Differential

[r_chez_08]

Do you need a differential on a shifter kart powered by a bike engine?

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

No.

 

[jmadden91]

Lol and thats the end of this thread

 

[mike75925]

none of the diff's currently available for karts would hold up in my mind. and diff is almost strictly for asphalt karts, maybe a bit of off-roading. you get in mud, have fun picking it up and moving it over.

 

[freakboy]

i wouldnt bother cause with a bike engine and a live axle you can always just peg the throtal and then spin the kart around ahaha.

 

[r_chez_08]

That's wat I thought I was just trying to prove some mates wrong, they were going" with no diff you can't turn" I was like no lol thanks

 

[TurtleMann14]

well, truth be told, you can't turn as well, but yes you can still turn

if you are going to make a kart for asphalt racing then you will need a diff.
if you don't have a diff you will have additional forces making your kart want to go straight.
the wider the rear axle and the more grip your drive tires have the more force will be applied

but, it you are on a loose surface much power will be lost spinning one wheel while the other just sits there

 

[anderkart]

A properly setup race kart chassis (Shifter/Sprint/whatever) is designed to transfer weight away from the inside tire while turning, this lowers the traction of the inside tire and alows the live axle kart to easly make turns without having to "spin the kart around". (so they dont need or even want any type of differential) However If someone were to of just instaled a motorcycle engine on the average fun/yard type kart, it might be a diferent story.

 

[porsche930dude]

i had a diff on my 175cc 2 stroke kart it blew up pretty quickly and i even had small skinny tires on it. It turns no problem with a solid axle. But im putting big atv tires on it now with lots more grip so i dunno how its going to behave now

 

[modelengineer]

if you are going to make a kart for asphalt racing then you will need a diff.

None of the superkarts around here use diffs, and they run 250cc bike engines will aerodynamic bodies. They're crazy!

 

[TurtleMann14]

i wana ride one of those.... bad

idk i know that you use the diff in road cars for the reasons I listed

 

[mike75925]

diff is to help in steering. if you have the chance to ride a vehicle with a locking diff, do so. ride a course with it posi'ed, then with diff. with posi, you have to start turning way earlier than with diff. posi tends to keep pushing forward instead of turning. with a diff, when turning, the inside wheel gets the bind causing the outside wheel to get the power thus turning you faster.