Best brake for simple install?//hydraulic brake questions

[ethano8225]

Hello y'all, I hope you're having a wonderful day.
I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me with picking a brake to use for my wooden cart. I already have a brake I got for free, photo below, but I know hydraulic brakes are somewhat complicated compared to something like this mechanical one, so I don't know if I should just bite the bullet and get the easy one. The main problem with the hydraulic one is I have no real way to link it up to a handbrake, except if I do it super janky (like make my own handbrake and have a piece of metal jab into the brake actuator). Also, if I use the hydraulic brake, do I need to set up the master cylinder in a specific way? Does the master cylinder need to be upright? Can the master cylinder be above/below the caliper (in terms of placement on the go kart) and still work fine? I know I have to bleed hydraulic brakes and use specific brake fluid for them so I can figure that out no problem, but some of these other things are just too complex for a ding dong like me.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and have a nice day

 

[Denny]

Why do you want a hand brake? Foot would be easier. Mechanical disc brake would be more complicated. More linkage and welding.

 

[BaconBitRacing]

Wooden kart, why handbrake? This is a project kart and it's wood so low speed, I think foot brake. Definitely keep the master upright.

 

[redflash]

drag yer foot , wood's reallllll slow.

 

[ethano8225]

Why do you want a hand brake? Foot would be easier. Mechanical disc brake would be more complicated. More linkage and welding.

Wooden kart, why handbrake? This is a project kart and it's wood so low speed, I think foot brake. Definitely keep the master upright.

Handbrake, foot brake, I just need a brake . Connecting it up to a foot pedal or hand brake wouldnt be a problem for me, I can jerry rig stuff like that (and by hand brake I mean like the ones in cars, not the ones on bikes, sorry if that caused some confusion). But thank you Denny for letting me know the mechanical one would be more complicated, I thought it would be simpler because of the lack of brake fluid and master cylinder blah blah, but I'm sure the mechanical one is just another can of worms, so thank you. To BBR, I was assuming I had to keep the master cylinder upright because of the min line that was on it, but I was hoping not for the sake of an easy jerry rig. Oh well, my hopes are crushed but you probably saved me from injuring myself, so thank you anyways.

drag yer foot , wood's reallllll slow.

It's gonna have a 8hp motor on it, if it goes that slow I'll be a tad surprised considering my old 11hp trike hit 45mph with the same back axle.

 

[redflash]

If you put a gas motor on that thing....it will shake it into firewood in about 3 runs.....unless your trying to replicate Fred Flintstones car...get a welder and learn how to work with steel....don't mean to be offensive, but we go thru this wood kart thing about 4 times a year.......and its just not cost effective or practical


Da redflash

 

[ethano8225]

If you put a gas motor on that thing....it will shake it into firewood in about 3 runs.....unless your trying to replicate Fred Flintstones car...get a welder and learn how to work with steel....don't mean to be offensive, but we go thru this wood kart thing about 4 times a year.......and its just not cost effective or practical


Da redflash

No trust me I totally and fully understand this. The only reason I am building it out of wood is because this go kart is essentially the thing that will let me graduate HS. Basically by may 25th I need to have some sort of completed go kart. I dont have a welder, I don't really know how to weld, and I certainly don't have the metal to make a proper frame, so I figure buying 3x 9ft 2x4's and coating them with flame retardant (of some sort) will be alright for the time being. I know wood splits, I know it cracks, I mean there is a good reason why cars are made of metal nowadays. But spending like 3 grand just on a welder & accessories, and the stuff to make a frame would literally bankrupt me so it's just not really an option. It sucks, I wish i could make it properly

 

[ethano8225]

^I will have metal supports though. I'm going to put 2 gussets in the bottom right corner, one below and one above the frame. I talked to my engineering teacher and he said that should work using the plan I have, attached below (ignore the piece of cardboard near the bottom of the frame, It's just going to be an X with a box around it)

 

[Karttekk]

I would suggest fabricating some type of scrub brake similar to this setup. Put a 3"x3" square piece of wood on a pivot with two flat heavy duty wooden panels fastened to it. Create a pedal then connect a return spring somewhere. I don't imagine you'll be moving very quickly, this should at least slow you down somewhat.

 

[BaconBitRacing]

I would suggest fabricating some type of scrub brake similar to this setup. Put a 3"x3" square piece of wood on a pivot with two flat heavy duty wooden panels fastened to it. Create a pedal then connect a return spring somewhere. I don't imagine you'll be moving very quickly, this should at least slow you down somewhat.

They had those brakes on some 5HPs, better than your feet.

 

[Denny]

I don’t know about better, but no worse.

 

[BaconBitRacing]

I don’t know about better, but no worse.

It doesn’t wear out your shoes! Those things are stupid expensive!

 

[redflash]

sorry, didn't realize you were a young un

Da redflash

 

[ethano8225]

I would suggest fabricating some type of scrub brake similar to this setup. Put a 3"x3" square piece of wood on a pivot with two flat heavy duty wooden panels fastened to it. Create a pedal then connect a return spring somewhere. I don't imagine you'll be moving very quickly, this should at least slow you down somewhat.

They had those brakes on some 5HPs, better than your feet.

I am tempted, but I have plastic back wheels that are basically for professional drift trikes so the braking power for that would be poor at best (good idea though, the more options i have the better the outcome).

sorry, didn't realize you were a young un

Da redflash

Dont worry about it man im just in a tough spot. I didnt want to write too much in the original post cause then it’d be an essay

For the hydraulic brakes though, would I just need to top off the brake fluid with dot4, try my best to get the bubbles out and then install? I think i have a good idea for how i can force the brake to actuate using a makeshift (car-like) handbrake, so the only thing im worried about with using that brake is me messing something up and causing the brake to essentially not be able to brake (because of improper install/mantinence, maybe bubbles are present or something of that sort)

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Whatever you wind up doing, please post pictures here of the final product. I, for one, am very curious.

 

[Duke878]

I've got the same brakes. I haven't found anything on how to bleed and maintain them. any helpers?

Also would love to see other setups using this system... thanks!

 

[Rat]

Why do you want a hand brake? Foot would be easier. Mechanical disc brake would be more complicated. More linkage and welding.

As having delt with both systems, I must say THATS A LIE.
Both systems have certain complications for an amateur builder.
Between the two mechanical cable actuated is easier and more idiot proof due to how little can actually go wrong with them... mostly cable slip and cable breakage. There are also ways of setting them up with very little to no welding.

Yes hydraulic provides stronger more reliable stopping force, but there's fittings and hoses to worry about fitting right without having them leak. Theres the bleeding procedure that unless you have a bleed kit brake syringe is a two person task for any vehicle.

I've got the same brakes. I haven't found anything on how to bleed and maintain them. any helpers?

Also would love to see other setups using this system... thanks!

Hydraulic brakes should be self adjusting until the pads need replaced, but the bleed valve is no different than the one on any other hydraulic caliper... looks almost exactly like a zerk grease fitting