Go kart axle strong enough?

[sylvaner]

G'day today my victa go kart axle was made.
They use a piece of hollow tubing about 2-3mm thick and welded high tensile steel bolts at the ends.


Anyway I was at the go kart shop checking out sprocket mounts and I showed the guy my axle.
He was shocked, he said there was no way that this axle would be strong enough.
He said that high tensile steel welded to another type (not sure what type of steel it is) would crack right away and I would pretty much die.


Anyway I wasn't so sure, it looks strong enough from my point of view plus I weigh 65kg so I should be light enough.
So what do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN5lV2BsQA8

* 27mm wide at shaft and 16mm wide at bolt ends.

 

[DK shredaaa]

it might do for a little while but for a yard kart it might bend

 

[modelengineer]

What diameter is the tubing? But yeah, I don't think its strong enough.

 

[sylvaner]

the main shaft is 3mm thick tubing 27mm wide with 16m bolts welded on both ends =D

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

This gonna be a liveaxle? If not it could prolly work.

 

[dpaxson]

is this for a live or a dead axle?

 

[Rickracer]

I seriously doubt it will be strong enough, it will have lots of flex and may very well break where it's welded, and since that appears to be at the point your wheels are attached, I would be VERY afraid to use it at all. The minimum size axle tubing commonly used in race karts is 40mm, 50 mm is pretty much the standard now though. 1.25" solid aluminum is pretty common on older karts too.

 

[Rotore]

To thin for a live axle so i guess it's a dead axle so might work but would of been better off using 5mm steel pipe.

 

[sylvaner]

Yeah it was meant to be used as a live axle I will have to do it the expensive way and buy a piece of solid tubing and get it lathed at an engineering factory.
its ok though, the sprocket mount didn't fit too well anyway so only like 1 hours work lost =)

 

[freakboy]

or you can buy a axle from bmi and get it shiped

 

[Rotore]

Yea i got a 32" live axle for 20 bucks

 

[anderkart]

I've heard shipping/tariff charges from the US to Australia can get pretty pricey.

 

[Rotore]

Oh then that changes alot but Australia is huge there must be a kart shop someone

 

[TxPowderCoater]

dont use it, I'm all for making everything myself, but the axle should be solid

 

[sylvaner]

Thanks for the advice everybody, I appreciate it.
At the go kart shop down the road they want $60au for a solid steel bar with keyways.
The only problem is that my wheels dont fit onto the axle so I will have to spend extra on the hubs and wheels.
Unless i find a way of connecting the wheels I have to it.