2017- go kart/atv/with a twist or two - DNF

[Kansaskart]

I am building something that's based on years of riding the rural roads, trails and such and all the mishaps. Wishing we could do this or that, wishing we had that, etc.

Mishaps also include friends that like to get drunk and tear up my stuff. Of course the obvious answer to that is get your own toy but you know how it goes.

So without giving away too much info, im making something that wil have some different design features, is cheap and easy to build And if someone rolls it, drives it thru the cesspool or rides off a cliff (not to mention ride home over 5 miles in 4 wheel drive LOW in FULL brake lock on a multi-thousand dollar atv) I won't be out bunches of money.

Something light, this won't be a monstrosity, I hope lol. The usual 212cc suspect at the core, my end goal is mostly power and not a great top end. Handling will be secondary, or at least the best I can do for now.

Last but not least something for us older, gravity-challenged adults with aches and pains can easily get on and off of. I have tons of ideas, but trying to get the one perfect machine the first time around is impossible so im hoping to use this as a base model---if it even proves worthy. We'll see. So to start I have a 5ft by 1.5ft frame 1.25" x14ga.

 

[Kansaskart]

To clarify on handling, because of the design it may not have as much low center of gravity plus I don't have the ideal tires but i'm using what I have. Then again i've seen people crash everything out here regardless of cost so if you want to drive like a maniac it doesn't really matter what you drive. Just have to wait and see what happens.

Also, I would prefer to use the 301cc but I already have a couple 212's on hand I can change out latter. For now they fit my 'cheap' theme. Also im really wanting to see what one of them can do. I have a light frame kart with medium tires and a lightly modded 212 that pulls my 250lbs 40mph so it may be ok for what it's for which is gravel road cruising and trails. Of course everyone will want the 420cc on it and if I like what I end up with that could happen on a future build. That just really goes beyond the scope of my original intentions so that would be treated as a different project and be my personal vehicle and kept hidden away from any guests lol.

Simplicity is also a theme. Here's the brake, here's the gas and that's the off switch. Have a nice day! Oh and it will be so nice to not hear starters churning for minutes on end, dead batteries as a result from people that just don't get it. You can pull that rope all you want lol.

 

[Kansaskart]

Did a little work this am. It's lighter than it looks I can pick it up with 1 hand. Tires, axle, engine and me will be most of the weight.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Wait, you're the engine?

 

[Kansaskart]

Wait, you're the engine?

Lol! I fixed that.

 

[Kansaskart]

I got some pillow blocks in today. Also, obviously, i'm not going for super sweet looks lol-at least as far as a cool tube frame with radiuses is concerned. I want this to be a fast and functional project. I want to use it, like this summer. I will dress it up a little when i'm done. Most atvs look like they could hang out with the mars rover when they don't have their skin on anyhow.

 

[Kansaskart]

No explosives, alcohol, atvs and go karts till 6pm........so thought id get these engine slots finished. Probably not my favorite part..

 

[Kansaskart]

So gota some parts today. #40 sprockets, chain, axle and brake drum kit. Been trying to find some front atv tires. Also need spindles, shocks etc. Eureka! A local salvage atv for $60 I just got home with it. I may incorporate the entire front end. There are no set of plans. Im using whatever I get my hands on. Parts are from gopowersports, ebay, bmi, surpluscenter and northern tool.

Now children, let's see after I upload these pics how long it takes for daddy's favorite little firestarter, the german made 6" metabo, to slice this atv in half.

 

[Kansaskart]

As you can see this posts timestamps, the yamaho timberwolf was no match for german ingenuity.

 

[Kansaskart]

So yeah, 9minutes including posting, taking pics, putting an apron and gloves on to total destruction. I save other parts. Never know, could you flip that rear axle and use a vertical engine? Thoughts for other projects down the road.

 

[Kansaskart]

Test fit. Pretty close considering it wasn't designed for it. I like it, heck of a lot cheaper than buying all those parts. Now I will have front brakes as well and parts are all over ebay and I can ditch that engine for parts for what I have in it.

Basically im making an atv but its like a elevated kart in a way because its rear engine mount. Some of our roads go thru creeks and now I have 30" of engine clearance and thats what im after. That and ample storage for ice cooler, mini generator etc. The frame is light, that front end is pretty light also.

I wont have rear suspension but im gona get a nice tractor bouncy seat. The 212s dont weight anything so not worried about top heavy issues. I will use a jackshaft half way down with the 72tooth sprocket on it.

Also, this is not designed for hill jumping(which my friends dont do) or as a donut machine. Its made for gravel road cruising, water clearance and non-hostile trail riding.

 

[Kansaskart]

I will remove the govenor but im keeping the stock air filter box and muffler for now. With the tall tires and not loaded down I bet this thing will go over 35mph which is plenty fast on gravel. Generally we cruise around 20-25 so thats really my goal.

 

[Kansaskart]

It's coming along. Don't like the brake placement but I already had pillow blocks on it so I'm running with it for now.will add extras like floor boards later. My plan is get it running this coming week. I have hard saddlebags I dug out of a junk pile for it.

 

[Kansaskart]

Great trash find

 

[Kansaskart]

Will definitely need some sort of front bumper guard. I want to get the engine on it and get it going first then come back to that type stuff.

 

[Kansaskart]

So here's the latest. I switched sprockets around it didn't like the 72 on top. Now I realize it was flexing the Jackshaft really bad and I might be able to put a 3rd middle bearing on it and revert it back. For now it's fine. And I'm relocating brake if not getting a disc don't know yet. I've been driving it today I really like it. It handles way better than I thought it would. Decided to just make a foam bench seat even just riding on the steel isn't bad. So I got lots of 'LITTLES' left but I can get to them one at a time. Getting ready for a 3 mile ride down to the creek. I'm pretty happy with it so far.

 

[landuse]

That is looking pretty awesome!! Well done. If it were me, I would look at maybe fabbing something to cover all the chain etc, just to be safer

 

[Kansaskart]

That is looking pretty awesome!! Well done. If it were me, I would look at maybe fabbing something to cover all the chain etc, just to be safer

Thx. I think the saddle bags will mostly cover up the chain. You could still get stuff in there but im not real worried at this point. It will be on ongoing project and have a toolkit onboard. I also have the belt drive cover.

Hopefully I can stop riding it long enough to finish it lol. I've gotten a lot of comments out here on it. Mostly that thing looks cool and a few 'what is that?'. People arent used to seeing a top mounted engine.

 

[Kansaskart]

The drum brake doesn't go well I can see it filling with mud etc I'm gonna rebuild the front brakes and probably add rear scrub brakes they would be more suited for this I think.

---------- Post added at 08:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 PM ----------

Probably gonna make some fenders as well.

 

[Kansaskart]

Well done some, with all the changes who knows if I'll be done in time but I'm liking it, especially since yesterday! After several hours of drive time with the 212 I discovered it was great for gravel road cruising but the Sandy bottom Creek beds are just too much for it. So been looking for the right deal and yesterday I found an excellent dingo that has brand new rear tires and a 420 predater that's only been ran twice they claim, I've ran it sounds like it should. They put a lot of money in it and we're frustrated with the torque converter, it was too small and they did a horrible job. I got them down to $400! So last night I was up till 2am. Took the 212 off and put it on the dingo. I also traded my turf savers for the dingo atv tires same mounting paternity. Of course now I got a get a 40 series. The cool thing is that now I'm gonna sell the dingo and probably be able to get back the entire $400, maybe a
Ittle more we see.