Go Kart Recommendation for Dirt/Grass Racing Among Friends

[MikeinMadison]

Hi
I don't have a lot of gokart experience, but I have enough to know there are people like you all who have a lot of knowledge and are kind and helpful people. I have a young friend who wants to buy/build a couple (2-3) of karts to have races/fun at his house/property.

I have multiple karts that I built/bought for my kids, but his needs are different, and I'm hoping the expertise of the forum can help him.

This would be a dirt/grass track. What sort of kart should he buy/build? Clutch vs. Torque converter? HP? Tire type/width?, Brakes? I want him to have roll bars but I don't know how necessary it is. Anything else?

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

 

[panchothedog]

Racing type karts with centrifugal clutches race on very smooth dirt tracks all the time. You are asking a lot of questions without giving much information. When I hear grass track, that says off road. In that case you want karts with
16" to 18" tall rear tires , making torque converters mandatory. Any chance of kids being involved? Then you should have roll cages and seat belts, or better yet, harnesses. Lots of availability of this type of kart on the used market, and considerably cheaper than a legit racing kart. Cheaper and quicker to buy used
as compared to building from scratch.

 

[MikeinMadison]

Thanks panchothedog
The setting would be a prairie or former farm field. It would have vegetation at the start but I assume not for long. I've driven my small 9hp Robin/clutch/8" slicks kart on grass, road and dirt, and it's fun on all three. I think the goal is a fun driving experience/sliding through corners/etc., but yes, safely.

 

[MikeinMadison]

One important straightforward question is how many hp for being able to slide in corners with TC vs. clutch, on grassy dirt? I know there are many variables, and it's tricky, especially when you're trying to prevent young people from hurting themselves, but still allow them to learn and have fun. Thoughts?

 

[panchothedog]

Slicker, or more of a flat smooth tire as compared to a knobby tire will have at least as much and maybe more to do with sliding and drifting. I have a Yerf Dog
with turf tires ( some tread but very flat and square shouldered ) and with a
196cc header pipe and air filter, MAYBE 8 hp. at the most the kart would slide pretty good on hard pack desert soil. Has a 30 series torque converter.

 

[panchothedog]

Slides as good as a similar sized kart with a built 212cc engine putting out about twice the horsepower, but running knobby round shouldered tires.

 

[Denny]

The fact of the matter is he’s going to need to get a kart and then build a track to suit or build or by a kart and figure out how it needs to be modified.

 

[Thelegg]

My first kart was a very old tarmac racing kart that I adapted for use round my field.

My project log is here if you want to have a look

Old red, the story so far

Thought I'd start a little build log for the first kart I ever bought. Found it on eBay with a pretty vague description it simply said "was running but kids don't use it anymore so has been left outside for a year." Starting bid was £60 so I placed a bid and won it for £60 as no one else bid...

www.diygokarts.com