Hand Cart/Truck/Trolley Kart

[jman231994]

Hey everyone, I started building this kart probably in 2009 LOL, but never really got far into it. Initially it was a behemoth of scrap metal and random stuff with welds that basically ended up coming apart with a chipping hammer. So, after getting some hand trolleys for their wheels I decided to rebuild it based on their frames. Honestly....I'm stupid, they are too thin, too short and as a first time builder its too hard to work with tube. So, recently I decided to change it again and get some decent welds onto it. I'm still not happy with the way the steering rack is or the welds in general, but they are strong enough at last and I can brace it easily enough.

I'm up to putting the steering shaft and forward seat mounts on, then I'll be mounting up the engine and drivetrain. The engine is a Victa Mk4 160 running a comet cent clutch on a clutch adaptor. Gear ratio will be 6.33:1 driving 13" wheels.

The rear end is quite narrow compared to the front....This is partially my stupidity and partially a plan Everything with wheels seems to end up like this when I build it lol
But I do have a plan, I have a 30mm kart axle floating around that will end up on the kart, using the current axle as a jackshaft, probably with 18" mower wheels or something. I'll make solid A arms out the side of the back to support it and the build some nerf bars around the whole kart. I'll probably keep the Victa on it too

So, after me talking about my kart that will one day get finished for ages, it seems I'll get it done at long flaming last. Have some pics.....Ignore the sketchy welds and holes, I'm going around redoing them and patching the holes

 

[jman231994]

Don't have any better pics of it atm, was dark when I got the front fully welded on....The sprocket you see will be the brake rotor, the sprocket will be ironically mounted to the original brake disc for that axle. Heres More Pics, hydraulic brakes, clutch etc....and my spare engines/ parts lol

 

[Orange Krate]

I had this idea a looong time ago when I could not afford a go-kart and was looking to use anything I could amass to build one. It pretty cool to see one built. Thanks for the flashback! Haha.

 

[jman231994]

Hahaha thanks, sorry theres no real photo of the trolley frame section....Was dark and the trolley end photos turned out blurry. Ill get some this weekend

Oh, and do you think I should use the wind up starter? its the rusty thing in the last photo. Simply wind it up then flick the lever and it will try to start it. Needs rebuilding though.

 

[Orange Krate]

Definitely! That would make it even more unique. I'm going to have to write this one into my series

 

[jman231994]

Ok, theres another goal for me tomorrow then, free the start latch on it hahaha....And a paint job, I'll probably go silver or something for now, one day I wanna take it back to stock colour though. They were really nice looking mowers back then

AND I just found this page http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=137334&collection=Victa+Lawnmower

If you click the image and then at the bottom right click the fullscreen button you can see it quite well. The starter has a chrome trim which I have, but mines not really chrome anymore....Ill try and shine it up a bit though

 

[jman231994]

Got some pics of it in daylight today. Chucked the wheels on to show how it will be properly. The one with the steering shaft on it is to show how it will look roughly. Thats the shaft it had on it before I changed the front end around, just need to rework the mountings and make a double pitman arm to get some ackerman going on (hopefully). Also, I bent the middle bar up to increase the front ground clearance and decrease the chances of it snagging. Might use it for part of the steering shaft support.

I decided to see how much flex it has too, I bounced up and down standing on it and it barely flinched......Suprising really, although the trolley is meant to take like 300kgs

I almost got brake pads too, I saw them for $19 at an auto store yesterday, wasnt sure which size I needed, went back today knowing which I needed and the sales over....$29.... Ebay it is now

I think my brake caliper should stop it nicely though, came off an early 80's kawasaki, it was capable of stopping a 1100cc street bike......It will do lol :arf:

 

[jman231994]

I havent gotten much done over the past week or so with school back now, but I did start to make up an exhaust for it. I got some pipe and cut it so it would flare, then used an actual victa exhaust clamp to bring it back to shape. On the end of the pipe I'm going to clamp an old victa muffler which I've modded, I've taken about half the baffles out of it and sawn the end off cause it was more or less half gone with rust lol.......Sideways will probably kill me for that one anyway lol.

OH and I rebuilt my engine again cause I wanted to use a different crankcase half which has a nipple in the side of it. With this I can control the decompressor valve and maybe actually get some performance back lol.

