Hello everyone!

[sied_wayz]

My name is travis and I'm beginning my go cart project. I'm taking a welding class at my college and am building the cart for my semester project. On top of that, I teach an engine repair class at the school where the first two weeks we spend learning how to rebuild small engines. So I'm very familiar with small engines, how they work, how to modify them, their limits, etc.

Currently I have sourced out two riding mowers to get parts from to help me build the cart.

Other than that, I'm here for inspiration and good times! I look forward to getting to know everyone here. I'll post a build thread when the mowers are delivered and I have pictures to post!

 

[landuse]

Welcome to the forum. Fill out your profile so we can see where you are from

 

[sied_wayz]

Lol it is filled out it's the first thing I did

 

[OzFab]

Welcome Travis; it's ok, that's become a standard first response here, you'd be amazed how many new members still don't fill in their profile page... even after being prompted by the joining process & then asked in their welcome/first thread

You sound a bit like me, you have the knowledge & abilities, you just need the go kart specific details, correct?

There are not a lot of lawn mower parts that can be successfully used on a go kart, what did you have in mind?

 

[Poboy kartman]

Welcome Travis....first lesson: We build all kinds of stuff here....so we need to know what kind of cart you had in mind.....garden cart, shopping cart, ice cream cart, ect....

We can. help.....however. what we mainly do here is build karts ,....

Sheesh.....Texans......

 

[sied_wayz]

Welcome Travis; it's ok, that's become a standard first response here, you'd be amazed how many new members still don't fill in their profile page... even after being prompted by the joining process & then asked in their welcome/first thread

You sound a bit like me, you have the knowledge & abilities, you just need the go kart specific details, correct?

There are not a lot of lawn mower parts that can be successfully used on a go kart, what did you have in mind?

Well I'm planning on building a mild dirt cart. I don't have the mowers yet so I haven't been able to dissassble them to see what's inside! I was hoping to scavenger the clutch and drive sprocket as long as it's a decent tooth count. And the wheel/tire set up on one of them is exactly what I need. I'm also taking the gas pedal/lines and brake pedal/lines/disc off the mower to use. One of the mowers has a 597cc motor on it that I would love to use. But I don't think my budget can build a cart sturdy enough. Monday, I'll have both karts in hand and I can see what I have and what I need. Then I will start more plans after that . As of now, I know how to work with small engines and I know how to weld. I have access to every tool I could ever need for the project. But that's as far as my knowledge goes.

Welcome Travis....first lesson: We build all kinds of stuff here....so we need to know what kind of cart you had in mind.....garden cart, shopping cart, ice cream cart, ect....

We can. help.....however. what we mainly do here is build karts ,....

Sheesh.....Texans......

oh huuuuuush! My phone loves to autocorrect kart to cart.

 

[sied_wayz]

Assuming I can't get anything but pedal assemblies off the mowers, I've already priced out a 12 tooth clutch, 53 tooth drive sprocket, #35 chain, 1"IDx40" live keyed axle, tinytach tachometer, predator motor, and a few other things.

But the plan is to scavenge as much as possible to keep the build cost low as I am a college student haha

 

[landuse]

Lol it is filled out it's the first thing I did

I am sure i didn't see it. Anyhoo...welcome!

 

[OzFab]

See, here's the thing, a lot of riding mowers have vertical shaft engines & use either a gearbox or transaxle drive to convert the drive; Go karts use horizontal shaft engines, cutting out the middle man (the trans)...

The other thing to remember is mowers are only built to go around 10mph MAX! Any steering components &, possibly, the axle assembly will be all but useless on a go kart...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you did a bad thing, there may be some parts you can use (wheels for example) & I'm in no way trying to belittle your efforts, just a friendly "heads-up" is all

 

[landuse]

Sheesh.....Texans......

I thought all Texans looked like this....

 

[sied_wayz]

See, here's the thing, a lot of riding mowers have vertical shaft engines & use either a gearbox or transaxle drive to convert the drive; Go karts use horizontal shaft engines, cutting out the middle man (the trans)...

The other thing to remember is mowers are only built to go around 10mph MAX! Any steering components &, possibly, the axle assembly will be all but useless on a go kart...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you did a bad thing, there may be some parts you can use (wheels for example) & I'm in no way trying to belittle your efforts, just a friendly "heads-up" is all

Yeah I know about that stuff I should actually be able to make the steering components work. But I already planed on getting a new axle. All I have right now are ideas. I still have to break the mowers apart to see if there is anything I can use. But even if I can salvage only the pedals and the wheels/tires, it saves me a few hundred dollars

I thought all Texans looked like this....

That is me! Silly boy

 

[sied_wayz]

I think I've decided I want to build a scorpion kart! It comes with like a 70 page instruction manual for the blue prints. Plus, I already have a perfect set of tires for it to tackle dirt and gravel.

 

[Poboy kartman]

BTW: to the forum....and here's a demo CD from my old band:

 

[sied_wayz]

^^haha that is pretty cool