2016 - Junk build the hard way

[pRoFiT]

Yeah i do need to plan for replacement front tires. The hf tires are not going to last. You think i should match the rear? I was thinking maybe 12" hmm. Same size......would change the look.

 

[FreeRunner15]

Yeah i do need to plan for replacement front tires. The hf tires are not going to last.

Look at your front-end alignment though.
I could've told you that much earlier with these tires.

sincerely,
Harbor Freight tire user.

 

[pRoFiT]

well i knew they weren't going to last. Enough to take video and drive around a bit for the 2016 contest. Then next year i can replace them. Probably wont brake them before end of year as i will be in germany and then france for a couple weeks.

 

[pRoFiT]

Brake changes. For my first drive the brakes were....well not the best.

So I pulled out the brake cable I had and installed a rod instead. Feels like a stronger connection to the master cylinder.

Not sure how I will end the ROD connection and the master. maybe another bend like the cable had so it cant vibrate out.

Also going to weld the ROD on the loop so the pedal doesn't pull it apart. I doubt that will happen as I had to use sledge hammer to make it that shape to start with.

Updated the spring on the pedal as well. removed the junk one i had on the master (still shown in last picture). Works much better with ROD and new spring.

 

[pRoFiT]

Picked up some metallic blue Rustoleum spray paint from HomeDepot. and some RED paint same brand. Attempted to make ghost flames on the floor pan...well im not good with spray paint. lets see you try it!

Anyways, so i tried red flames ghosted but maybe white would show through better. I wanted RED paint for some other parts though so i had it on hand.

Then after i put the metallic blue. pretty!

I think i'll go get more and do whole kart in blue metallic!

 

[chancer]

Blue metallic karts are Cool!

 

[Flyinhillbilly]

well im not good with spray paint. lets see you try it!

Are you sure this is something you want to see? I can straight lay some flames.

Kart looks good in metallic blue, it's really coming together.

 

[Rail rider]

You mean firefighting foam, for when his maiden ride turns into a flaming ball o' fire? Allow me to illustrate what it will look like. Public Service Announcement #1:

Let's all be careful out there.

that's the brutality I spoke of. Right there LOL

 

[pRoFiT]

...well Hellion was almost correct on the crash and burn ....

Update: Painted Kart blue until i ran out of paint. need to pick up another can and touch up some places. But painting in the dark without taking everything off it came out great

 

[chancer]

Now get some Front tires before you do "Crash and Burn"

 

[pRoFiT]

Now get some Front tires before you do "Crash and Burn"

welllll..........

....yah exactly as you all predicted. i got about 15 minutes of drive time so far. I did manage to get up to 27mph as expected.

and then this is outcome on HF tires. Also.... Bolt was loose on that tire? maybe caused more wear then expected?

On top of the HF wheels, I DID THE NEXT STUPID THING I thought hey i got loctite. ill just get this bolt on there good!

Then i started looking at rest of kart for loose items. And noticed more lose bolts. I picked up the loctite again and it said RED loctite...... okay maybe i need to get that bolt off the front tire ASAP!!!! was not glued all the way yet and managed to get it off with a little work. close one. almost had a BAD HF tire welded to the kart.


So questions to everyone:

What about Bolts on Tires? Nylon?

What about engine bolts, TC mount bolts, TC bolt into driver?

Blue loctite or split washers for them?

 

[chancer]

Nylon and check regularly on front tires. Or drill em and cotter pin them.
BTW nice toe in?

Also Loc tite on EVERYTHING. On my first kart I drilled and pinned every thing I could.
Yard kart on bumpy hard packed dirt. Thing never saw pavement.

Besides these things are just one big vibration.
BBQJOE has the same issues cruising dirt roads all day.

You should start a separate thread with those Tire Pics. The Forum needs a good go to thread on why HF tires are a bad idea.
Call it a test, or expirement, Like you meant to do that! lol

 

[pRoFiT]

Loctite Blue right? not RED. RED says 500F heat and special tools to remove!!

Worried if i screwed into engine block with RED and had to cut or drill or torch off the bolts! not that i plan on the engine breaking for quite awhile.

Yah new thread on HF wheel attempts. I picked up 4. so i can replace the one about to pop until i go through them all. i think 30 minutes on a HF tire is safe at 27mph. after that i need to drive like 10mph.

Probably pick up some nylon nuts and drill and put pin JIC.

Guess i need to start looking for replacement tires. The HF hubs seem okay with the modifications i made. And the inner tubes are still good. Maybe replacement tires will be cheap enough to run through the year? Then after xmas spending i can put some money into good rims tires for the front.

Attached images of TC bolts. loose on one side. the other 2 where tight still. So blue loctite here i guess. off to the store!

 

[chancer]

Just rotate the front tires!
Another Slightly better option I used on the Kids Karts are the Home Depot Dolly tires. They have held up well. I think they were Carlisle tires on steel wheels. 20 a pair? No Marathon tires.

These are exactly what I used.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Marathon-Pneumatic-Hand-Truck-Wheels-2-Pack-02310/205228244

*****FYI. THIS IS BAD INFO. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!*******
I am only forwarding this to PrOfIt Cause he is a fellow Californian. And Nobody Cares about Californians.
AND we have fully discussed and he is well aware this is a bad Idea.

 

[pRoFiT]

Just rotate the front tires!

That is not a bad/crazy idea. i can rotate and flip. So the bad side is on the outside and i can ride on the good side some more.

p.s. Yah about 9 degree toe in. Per other peoples recommendations. Almost wish i put some kind of adjustment system in...oh well. next DIY challenge.


p.s. off to homedepot! see if they carry them. Or not..... not in stock.

 

[Functional Artist]

Looks good!

Just a suggestion: used riding lawn mowers can be a good, low cost source for tires & some rims. (& many other parts)

I have picked up many on CL for cheap.

Double Trouble, a kart I built last year has a differential, rear rims & tires off a Simplicity rider.

El Dingo's rear tires & front rims & tires are off a riding mower.

 

[pRoFiT]

So i did more reading on alignment. Guess i missed the full details on camber when i started building. Thinking about how to fix it. Everything is welded in place.

So what i have is the spindel axle comming out at 90 and the spindel at 9 degrees in. So i have 9 degree negative camber. On purpose.

I'm thinkingi can cut a notch in the axle and bend down 9 degrees and weld. Does this seem correct?

Im using other post images. Since they did same as me.

 

[chancer]

I would do that. Sounds at first like maybe it would not be strong.
But the axle bolt is just welded to the barrel. So it should be about the same.

However continually welding the same spot. Will/may overheat and make the spindle bolt more brittle.

 

[pRoFiT]

Hmm, yah good info. I was first thinking cut bottom and bend down and re-weld. least amount of heat needed. but then i have a gap that is not welded on the inside

So next i thought cut top and bend down and then just slowly fill in the opening. one bead at a time. let cool before next one. keep the heat down maybe?

What really sucks is i added grease to the spindle already... so that's going to be a mess maybe.

Worse case scenario is remove spindle and make another one! ugh....all out of those parts that i made the first ones from.....

....think ill cut first and then swap out later. could just cut off bolt completely and weld a new bolt on too. that might be the best option. yah i think ill stop by hardware store on way home. Maybe i can fix it this weekend.

Need to get a successful video put together. First time around block my Sony Action Cam failed to record. i think too much vibration. I did however get security cam footage and my wife recorded some on iphone.

Maybe self stick next round!! Or weld a flag poll camera mount on rear so i can get 3rd person view?

 

[chancer]

Confuse people and mount the Camera Facing backwards!