My friends and I are going to build a first time OFF ROAD go kart this summer and need some help figuring out how to lay out an independent rear suspension. I need a design that will be able to handle (atleast) a 500cc motorcycle motor and can take some abuse on bumps.
Building an offroad gokart - How to build independent rear suspension?
- Thread starter cyberdork
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modelengineer
Lord of the noise
The best advise I can give you is to look at many pictures, and figure it out from there. It is quite difficult to explain how to lay it out over a forum. Here are a couple of pics which show just 1 design (double A arms) which works really well. There is also 3 link (not quite as good) and 5 link (pretty **** good), and single a arms which are OK and easier to design and build.
^^ Designed to handle over 200hp
Hope this helps a bit.
^^ Designed to handle over 200hp
Hope this helps a bit.
jr dragster T
New member
Holy @#$% That's a nice buggy!!!! I would post up a song right about now that relates to how nice that buggy is but it's a bit unapropriate. I think some of you might know the song I'm talking about.
r_chez_08
Should be in the shop...
could you give more detail, budget, type of kart ect.
modelengineer
Lord of the noise
I also vote sidewinder (not biased at all 
)
I'm building one and it is great.
edge.au.com
)I'm building one and it is great.
edge.au.com
jarcynvicnchris93
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I agree with Tyler that the kart in the pics is sweet. but I really do not think that Cyberdork is going to be able to even stay anywhere close to his budget with the Sidewinder. I think to stay on budget you are really going to have be creative.
here are some ideas-
1. first develop a plan or buy some plans online
2. develop a preliminary parts list and then try to get as much stuff used or free that you can. I have seen people give away pretty decent kart motors on Craigslist, and even on one occasion a running motorcycle engine.
3. find a good auto salvage and a decent motorcycle salvage-for instance you could get brake calipers, and actuators off of a motorcycle and then do like Kibble and get a brake master cylinder off of a Car. You could also prob even find stuff to fab your suspension parts at a salvage. Like motorcycle coil over shocks. or even maybe VW old style bug half shafts (I think these could possibly work)
4. Find a metal supplier that also has a scrap pile in addition to their new metal. Old metal after being sand blasted tends to look like new metal. Just be sure to ask how they price their used metal before digging out what you want. Sometimes buying scrap metal by the pound can cost more than new metal.
5. try posting a wanted add on Craigslist asking for leftover metal, motors, shocks etc. Sometimes when people hear what you are doing they will bend over backwards to try and help you out. I would much rather see kids or in your case a young adult building a kart and learning valuable skills like welding and wrenching, and project management than out getting in trouble. I mean for instance look at guys like Tyler and Kenny who can weld and wrench with the best of them. They will probably end up being our future engineers one day. That is awesome in my opinion.
6. get family involved to help you buy parts and hopefully tools and maybe even teach you some of the skills you need to build.
and last of this windy answer, I have posted some pics of a kart without suspension but with a pretty decent roll cage. I am planning to add a swing arm to the rear soon and double A arms to the front. I have already built my front end with double A arms, coil overs, a mini sand rail rack and pinion, heavy duty stepped spindles, and sealed ball joints. Now all I have to do is cut and mod the front end of the kart to accept the new front end I built.
good luck to you, hopefully some of us from the forum can help you if anything from encouragement. So keep us posted with your questions and plenty of pics of your progress.
Jared Jones
here are some ideas-
1. first develop a plan or buy some plans online
2. develop a preliminary parts list and then try to get as much stuff used or free that you can. I have seen people give away pretty decent kart motors on Craigslist, and even on one occasion a running motorcycle engine.
3. find a good auto salvage and a decent motorcycle salvage-for instance you could get brake calipers, and actuators off of a motorcycle and then do like Kibble and get a brake master cylinder off of a Car. You could also prob even find stuff to fab your suspension parts at a salvage. Like motorcycle coil over shocks. or even maybe VW old style bug half shafts (I think these could possibly work)
4. Find a metal supplier that also has a scrap pile in addition to their new metal. Old metal after being sand blasted tends to look like new metal. Just be sure to ask how they price their used metal before digging out what you want. Sometimes buying scrap metal by the pound can cost more than new metal.
5. try posting a wanted add on Craigslist asking for leftover metal, motors, shocks etc. Sometimes when people hear what you are doing they will bend over backwards to try and help you out. I would much rather see kids or in your case a young adult building a kart and learning valuable skills like welding and wrenching, and project management than out getting in trouble. I mean for instance look at guys like Tyler and Kenny who can weld and wrench with the best of them. They will probably end up being our future engineers one day. That is awesome in my opinion.
6. get family involved to help you buy parts and hopefully tools and maybe even teach you some of the skills you need to build.
and last of this windy answer, I have posted some pics of a kart without suspension but with a pretty decent roll cage. I am planning to add a swing arm to the rear soon and double A arms to the front. I have already built my front end with double A arms, coil overs, a mini sand rail rack and pinion, heavy duty stepped spindles, and sealed ball joints. Now all I have to do is cut and mod the front end of the kart to accept the new front end I built.
good luck to you, hopefully some of us from the forum can help you if anything from encouragement. So keep us posted with your questions and plenty of pics of your progress.
Jared Jones
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Kenny_McCormic
Kartless....
Instead of A arms, look at using dual swingarms. Much easier to make and easier to get parts. Run a big(a 1inch live axle oughta do) keyed jackshaft as the pivot shaft and the shaft that distributes power to the rear wheels.
Check out the pics on this guys photobucket: http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c14/theo44/Bandit/
I'm building this buggy and it can be done on the cheap. The hardest part is going to be the motor. I'm trying to find a motor now for mine and I'm not having much luck. Closest I've come is a 250 off a Honda Rebel off Craigslist. Even that was $300 so that half your budget right there.
I'm building this buggy and it can be done on the cheap. The hardest part is going to be the motor. I'm trying to find a motor now for mine and I'm not having much luck. Closest I've come is a 250 off a Honda Rebel off Craigslist. Even that was $300 so that half your budget right there.
modelengineer
Lord of the noise
Buy a whole bike which is damaged and sell off the bits. It really works.
That One Guy
Occational Annoyance
Okay, so I know that this is an uber old thread, but modelengineer, that dashing red kart wouldn't happen to be yours would it?
psycho_builder
Member
here is one idea for a kind of easy independant rear suspension
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modelengineer
Lord of the noise
Nah, just a pic I borrowed from the Edge website. Mine is black and with a swingarm at the rear.
That One Guy
Occational Annoyance
Oh, well still, that's pretty sweet.
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