Amount of torque with single wheel drive

[Crane]

Hey everybody
I am a quite tall guy, and I don't want drive with my knees in mouth. I made plans for a go kart with front and rear suspension and single wheel drive. (Live axle is unfortunately not an option)
The kart would be 7 feet 4" long and almost 4 feet wide.
The weight estimate for the kart is about 190 pounds. (More than 350 with the driver)
I have a 196cc 6.5 hp engine and a centrifugal clutch.
The question is, does single wheel drive provide enough torque to get any speed or climb any hills even on asphalt?

 

[landuse]

Hey everybody
I am a quite tall guy, and I don't want drive with my knees in mouth. I made plans for a go kart with front and rear suspension and single wheel drive. (Live axle is unfortunately not an option)
The kart would be 7 feet 4" long and almost 4 feet wide.
The weight estimate for the kart is about 190 pounds. (More than 350 with the driver)
I have a 196cc 6.5 hp engine and a centrifugal clutch.
The question is, does single wheel drive provide enough torque to get any speed or climb any hills even on asphalt?

A one wheel peel kart can be a lot of fun if geared correctly. They are not the best for offroading, depending on what type of offroading you are doing. If you gear correctly you will still enjoy the kart.

Can you give us some more info on the tyre diameter and clutch sprocket tooth count you are going to use. With relatively small diameter wheels (11-13"), you should be OK gearing at 6:1 with a centrifugal clutch. If you are using larger wheels you will probably need to move to a 7 or 8:1 gear ratio. This is calculated by dividing the clutch sprocket tooth count by the axle sprocket tooth count

 

[Crane]

A one wheel peel kart can be a lot of fun if geared correctly. They are not the best for offroading, depending on what type of offroading you are doing. If you gear correctly you will still enjoy the kart.

Can you give us some more info on the tyre diameter and clutch sprocket tooth count you are going to use. With relatively small diameter wheels (11-13"), you should be OK gearing at 6:1 with a centrifugal clutch. If you are using larger wheels you will probably need to move to a 7 or 8:1 gear ratio. This is calculated by dividing the clutch sprocket tooth count by the axle sprocket tooth count

I have tires that are just under 16"
The gear ratio is 7:1, the 70 teeth driven sprocket is only a little bit smaller than the wheel so I can't buy a much bigger sprocket, maybe 75 teeth tops.

Do you have any thoughts if the kart will end up too heavy?

 

[Jakebleazard75@gmail.com]

You say under 16", so I think you probbably have 15" tires, I think the gear ratio is fine. Considering it has suspension, it sounds like you want to go off road. Take it from someone who has tried off roading with a one wheel peel, you have to get out and push a lot when it loses traction. So if you are going to spend most of your time off road, I would just forget it and put on a live axle. Otherwise, a one wheel peel works fine on road and on hard dirt roads. Also, why is a live axle not a option?

 

[Tpdingo]

Do you have any thoughts if the kart will end up too heavy?

Simple.... Bigger motor or more mods

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

A centrifugal clutch is not ideal for a heavy cart, or hills.
from my experience that ratio will be too high. Get a torque converter. Or gear very low (15-20mph top speed).

How many tires are propelling you does not effect the torque, just the power transfer to the ground. On road it will be ok...off road forget it.

 

[Tpdingo]

A centrifugal clutch is not ideal for a heavy cart, or hills.
from my experience that ratio will be too high. Get a torque converter. Or gear very low (15-20mph top speed).
power transfer to the ground. On road it will be ok...off road forget it.

I agree....but usually one wheel peels don't go well with T/Cs.

 

[landuse]

A centrifugal clutch is not ideal for a heavy cart, or hills.
from my experience that ratio will be too high. Get a torque converter. Or gear very low (15-20mph top speed).

How many tires are propelling you does not effect the torque, just the power transfer to the ground. On road it will be ok...off road forget it.

I would have to agree with this

I agree....but usually one wheel peels don't go well with T/Cs.

Yes. TC's aren't too easy to mount when you just have a one wheel peel

 

[Crane]

You say under 16", so I think you probbably have 15" tires, I think the gear ratio is fine. Considering it has suspension, it sounds like you want to go off road. Take it from someone who has tried off roading with a one wheel peel, you have to get out and push a lot when it loses traction. So if you are going to spend most of your time off road, I would just forget it and put on a live axle. Otherwise, a one wheel peel works fine on road and on hard dirt roads. Also, why is a live axle not a option?

I live in Finland, where go karting is not a big thing so I wont be able to buy keyed axles, sprocket hubs or wheels. I have built a live axle go kart but it didn't work well.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I live in Finland, where go karting is not a big thing so I wont be able to buy keyed axles, sprocket hubs or wheels. I have built a live axle go kart but it didn't work well.

1" keyed shaft (or metric equivilent (25mm?) is common in industrial applications as well, not just go carts. it is also possible to very carefully cut keyways with an angle grinder and hand file.

Many lawn tractors use rims with a keyed bore so you may be able to source the rims from something else as well.

I'm not sure what resources you have access too, but a buddy at a machine shop can make almost anything possible.

 

[Maritimemade]

I’m new hopefully my input is correct.. I’m only learning the temanolgy
My kart has a 6.5hp with a cvt (torq-a-verter)
Single wheel drive and it pulls me around, combined weight me and the kart is well over $1000lbs.
I’ll see if I can attach a video
http://https://instagram.com/p/BlsjJ7thChe/
This can pull me around my town. Up hills and with the trailer will do about 40kmh or 25mph
With out the trailer it will for about 55kmh or 35mpg

 

[ghost civic]

with 6.5hp the weight isnt and issue, even if you go with a live axle.(unless you want a high top speed)
One wheel peel setup is fine if the surface is fairly smooth and packed. Otherwise as others have stated, you will get stuck a lot.
You might be able to compensate some with a wider tire or a tire meant for a small ATV that will have good tread. A normal small go kart or riding mower type tire will spin pretty easy on loose dirt/sand.
If it were me, I'd go with a solid chassis (no suspension) and put that money towards a solid/live axle. Get some small ATV tires that can be aired down so the ride isn't too harsh and it should drive most anywhere off road you want to go.

 

[Tpdingo]

I’m new hopefully my input is correct.. I’m only learning the temanolgy
My kart has a 6.5hp with a cvt (torq-a-verter)
Single wheel drive and it pulls me around, combined weight me and the kart is well over $1000lbs.
I’ll see if I can attach a video
http://https://instagram.com/p/BlsjJ7thChe/
This can pull me around my town. Up hills and with the trailer will do about 40kmh or 25mph
With out the trailer it will for about 55kmh or 35mpg

Surprising you have an 18 wheeler and only 1 wheel is being driven.

 

[Crane]

I’m new hopefully my input is correct.. I’m only learning the temanolgy
My kart has a 6.5hp with a cvt (torq-a-verter)
Single wheel drive and it pulls me around, combined weight me and the kart is well over $1000lbs.
I’ll see if I can attach a video
http://https://instagram.com/p/BlsjJ7thChe/
This can pull me around my town. Up hills and with the trailer will do about 40kmh or 25mph
With out the trailer it will for about 55kmh or 35mpg

Wow that is something. Such a huge vehicle and one wheel drive. Maybe I should get a TC but it costs 170€ + new sprockets and chain 50€.