 

[jman231994]

Still not much happening with it sadly. I tested the crankcase half out and it is definitely controlling the decompressor. Hopefully I might fire the engine up tomorrow afternoon. Will try and get a video of it. Might not start though, I think the carb I was going to use at first has a blocked tube or something. And the one I'm going to use now is waiting for me to patch up its bowl. Could get lucky though lol. Should hopefully get the chain next week, and then Ill have everything I need to finish it, give or take a few little bits (and brake pads lol ). I'll try and get the steering finished off this weekend if I'm not too busy

 

[jman231994]

I feel like dropping back into this after a very long time....again haha

As always, I got distracted and the kart fell out of my interest for a long while, I've been doing bits every now and then, but nothing of note. The other week though my friend and I got stuck into it, and as of today, the engine is mounted, seat is mounted, clutch is on, sprocket is on.

The double pitman arm I mentioned is on, it doesnt do exactly what I wanted, but it works and is close to ackerman so Im gonna leave it. All thats left on the steering is to tighten everything up, fix some play, and weld in a new support bracket for the column...

Im more or less finished school now, just a few exams to go, so the rest should come together smoothly and quickly. Ill try to post some pictures tomorrow sometime to try and bring some life back into this thread haha.

On a side note, is it alright to run an engine with the clutch on, but no load? I vaguely remember something about it not being good for either the clutch or engine to have no load. Not redlining it or anything, I just wanna make sure it runs haha

 

[landuse]

On a side note, is it alright to run an engine with the clutch on, but no load? I vaguely remember something about it not being good for either the clutch or engine to have no load. Not redlining it or anything, I just wanna make sure it runs haha

The fact that you have a clutch on the engine doesn't change the fact that it is not a good idea to rev the engine without any load. For testing, and short periods of reving (like a second or two) should be fine. Just don't hold the throttle wide open.

 

[jman231994]

The fact that you have a clutch on the engine doesn't change the fact that it is not a good idea to rev the engine without any load. For testing, and short periods of reving (like a second or two) should be fine. Just don't hold the throttle wide open.

Thanks for that landuse. I was pretty sure it was the engine that shouldnt be run without load, it was just niggling at me so I didnt risk it, all I'll be doing is tuning in the idle and making sure it actually runs haha.

This thing was loud as a mower, no way am I going near it without ear plugs at full rev stationary anyway hahaha

 

[exenos]

If its a governed industrial engine then its fine to rev it under no load but since those don't look like industrial engines i would say no, bad idea.

Are you heading into the hot part of the year in aus?

 

[jman231994]

Sorry, got distracted again haha.

Actually it technically is an industrial engine, used on victa lawnmowers, edgers, and industrial vacuums. However its only governed through the carby, so with a non standard carb it will rev to roughly 6000rpm in a more or less unmodified form. Me and my friend tried to start it the other day but no fuel was getting through, carb must be blocked.

And yea, its starting to get pretty hot over here. Its been a mixed past week, most days breaking 30 celsius, thursday got to 37 i think. Today was relatively cool again though. Whats it like over in canada?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Right now: 5*c (41*F) and raining where I'm at. Rather miserable, really...

 

[jman231994]

sub zero and still raining? how does that even work? To be honest Id rather your weather at times, I walked out of the house the other day to do some work on the kart and just walked straight back in, the heat sucks any energy away. Cold weather just needs a jacket and gloves...easy

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Sorry- I used a hyphen (-), it wasn't supposed to be a negative symbol. It's +5c and raining... Edited.

 

[fowler]

no way

i find it way easier to work in 40*C than 5*C

humidity is what really sucks but still better than bitter cold
at least u can fell your hands


i guess its just where u grew up

 

[exenos]

You get used to it, 5 degrees is almost t shirt weather. And sweaters down to -10 unless the winds howling.

 

[jman231994]

Yea the humidity really is the worst bit, although a dry day is still pretty bad haha

The trick to working in the cold is halogen lights haha, work for 5 mins, then warm under the lights

Yea, Im happy with it being that cold in just a t shirt as long as im doing something and keeping warm....doesnt really get to negative anything here so I cant really say.....I stick to a ski jacket and chairlifts for those temps lol