building a go kart....out of a shopping cart.

[ryanjblajda]

so long story short, i found a shopping cart, brought it back with me to my apartment and have been trying to figure out what to do with it for the longest time, and decided im going to built a go kart out of it.

essentially im going to build a separate frame, and then mount the shopping cart on top and then build the seat, pedals and wheel into the cart.

so far ive come up with a design for the frame, figured out how (in theory) to build a live axle,

***edit***

i didnt realize live axles were pretty much pointless/not recommended for street use. which is mainly what i would use it for.

/edit

and build the steering and spindles (in theory). when i say that, i mean that i know how to build it i just dont have the money, materials, or space to do it in.

yet.

i have a friend that has welder and a garage, so im probably going to rope him into helping me when i finally get the money to buy the parts for the frame, steering, and such.

for right now, ive been figuring out what i need to do to the shopping cart to be able to fit into it and actually drive, and what i will need to build the frame, mount the engine/drive/brake system and the steering.

so thats my plans for a gokart, but im supposed to introduce myself too...

im Ryan, i live in Orlando FL, i like lowered cars, im about to graduate Full Sail with a BS in Recording Arts, and i have a cat.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8263/8663376047_1653511ab5.jpg

thats my car.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8516/8369963863_f47c514ff6.jpg

thats my cat.

 

[ryanjblajda]

ill be uploading my MK I version of the frame in a few. i only have a top down view right now.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Welcome to the forum. For some cool inspiration, search on a user called lemegacool. He built a really funky turboed shopping cart.

 

[ryanjblajda]

thanks! im trying to figure out what a good size wheel to use is.

 

[ryanjblajda]

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i172/Mybigpics/Invader kart/DSCN7481.jpg

i want to use wheels like this cart has but i cant figure out the size.

 

[ryanjblajda]

MK I

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3831/8905956427_578af42363.jpg

 

[OzFab]

Shifter kart wheels are usually
Front: 10"x5"x5" tyre on a 5"x5" rim, centre is usually 17mm bearing
Rear: 11"x8"x5" tyre on a 5"x8" rim with 3 bolt stud pattern

 

[ryanjblajda]

awesome thanks. that means i can get the wheels to scale in my drawing.

 

[ryanjblajda]

MK II

lengthened the front to accomodate for wider wheels (im going to do 10x8 all the way around. i like wide wheels)

also removed some stuff that was confusing to the design. i will eventually do a cutaway version, but im lazy and its going to be a pain in the ***.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/8907999028_1b6c0839e4.jpg

 

[ryanjblajda]

is it just me or 10" wheels on this cart seem SUPER big. i think 6" diameter x 8" width + tires ending up at a 8" wheel. im not looking to go super fast. with a 5HP cart with a 14T - 60T gearing i should be able to get almost 20mph. which is pretty fast for shopping cart.

although i might try and get a 7hp engine. but either way, it should be pretty fun.

 

[landuse]

I think your proposed gearing is too steep. Using a 10 tooth clutch would be better.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Agreed. At 4.28:1, you may be asking too much of your clutch. Remember that gearing calculators are only theoretical, and cannot account for real-world factors like weight, friction, torque, or the tolerance of a particular clutch.

 

[OzFab]

(im going to do 10x8 all the way around. i like wide wheels)

Can you get 10x8s? Unless I'm wrong, it's either 10x6 or 11x8...

Also, wider front tyres will hinder your steering...

Motion carried on the gearing; I think I'm pushing it with 70:12 (5.83:1)

 

[ryanjblajda]

Gearing - Yeah im still trying to figure out the best gearing, but having no experience with any of the engines, or gearing ratios i dont really know what type of ratio ill need to get what i want out of the engine.

**edit

and with a 10" (total) rear wheel i think a maybe a 12T/60T or 10T/60T gearing should be fine.

**/edit

The main thing I want to achieve is to go I want to be able to go at least 20mph, just before redline.

Wheels - in regards to the 10x8 all the way around, i decided against that.

although i can find them, im going to to 6x6 front and 8x8 rear. if the tires i get have a 2" sidewall theyll end up being 8" tall in the front, and 10" in the back, which looks a LOT more proportional.

http://www.bmikarts.com/6-Douglas-Classic-Spun-Aluminum-Wheels-_p_1554.html

Steering - the diagram i posted is actually to scale, and i rotated the wheels inside the program on the axis and they should just clear allowing me a pretty steep turning radius.

but im still not sure what wheels i want to get. I dont want them to look obnoxiously large compared to the kart. i mean you guys know what a shopping cart looks like, so imagine what sort of wheels you think would look best if it had an engine and frame.

(ill be uploading another version of the frame with the new wheels)

 

[ryanjblajda]

MK III

so this is 10x8 rears & 8x6 fronts Diameter x Width

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3692/8914141001_7ff7ac3e51.jpg

 

[ryanjblajda]

so i fixed some of the dimensions because the shopping cart dimensions were off.

the black line is the outline of the cart, and the grey line is where im going to put a backing plate welded to where the handle is. without it i can fit in the cart, but i dont have the right angle on where i would need to put the pedals to drive it.

also where can i find brake setups for the rear wheel and what wheel does it go on?

heres the new version.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/8915882732_a96207d1e9.jpg

 

[ryanjblajda]

http://www.mfgsupply.com/az2530.html

found where im probably going to get my brake supplies from. and when setting this up, i would bolt the drum to the hub, that way it spins with the wheel, and then i would weld the other part of the brake assembly to the part of the axle that doesnt move.

^^ the above is a question, since I've never done it before.

 

[OzFab]

Um, NO! Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever weld anything to an axle

Wait.

the part of the axle that doesnt move.

What?

 

[ryanjblajda]

well its not going to be a live axle setup, im going to use a dead axle since its going to be mainly driven on pavement. i read that dead axles are more recommended, because it live axles hinder turning because both wheels turn at the same speed.

and the reason i said weld it, cause i have never set up a rear drive setup on a go kart

i want to run 8x8 in the back, and i havent been able to find any wheels that arent 4 bolt, or any hubs that are 4 bolt that are double flanged so i can mount the sprocket and the brake hub.

but i havent been looking for that long granted.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Okay- for clarification- "the part of the axle that doesn't move" on a dead axle is... All of it. A dead axle consists of two spindles. Everything that DOES move is not actually part of the axle. What does rotate is the hubs, and everything attached to them.

Don't weld it. Find a way to bolt it together. Maybe drill new holes in the drum to match the hubs, or even drill new holes in the hubs and wheels to match the drums. Weld tabs on, if you need a wider pattern than the part will allow.