Fixin' craigslist junk is fun!

[Tpdingo]

These are my 2 little junkers that I have been fixing up. They were both 50$ on craigslist and I have been taking them and putting predators on them and getting them in good condition.

1st one: the little red one.
The little red one was a 2 stroke chinese clone that was about as rusted as it could get. The carb was destroyed, engine seized and missing a few dozen parts. I got the entire thing stripped and painted, then I made a custom engine plate, put a 3HP predator with a 3:1 ratio. Not exactly fast, but wide open is does have some juice to move.
Currently: completed, needs brakes adjusted.

2nd one: The big purple one.
I just got the Manco Dingo 286-182P. Needs to be derusted too, just not as bad. Getting a Predator 212 HEMI, and a new throttle cable. Needs a seat and some various nuts and bolts but is coming along smoothly.

 

[Hellion]

So THAT'S the famous Manco purple, eh?

Go Power Sports has the complete seat for that Dingo, I do believe. A bit pricey at $50 or so, but fairly well worth it.

Are you gonna "flip 'em" for some decent profit?

 

[Tpdingo]

By flip em', do you mean flipping them upside down and get a nice profit in the way of medical bills, than YES!

I'm likely going to sell the Dingo, not the little one. The little one is just too convenient.

 

[Hellion]

Oh, no. I meant flipping them, as in fixing them up and turning right around and selling them.

That's a first. Sell the Exalted Dingo and keep the Chinese junker clunker.

By the way, since you actually have one of these little karts (the red one), can you sort of share more what they're about? I've never seen one up close.

 

[Tpdingo]

The problem with the Dingo is that is is TOO large. It doesn't fit in a minivan well and it makes it hard to move places. On the otherhand, the little one fits in very nicely sideways with plenty of room to spare. Also, the red one has sentimental value, but I ain't giving away the Dingo anytime soon. I need to get my miles on it first!

So a little about the red one:

48" long, about 28" wide. 35" for the rider(yes it is a tight squeeze)
4" disk brakes, works OK, will lock up tire but doesn't stop too fast.
One wheel peel, and it has shredded the knobby 10" tires to a 9.5" slick.
The tires are those 10" ones from HFT for 6$. Not terrible.
Originally came with 49cc 2 smoke 2 stroke engine. 8T clutch, 48T sproket.
Uses this wierd arangement where they practically took a live axle, and cut it in half so they are about 3" apart but each axle for the wheel is a good 10" long.
Steering is quite junk. Has no kingpin angle so it likes to follow dips in the road, especially pot holes. That's how I ended up in the side of a honda accord and a good black and blue mark for about 3 months. Don't try and bend a 1/4" steel bar with your legs anytime soon .
Weighs about 40lbs with a Predator 79 that I swapped on it. Really easy to pick up by the front wheels and move around.
Uses hand controls on the steering wheels, basically just bike brake handles. That's how I wired up the throttle because the old one was shot to ****.
Is it the best go kart? No. Is it good for the whopping 250$ I paid in total? Yea.

 

[MTNSleder]

Cool!

 

[Hellion]

The problem with the Dingo is that is is TOO large....

I read you loud and clear on the Dingo's size. Mine came with the roll cage attached and was therefore too tall--however the width was also too much for our minivan (an Odyssey). Other Manco's do fit, those with more normally sized tires and such.

So a little about the red one:

48" long, about 28" wide. 35" for the rider(yes it is a tight squeeze)
4" disk brakes, works OK, will lock up tire but doesn't stop too fast.
One wheel peel, and it has shredded the knobby 10" tires to a 9.5" slick.
The tires are those 10" ones from HFT for 6$. Not terrible.
....

Whoops. Uh oh.

Boy, this forum likes to hammer the Harbor Freight dolly wheels. They're for low speed, unpowered usage only. Look it up. There's 10,000 threads on the subject.

I read you also on the glories of an easily-transported kart.

I'd definitely upgrade the wheels and tires, maybe some Azusa Tri-Stars... I'll be on the lookout for one. Many thanks for the detailed write-up.

 

[landuse]

Get rid of those HF wheels for sure. You will just have problems in a hurry

 

[Tpdingo]

Get rid of those HF wheels for sure. You will just have problems in a hurry

They are the same size as HF wheels, but not from HF.

