mbennett66
New member
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 0
Well I finally got my sons go kart finished enough for a test drive today. Brake rod and Gas rod made to match this weekend. Still have a little finish welding to do and add some support for some type of painted nose (with flames for my son).
First, according to the calculations, the gear ratio is 9:1. This thing has crazy pull (it can pull my 295lb but around just fine). It is only supposed to go 14 or 15 MPH, but it sure seems faster than that. Have got the throttle screw all the way in to limit it for my 5yr old and its still fast. I know the important thing it making sure the RPMs are high enough that the clutch is fully engaged. How can you tell this. I would like to throttle it down just to that point so I don't burn the clutch up.
My 60 year old father took it out first. Then I rode it, then my son came out. He was hesitant at first, grandpa rode on the back with my son working the pedals and steering. On the second trip around the yard the front wheel caught a tree and bent the steering bracket Need to redo those anyway. I may add some type of bumper assembly that goes out past the tires so at least the tire wont hit the tree again.
Something else we found the go kart kept stalling after a hard turn. We finally realized that it was being caused by the low oil switch on the engine. (its a HF Blue 6.5). The oil is not low, but the hard turns must have been causing it to slosh to one side or the other and engage the switch. We unplugged it and it seems to be fine.
Still need to build or get a better seat. May see about a spring loaded one like is one my JDeer lawn tractor. That might help smooth out the bumps.
As for when I redo the steering brackets on the spindles, I have a few questions. The spindle brackets already have some degree of camber (leaning in at the top) built into how they are welded on the frame. The spindle brackets themselves are vertical so the caster is straight up and down. What do I need for the Toe-In? Right now in the pics you can see the front tires are really toed out from the wreck and the poor linkages. I am going to redo those as well. With the current camber I already can see that I am going to be riding on the inside to middle of the front tires.
I should have it totally finished and painted in the next two weeks.
Oh and yes, the zip tied floor board are temporary. We had to have something for the test drive!
[/IMG]
First, according to the calculations, the gear ratio is 9:1. This thing has crazy pull (it can pull my 295lb but around just fine). It is only supposed to go 14 or 15 MPH, but it sure seems faster than that. Have got the throttle screw all the way in to limit it for my 5yr old and its still fast. I know the important thing it making sure the RPMs are high enough that the clutch is fully engaged. How can you tell this. I would like to throttle it down just to that point so I don't burn the clutch up.
My 60 year old father took it out first. Then I rode it, then my son came out. He was hesitant at first, grandpa rode on the back with my son working the pedals and steering. On the second trip around the yard the front wheel caught a tree and bent the steering bracket Need to redo those anyway. I may add some type of bumper assembly that goes out past the tires so at least the tire wont hit the tree again.
Something else we found the go kart kept stalling after a hard turn. We finally realized that it was being caused by the low oil switch on the engine. (its a HF Blue 6.5). The oil is not low, but the hard turns must have been causing it to slosh to one side or the other and engage the switch. We unplugged it and it seems to be fine.
Still need to build or get a better seat. May see about a spring loaded one like is one my JDeer lawn tractor. That might help smooth out the bumps.
As for when I redo the steering brackets on the spindles, I have a few questions. The spindle brackets already have some degree of camber (leaning in at the top) built into how they are welded on the frame. The spindle brackets themselves are vertical so the caster is straight up and down. What do I need for the Toe-In? Right now in the pics you can see the front tires are really toed out from the wreck and the poor linkages. I am going to redo those as well. With the current camber I already can see that I am going to be riding on the inside to middle of the front tires.
I should have it totally finished and painted in the next two weeks.
Oh and yes, the zip tied floor board are temporary. We had to have something for the test drive!
but definatly toe-in so as not to be bulldozing and break rods.