Building a go kart size Aerial Atom

[Functional Artist]

Almost forgot

I added the horizontal braces from the top "rib rail" to each side of the seatback/rollbar.
...being sure to keep 'em nice-n-straight

It's (1) straight bar, from "rib rail" to "rib rail", on the actual car/in the drawing
...just a little FA twist

 

[Functional Artist]

What ya think?

Reinforcement loop/brace toward the front or back?

Front

Yup, toward the front ends up being the best way
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Tacked the spindle brackets on
...just tacked for now till we check height, stance, shock angle/placement, castor, camber, ackerman etc.

 

[Functional Artist]

It's been in the 40's here the last couple of days
...& I've been gettin' stuff done

I cut up some 1/2" ply wood for a seat bottom/back
...& made up some tie rods.

Looks like they will clear (the main frame & A-frame) but, the Pitman Arm seems to be a bit too short.

Gonna try one ~1" longer

Wanna make the tie rods nice-n-straight/horizontal (if possible) for better steering action
...& (hopefully) good clearance

 

[Functional Artist]

While outside I did a little bodywork (smoothed some ugly welds)
...& also some clean up (removed some of the slag & snot balls)

Lots more to do
...so many junctions & joints

 

[sikbrik]

What are the odds of extending your steering to have "arms" out to the suspension pivots, so your tie rods can run in the same exact plane as your a-arms? That'll keep your bump steer down.

Basically a "T" shaped pitman arm is what I'm suggesting...not sure if that'll have the strength you want, though.

 

[Functional Artist]

What are the odds of extending your steering to have "arms" out to the suspension pivots, so your tie rods can run in the same exact plane as your a-arms? That'll keep your bump steer down.

Basically a "T" shaped pitman arm is what I'm suggesting...not sure if that'll have the strength you want, though.

They look to be pretty close now, with the little bit longer Pitman arm.

So, far when manually working the A-frames (up & down) individually or together
...the Pitman arm doesn't seem to move, at all.

* Next, we can work on shock placement.

 

[Functional Artist]

The last pic pretty much "gives it away"

It looks like a couple of (repurposed) bicycle monoshocks will work great for front spring/shocks

These, pink ones (for now) are labeled as 750 lbs.

I also have some black ones that are labeled 350 lbs.

The pink (750 lbs.) ones fit in the situation better
(the black (350 lbs.) ones are ~1" shorter & have a bit smaller diameter spring)
...but, I'm not sure how either one will work on a kart.

Were gonna find out.

 

[sikbrik]

Check this out...it won't tell you the calcs for your entire suspension arc but it'll get you close.

https://www.qa1.net/technical-support/street-performance-racing-spring-rate-tech

It looks like you're at maybe 30° in your mock-up, so 750lb springs will have an effective rate closer to 650lbs which is probably still pretty high for the front of the kart.

Still, it's going to give more than no suspension so that's good!

 

[Functional Artist]

It's been kinda cold outside around here, again
(there is a BIG difference between workin' (doin' my art) outside @ ~45* & 30*)
...so, I've been doin' some inside work

Well, lets make a dash board

I rounded up another piece of plastic (from the back off of an old big screen TV)
...& trimmed into a nice "house shape"

Tryin' for a "knee bump-dash bump-knee bump" look across the top

I lined it up, so the top edges of the (2) corners were even with the "knee bends"
...marked where the steering shaft would go
…& then, drilled an 1 1/8" hole (to fit over & clear the bushing holder)

There's still a lot more to do (can't be blockin' the knee area)
...but, seems to be lookin good so far

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Aesthetically...

 

[Functional Artist]

Wow!
...it does kinda have a flow to it

FYI:
I updated the drawing a bit too
...adding the top "ribbon rails"
...the dash bar & seatback braces
…& also the floor pan

 

[Functional Artist]

Next, I marked where the "knee bumps" need to be cut-out on the back side
...but, before trimming the dash down any further, I want to cut out the hole for the gauge.

Also, I've found that it's easier to grip a larger piece of material
...so, we'll cut it down afterwards

Marked, drilled, cut & whittled & whittled & whittled
…then, Boom! our gauge fits nicely

 

[Joe-405]

You are great with electrical projects. Your making me wanna build one now and I’ve never built a electrical powered anything. I built my own stand alone harness for efi stuff but that’s as far as I’ve gone roughly. And rewired cars and drag vehicles.

Great job.

 

[Functional Artist]

You are great with electrical projects. Your making me wanna build one now and I’ve never built a electrical powered anything. I built my own stand alone harness for efi stuff but that’s as far as I’ve gone roughly. And rewired cars and drag vehicles.

Great job.

Thanks!

Go for it, you'll love it

You'll never get this kind of instant torque out of an ICE powered vehicle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBMA10WYGsI

 

[Functional Artist]

The table saw trimmed the "knee bump" blockers off easily
…& the bench grinder rounded the corners & cleaned the edges up nicely.

That'll work, it don't stick up too much & the gauge is right there.

Looks good & does something...functional art

 

[Functional Artist]

Yesterday was ~50* & sunny

So, I took Atom & it's 500 pieces out to the front porch

The back yard is kinda soggy 'cause of all of the the freezin' & thawin' we've had
...plus I need a large, nice-n-flat surface to set everything up on that's also nice-n-level
...cause the front suspensions next.

But, before we can start on the front, we have to do some reassembly
...like install the rear swing arm, slide the axle in & the wheels on
...then, propped it up "near" to where it "should sit" when the rear shocks are "actually" supporting it
…also, propped the front up to where it "should sit"

* The floorboard should be nearly level or slightly inclined toward the front.

 

[Functional Artist]

Now that it is on a level surface
...& sittin' the way we want it

Lets check to see how close the spindle brackets are to being "true"

The left side is just about "right on"
...but, the right side was off quite a bit

 

[Functional Artist]

Dry fit, to check fitness
...the (pink) 6" (750 lbs.) shocks
...or the (black) 5 1/2" (350 lbs.) ones?

 

[Functional Artist]

I think can make a multi-mount that either shock can be mounted into.

So, lets keep our options "open" & go with...both
...that way we can test both kinds

A 1 1/4" piece of square steel has a ~1" inside diameter
...perfect for a shock mount bracket

So, I cut a couple of ~3' pieces
...& then cut one side out, to make 1" channels

After removing the spindle brackets (cut the tack welds)
…& cleaning up the ends of the A-frames a bit
...the shock mounts seem to fit on the ends pretty good

The big (pink) shock can bolt toward the bottom, the smaller (black) shock can bolt toward the top
…& the top bracket (welded to the top "rib rail") can be used for mounting either one.

Next, I gotta do some clean up & drill some mounting holes.

 

[Functional Artist]

Gotta do a little trimmin', so they fit nice-n-snug up to & around the A-frame "hoop braces"

Marked, cut & smoothed
...then, on to drillin'

Measured, marked & drilled one of 'em
...then used it as a template to make the other one match

Boom! we got shock mount brackets with holes