Go Cart Rebuilt

[DaiSan76]

Go Cart Rebuild

Hi everyone,

This is my first attempt at remodeling a go cart, so hopefully someone will stop me before I do something stupid. I'm converting it from 1 wheel drive, to a solid axle, and putting a new engine in it. Nothing too ambitious.

Here is a picture of the cart with everything stripped, and the old axle cut off, and another one where I am fitting the bearings so that I can see where everything lines up before I weld anything.

 

[landuse]

Looking good so far. From what I have learned here, try put the bearings as close to the wheels as you can. This stops bending your axle if you hit a big pothole or bump.

 

[redsox985]

That's good info Landuse. Also, when you position the motor, make sure it's near one side so that the sprocket is also near a bearing as this well prevent possible warping of the axle due to the torque.

 

[DaiSan76]

Update: I did the calculations using a tool that was linked in another thread, and I have the bearings close enough to prevent a bent axle. I used my belt sander and got rid of that lovely thick coat of paint that Northern Tool slathered on my axle to prevent me from actually putting any of the hubs and bearings onto it. Pulled out my shiny new Harbor Freight Welder, and did my first weld since high school, and while it was better than I had expected, I am too ashamed to post it here. I didn't get much done, but a stalled project got restarted, and hopefully when it stops raining I can get back out and finish welding the bearing blocks.

 

[DaiSan76]

I think I have advanced my welding to merely "bad" so I'll post up a picture of it.

 

[Farmer Mike]

Thats not that bad, just not straight. It doesn't matter if its ugly just as long as it holds. Clean that up with a grinder and you're good to go.

 

[DaiSan76]

Got the Axle mounted, and all the pieces sitting more or less where they need to be.
Started the engine, fired up on the third pull and idled smooth as silk after taking the choke off. So far I am loving that Harbor Freight engine. We'll see if it has the power to move me and a surprisingly heavy cart.

To do list:
1) Cut the front spindles off, and reweld a smaller bolt lower on the bracket for more ground clearance, and to allow my new wheels to fit.
2) New bar for my compression brake, the rear axle was dropped about 2", and it is no longer in the right spot.
3) Tires and tubes for the rear wheels
4) Fabricate a mount for the throttle cable
5) Attach brakes and throttle cables
6) Shorten the drive chain

 

[DaiSan76]

Woohoo! Got the throttle hooked up and working thanks to oldbikerarlo. I hadn't noticed that there was a throttle cable holder built into the throttle assembly, and was trying to come up with a non-ugly way to fab my own. On a side note, any idea's on why a cable that moves freely when it's not hooked to anything would be extremely stiff when it is clamped in place? Maybe I have too much of a bend on the front eh?

 

[DaiSan76]

I re-routed the cable, and it's much better. However, I think my main problem is that the Pedal arm is mounted backwards, so that you have to push upwards to get any torque. The best part is that they welded the bolt on, so I can't even fix it without chopping the pedal assembly to pieces.

 

[DaiSan76]

Picked up tires and tubes for my split rim. Scored some 15 inch tires, 2 inches bigger than I expected to find for a 6" rim. Getting them mounted while dinner cooks. With any luck I will get the brake put in, and it will be drive able tomorrow. I am hoping a solid 1/4 inch rod will give me decent stopping power. Forgot to buy a replacement c-clip for the jackshaft, but I think that unless I get a nasty surprise with the brakes, I am done buying stuff.

 

[DaiSan76]

Terrible picture, but it is rolling on 4 new tires. All I need to do now is hook up the brakes, put a C-clip on the jack-shaft, and shorten the final drive chain a few links. Woohoo!

 

[B.M.800]

Cool!

 

[DaiSan76]

Everything is hooked up except the brakes. It's too wet to weld outside, and my garage is to crowded to weld. Don't want to set my house on fire. With any luck I will be able to weld my bracket in place tomorrow, and I'll be doing a test drive by lunch.


I also got a nice reminder of why it's a poor idea to get in a hurry and get careless, along with a reminder that after you take the guard off to make a cut in tight quarters, you should put it right back on before you do an easy cut and get careless. It's not a great picture, but it'll do in a pinch.

 

[oldbikerarlo]

Ouch!!

 

[Mikeythai]

Oowww!

 

[DaiSan76]

Woohoo! Everything works! It pretty much all needs refined, but it runs and drives.

 

[DaiSan76]

One of the next things I plan to do is add a bit of suspension. I'd like some opinions on shocks.
What shocks have people used in their builds, and where were they purchased?

 

[DaiSan76]

My kart vibrates heavily under initial acceleration, as far as I can tell, the axle is not bent, since it doesn't wobble when I have it on jack stands. It doesn't vibrate at all on jack stands either, and it is fine once you get going. My best theory is the clutch is going out, does that sound right?

 

[DaiSan76]

Gave up on the band brake, and put in disc brakes. After about 6 hours of fabricating mounts, and connecting rods, and cable clamps, my brakes have the stopping power of a wet fart. My front cable mounting bracket has too much play in it, need to redo it. Here is a terrible pic.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Hi DaiSan76,

What brand and the engine hp used here?