A Project o' Mine

[Ace of Spades]

Hi!

I've been surfing around this forum for several days now, and for putting this up here. I really appreciate it.

So, just to start off.. I've never built anything from scratch before, the most I've ever done was taken an old mini Baja motorcycle I had apart down a bit. I'm really interested in mechanics, but as I've been on the road, and moving around alot lately, I haven't had time to do much with it.

So, right now I'm in Oregon. For the next 3 months I'm on a mission to get everything I need together to make a go kart, one that's light, and semi-easily portable. I'm not looking for a speed demon, or anything like that. I feel that I can find an engine for $20-$60 that's approx. 6.5hp. I have been thinking about this kart for a good month, it's tattooed in my memory. Lol.

I have about $120 right now, and I'm working some odd-jobs around the campsites(we're RVing). I would appreciate any help at all as to anything I could have missed.

I'm thinking about a two-speed cart, maybe up to 35mph.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Welcome to the forum, we'll help you any way we can.

I wouldn't say that there's any one "most important" aspect to a build. It really is a matter of how the whole package works together.

I will say this though (and vote accordingly)- Gearing is very seriously misunderstood and oft-overlooked. It is worthy of more homework than many people afford it.

This does not change the fact that steering and braking systems are critical to avoiding Darwin Awards. I think I'd place power at the bottom of the list under most circumstances. With careful design and gearing, you often need less power than you think.

 

[Russ2251]

Gearing is very seriously misunderstood and oft-overlooked. It is worthy of more homework than many people afford it.

This is #1 on the list of misconceptions.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Thanks for the reply and welcome!

Okay so I understand what you mean. It's how everything works together. That makes sense. I've been to several of the sites of for the gearing ratio, and what I haven't seen is a rating for torque (is that even possible?).

I have a 7-year-old sibling that's also interested in "going fast" (lol) and I'd like to be able to have the kart not only fit them, but go slow enough not to overwhelm them. This is mostly what I was thinking when I half-decided on a two-speed clutch.

So that's a major concern of mine.

The other is size, and weight. Because depending on if my father and myself can lift the thing onto the top of our Expedition, it could be 3 months to a year-and-a-half before I can get my hands dirty.

Thanks again!

 

[B man]

E-All of the above.