Building a wooden gokart

[NateIngram1]

Im building a wooden go kart and i am having some trouble with attaching the engine to the axle and wheels im new at this but i have a pretty good idea of what im going to do. I have a 2hp briggs and i want to put a belt from the engine to the axle and have a tensioner as a clutch would this work?

 

[B man]

i would advise you DON'T make one out of wood. its a BAD idea. just get a used frame. save youself the splintery death.

 

[NateIngram1]

Well i already have the frame built and everything is stong and steady but it isnt too heavy either and right now its just a rolling chasis and thats the problem i dont know if using a belt tensioner clutch would work with my 2hp engine, all the vids ive seen they use like atleast 4hp.

 

[jeremybentham]

save yourself the splintery death.

 

[B man]

well.2hp is fine. i would't go over that. woods just not good for a kart. have any pics of this frame? you know it will only break.

 

[NateIngram1]

I dont got any pics of it yet but i will soon, and yes i know it will need alot of tending too but its just a summer thing next summer i will build on out of 1in. square tubing but for now this is what i got, but do you think the tensioner clutch will work?

 

[B man]

how fast you want to go?any thing over 15mph is suicide on a wooden kart.

 

[NateIngram1]

No i don't need it to go very fast i just want it to get me around on my dirt road but i would like it to go at least 10mph

 

[B man]

well that may be possible with a well built frame and a small engine.

 

[NateIngram1]

Ya my engine has about a 2 1/2 pulley on it and i have a 6 1/2 inch pulley on the axle with 13 in. wheels or 8 which ever i decide, do you think that will work?

 

[B man]

sry im no good with ratios.

 

[karl]

My friend had a go kart made from 2 by 4s and it was fine. It did about 25mph and he would spin it out on the road.

 

[B man]

My friend had a go kart made from 2 by 4s and it was fine. It did about 25mph and he would spin it out on the road.

let me guess. it broke?

 

[Bluethunder3320]

use the ratio calc on this sites home page.

 

[NateIngram1]

I would but its for sprockets and I'm using a belt.

 

[karl]

let me guess. it broke?

No the motor blew up. Its still sitting around at his brothers house. Its been sitting for about 4 years. Wood will do good for a small go kart with no more that 5hp and not going faster than 25mph. B man, have you ever had a wood go-kart? Your assuming it will fall apart. Nate, can you get a pic of the frame?

 

[B man]

wood can snap at any given moment. one wrong bump at 25mph and splintery demise.

metal is MUCH tougher and is alot harder to break or snap.

 

[NateIngram1]

I can get you a pic of the frame but it will be a little while cuz the kart is at my grandpa's house.

 

[the-cyborg]

Hey if think building a cart from wood is a bad idea, do a search for Morgan Automobiles, to this day you can buy a Morgan that is built primarily of wood, building a cart from wood is not that far fetched of an idea if approached properly.

 

[Russ2251]

I'm not gettin' the problem with wood karts.
My very first home built kart was all wood...direct drive, foot and rope steering, and no brakes.
With 1hp could cruise at 18mph.
More fun than the "technological terrors" that I now own.