would still be fun, and a learning experience, so there is an argument in favor)
Thanks!
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