Hello from Kansas

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

katoranger

New member
Messages
75
Reaction score
2
Location
Altamont, KS
I thought I would sign up. My daughters want a go kart to ride on our farm. Was searching for a kit that we could put together or a used kart to fix up. They could use it for a 4-H project too.

In the market for a small 2 seater in the southeast Kansas area.
 
K

katoranger

New member
Messages
75
Reaction score
2
Location
Altamont, KS
Not too much in our budget on craigslist that is a 2 seater. We are in a rural area so only a few listings. I may just start from scratch and weld up a frame. They will have to help.

4-H is youth club where they do projects that are judged at the local fair. It teaches learn and then learn showmanship. We have a hobby farm and they have chickens and gardening projects. They probably have something similar in Australia.
 
firemanjim

firemanjim

Just kartin' around....
Messages
5,247
Reaction score
88
Location
Houston Texas
:lolgoku::lolgoku:
Welcome to DIYGK ! If cant tell by now, its a great place to be.... Weld up a simple 2 seat frame and the girls can help put on the spindles,wheels,ect.... Its great bonding time with them too. They will remember it the whole lives and most likely continue when they have kids... (WAY DOWN THE ROAD .... I have girls too, it teaches them more than you know,and teaches YOU probably more than you would expect...... :thumbsup:
 
Poboy kartman

Poboy kartman

Senior Moments Member
Messages
12,461
Reaction score
72
Location
White Settlement Texas
landuse said:
Slaughter the prizewinner!!! Just for having a cool go kart! :ack2::ack2:

And .....welcome!
Click to expand...

In it's early days, 4H was strictly rural and the projects reflected that. One of the goals was to teach life lessons to prepare young kids for rural life. So one of the projects was that the kid would take total responsibility for raising some sort of livestock. They had to keep meticulous records of the process. The culmination was a fair where the animals were judged before being taken to the slaughter house. I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but from what I heard the grand prize winner was paid for it's entry, but maybe they all were.

The organization caught a lot of crap from knuckle heads who must think meat is grown on Styrofoam trays covered with plastic wrap in more recent years. Stuff like 4H is "desensitizing kids" and "teaching them to be cold blooded killers", instead of what they were really doing- educating kids to be farmers and ranchers. It takes far more moxy and character to raise an animal and then have it slaughtered than those whiney know nothing's with big mouths will ever know.

There are a lot more projects now and it's no longer strictly rural. But maybe they could take the losing kart and crush it just for you. :lolgoku:
 
K

katoranger

New member
Messages
75
Reaction score
2
Location
Altamont, KS
I am still new to 4-H, but that is pretty much what happens. My kids know where their food comes from. 8 year old has helped slaughter chickens.

Most of our club members do not live on farms, but live in a farming community. Without the farms there would be nothing here.

I am leaning toward a simple kart with a live axle. Wife insist on a roll bar and seat belts. Probably a harbor freight engine 6.5 clone type. I have an old lawn tractor that has some decent wheels and tires that can be donated. Our yard is not really hilly, but uneven. 4 acres that is mowed.

Would like it to go about 15mph. Plenty fast for 7 and 9. We can always make it faster.
 
landuse

landuse

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
18,800
Reaction score
608
Location
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
katoranger said:
I am leaning toward a simple kart with a live axle. Wife insist on a roll bar and seat belts. Probably a harbor freight engine 6.5 clone type. I have an old lawn tractor that has some decent wheels and tires that can be donated. Our yard is not really hilly, but uneven. 4 acres that is mowed.

Would like it to go about 15mph. Plenty fast for 7 and 9. We can always make it faster.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan :thumbsup:
 
firemanjim

firemanjim

Just kartin' around....
Messages
5,247
Reaction score
88
Location
Houston Texas
katoranger said:
The lawn tractor may have some other parts to donate too.

I think we can use this as a start. http://www.diygokarts.com/kart-plans/frame-2-seat.html The 9 year old is pretty excited about this.
Click to expand...
There you go! Thats perfect, its here, and we are just wainting on your next question.......
The HF 6.5 is a GREAT kart engine. Wish I had a few more...... bought one 2 years ago (come December ) and it starts first pull EVERY TIME and the poor thing is stored outside in the elements year round. I am VERY impressed with the power and reliability! Its like its a real Honda.......
 
K

katoranger

New member
Messages
75
Reaction score
2
Location
Altamont, KS
I think we will start with the simple design cart and if goes well we can build another one that is more advanced. Maybe I should start a build thread. Going to need some parts recommendations. I think I would like to use a belt drive. Don't like those clutches.

I want enough power or low enough gearing to spin the tires and the front end to be planted an not be pushed in turns. Tires will be turfs on the rear.
 
firemanjim

firemanjim

Just kartin' around....
Messages
5,247
Reaction score
88
Location
Houston Texas
No belt drive.... too much slip. Unless you mean a TC then yes,that will work great. As far as power/ratio/and planting the tires goes, you can have 50 horses and be able to spin tire ALL day and still have good steering. Its all in the steering geometry..... Read the Ackermann threads (half-breeder has one going) to see what i mean. My kart would NOT turn when I got it. Now right is awesome and left is ok.... still need to figure out my exact geometry to be just perfect.....
Yep, go start a new thread in the build section....
 
K

katoranger

New member
Messages
75
Reaction score
2
Location
Altamont, KS
I want to use a comet type setup. Will be reading up and steering as that is what I will need the most help with. The rest is easy. I know the cart my Dad for us built would not turn.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top