help with arachnid build

[OzFab]

Don't touch the bike, it's awesome. Use the 6.5 clone & tav2 since you're fortunate enough to have them

 

[Swabbster]

i think im going to run my honda clone and depending on how much money i have left over i might buy some performance mods, can anyone tell me where i can buy the rack and pinion steering box, from looking at the plans and stuff i have i need, rack and pinion, 4 half inch hem joints?, L and R spindles, 4 shocks, bolts and nuts, a seat? im going to buy a new brake setup, brake rotor, sprocket, 1 inch axle?, locking collars, L and R peddles, and what size shocks do i need front and back, can i use 11 inch there on sale for 10 bucks, with shipping everything comes out to about $290.00, i will make the mounts for the shocks and suspension arms, things i still need are a seat, rack and pinion, sprocket, axle, mounting bolts, steel, i need to know where i can get a seat, the rack and pinion, to price it out,

 

[OzFab]

Those $10 shocks are probably meant for a mini ATV, pocket bike or something similar so, you'd probably need about a dozen to hold up the weight of an arachnid. Don't just look at size & price, the load rating is most important.

A few people have used the steering rack from golf buggies & even mobility scooters. You could even use the steering gears from a riding mower; it's not rack & pinion but it does the same job.

As for a seat, you can use anything from a small car seat ($10 - $20 from a junk yard) up to a $800 racing seat, the choice is yours. Check craigslist, ebay & other similar sites.

 

[Swabbster]

im getting shocks from my dads Polaris rzr, its been out 3 times, were buying a long travel suspension kit, he need long travel shocks so i am getting the old ones, there adjustable, there made to hold up a 800 lb buggy, with two riders, i will mount them so i get alot of suspension travel and more squish on the shocks

 

[Swabbster]

ok im going to buy the plans soon, and i will start buying different pieces, i want the go kart to be reliable so good brakes good engine, good steering etc, ive seen a few people building these go karts and they all have the same steering rack and pinion thing?

 

[ArachnidBrosMN]

The steering racks and pinions that we bought have been performing perfectly. They are "nice" ones that cost about 95 bucks apiece. If you are looking for a reliable kart (as you said in your previous post), I would start with the rack and pinion called for in the plans... I have yet to hear of an arachnid builder with a blown-out rack and pinion.
Here they are:
http://www.desertkarts.com/item163927.ctlg

 

[Swabbster]

100 bucks is a bit steep, today i found a lawnmower at the dump a professional Honda, i gave it one pull and it fired up, i took it home looked it over nothing is wrong with it, so i mowed my lawn with it and it works great,

 

[Swabbster]

I have about an hour to decide weather I should buy cv joints and make my go kart independent front and rear suspension

 

[ArachnidBrosMN]

I have about an hour to decide weather I should buy cv joints and make my go kart independent front and rear suspension

MY GOODNESS! If you have the funds... and the time to make the REAR fully independent... DO IT! I will say... the Arachnid rear-end called for in the plans is simple, and it keeps the cost down, but it's not as "amazing" as fully independent rear suspension. I'd love to see it completed.

 

[Swabbster]

well universal joints from a local store cost 30 bucks a piece i can chose from 1 inch or 3/4 inch shaft size, can you make a video doing kind of a walk around of the cart im not sure how well it would work, all of the mini baja buggies ive seen all have full independent suspension, not sure if i will have to make a sway bar or not i hope not,

 

[ArachnidBrosMN]

Here's all I have at the moment for a walk around. The still photos from our build do a lot more justice on complete building of the rear end. Good Luck!

Edit: Have you bought the plans yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUkinKvljUk&feature=youtu.be

 

[Swabbster]

i have not bought the plans yet, i will be soon, im waiting for the guy buying my generator pay me the rest of the money he gave me a down payment but he still owes me 245 bucks, on the spider carts website i was messing with the promotion code thing that gives you a few bucks off the purchase and i found the promo code (Facebook) saves me a few bucks lol, and i think after looking at the video independent suspension will work, but i will have a big heavy roll cage, i am going to pull the motor from my chopper, the pics look good but it is beat to **** bent frame engine mounts don't line up rear end twisted a little handle bars bent to ****, so i will have a 4 speed 200cc engine, i will gear it decent to give me some torque, i will have the brake and gas on one side and the clutch on the other, im not sure what size universal joints to buy 3/4 ot 1 inch, i doubt that a 3/4 shaft will twist off, im waiting to start the build till i have tires, and im going to order the plans this week end

 

[Swabbster]

i think im going to scrap the idea of independent suspension because if i try to drift it will have a tendency to have body roll and flip, i could build a sway bar but then what is the point of the independent suspension, it will cost alot more, and will not be as reliable, some day maybe i will pull the rear end off but for now i think i will just stick with the swing arm

 

[ArachnidBrosMN]

Good idea... get it mobile, and dial-in the gearing, and get the steering exact, and then... later down the line, the mods will be fun. I am to the point now, where I can list on one hand our mods that are left... finally!

 

[Swabbster]

going to buy these tires for 50 bucks, there off a quad in the pics i can read the rear tire size but not the front, the fronts are great backs are more worn, looking it up online the fronts are 20-7-8 and the rears are 22-11-8, i will burn what is left off and then buy new tread later on, i also found some plastic seats at a auto parts store, i will call them tomorrow to see how much they are, i was really busy at the time, i will order the plans soon ive got to send the link to my dad, and the promo code (facebook), but now i can nock like 3-400 bucks off anyway the 18 inch tires the plans call for are front and rear, on the back they seam fine but the front noooooo way to big too wide etc not a great setup, i will get hubs made up on a lathe and milling machine,

 

[Swabbster]

does anyone know where i can buy hubs to fit a 1 inch axle, i am thinking about buying 2 weld on hubs and get a plate machined to fit the rims and welded to the hubs, as for the front i will get the guy to machine a big piece if round bar to fit and bolt to the rim and have bearings inside,

 

[Swabbster]

hey do you guys think i need to have front brakes?

 

[r97]

Whether or not you need front brakes depend on a few things. How heavy is your vehicle with you in it? How fast will you be going? Where will you be riding? Front brakes have several advantages and disadvantages. The added cost, weight, complexity, and tendency to dive under braking are the downfalls. Decreased stopping distances, lower lap times, and possible redundancy of the braking system are all significant advantages. That said, with an off road go kart your rear brakes will be used more than the fronts, and will probably stop you just fine if the kart isn't too heavy.

 

[OzFab]

does anyone know where i can buy hubs to fit a 1 inch axle

Try BMI karts, go kart galaxy, MFG supply

I am thinking about buying 2 weld on hubs

There's no such thing. Hubs never get welded on, they're always bolted on. They must be removable

 

[machinist@large]

Try BMI karts, go kart galaxy, MFG supply



There's no such thing. Hubs never get welded on, they're always bolted on. They must be removable

I think he's talking about mix & match components. Here in the States, you can buy say, a center hub, with the hole size that you need and an outer part, say, a sprocket with the tooth count you need. The hub has a step turned on it that matches the bore of the sprocket. You just pop the 2 together, then weld them to make them permanent. We use them a lot in agriculture.

Hope this clears up the konfusion.