 

[KingCobra]

So a little about the red one:

48" long, about 28" wide. 35" for the rider(yes it is a tight squeeze)
4" disk brakes, works OK, will lock up tire but doesn't stop too fast.
One wheel peel, and it has shredded the knobby 10" tires to a 9.5" slick.
The tires are those 10" ones from HFT for 6$. Not terrible.
Originally came with 49cc 2 smoke 2 stroke engine. 8T clutch, 48T sproket.
That's how I wired up the throttle because the old one was shot to ****.
Is it the best go kart? No. Is it good for the whopping 250$ I paid in total? Yea.

Yes, yes, and yes!! You done good my brother!! For that 4' kart them HFT clones are just fine! They may not last as long as the $30 China tires but they come close and you get your bang for the buck!! For a dime a dozen, you can't go wrong for all out running in the yard, testing and they last longer if running in dirt too!! Gotta love CraigsList!!

 

[Tpdingo]

Yes, yes, and yes!! You done good my brother!! For that 4' kart them HFT clones are just fine! They may not last as long as the $30 China tires but they come close and you get your bang for the buck!! For a dime a dozen, you can't go wrong for all out running in the yard, testing and they last longer if running in dirt too!! Gotta love CraigsList!!

I figured, the weight is south of 150lbs total. On that, each tire gets a load of under 40lbs, and the drive tire works on a 3HP motor with a 3:1 ratio. 10lbf torque isn't going to touch a HF tire no matter how crappy they are. For 30$, I can get an entire set, not just one tire. I just need

 

[landuse]

I figured, the weight is south of 150lbs total. On that, each tire gets a load of under 40lbs, and the drive tire works on a 3HP motor with a 3:1 ratio. 10lbf torque isn't going to touch a HF tire no matter how crappy they are. For 30$, I can get an entire set, not just one tire. I just need

How is that 3:1 ratio working with a 3HP engine? That is pretty steep

 

[Tpdingo]

How is that 3:1 ratio working with a 3HP engine? That is pretty steep

It is working pretty well. I use a Hilliard Extreme Duty clutch and it locks up nicely. Not smoking. The tires have to be pumped up to 35psi and otherwise, it works great. Acceleration is a bit slow but when you are about 1" off the ground, it seems faster tha it really is. Max speed is about 17 mph.

 

[Hellion]

Yes, yes, and yes!! You done good my brother!! For that 4' kart them HFT clones are just fine! They may not last as long as the $30 China tires but they come close and you get your bang for the buck!! For a dime a dozen, you can't go wrong for all out running in the yard, testing and they last longer if running in dirt too!! Gotta love CraigsList!!

I see you do love giving out bad advice, and enthusiastically no less, as if that makes it all right.

Harbor Freight sells NO tires intended for go kart usage, not a one.
They’re not even real rubber as far as I can tell, but a ‘greasy’ kind of vinyl.

You can go against the forum consensus, the mods and 10,000 posts (and growing) on the subject but you cannot change fact.

Good bang for your buck huh? That’s what you get with those “tires”, a bang when they pop and a useless rim.

 

[Tpdingo]

I see you do love giving out bad advice, and enthusiastically no less, as if that makes it all right.

Harbor Freight sells NO tires intended for go kart usage, not a one.
They’re not even real rubber as far as I can tell, but a ‘greasy’ kind of vinyl.

You can go against the forum consensus, the mods and 10,000 posts (and growing) on the subject but you cannot change fact.

Good bang for your buck huh? That’s what you get with those “tires”, a bang when they pop and a useless rim.

That is a problem for future me. FYI, the tires installed ARE NOT from HFT. They are just the same size as the 10".

I have a few habits of calling things that aren't what they really are. For example: I will call every flathead single cylinder engine a briggs, any 10" tire from HFT, and any clone motor a predator.

 

[Hellion]

You have problems my friend, with getting your point across in clear, concise language.

You’re gonna have issues here...because the forum, is otherwise, very specific about things...or tries very hard to be.

 

[Tpdingo]

You have problems my friend, with getting your point across in clear, concise language.

You’re gonna have issues here...because the forum, is otherwise, very specific about things.

Then I shall change. I do need to break these habits.