Kart Darting

[BCThompson1427]

I recently purchased What appears to be a two seat Thunder Kart (pics to come) with a fixed axle. I put a flathead on it and decided to test and tune before the kids rode it.

I have a severe darting issue on the steering. mostly to the left.

I am also having wheel bearing problems. The nylon lock Nuts keep loosening up. My first 10 minutes on the car I lost the front wheel.I have replaced them with new ones and I am still having problems. Also two wheels have washers in between the bearing and the nut and the other two don't.

Could really use some advice.



Thanks in advance

 

[landuse]

You could use castle nuts with a cotter pin. You will have to have a hole drilled in your bolt though

 

[KartFab]

Don't overtorque the nuts. Use blue thread locker and let it cure before driving.

As for the darting around, check your front wheel alignment. With the steering wheel straight, and the pitman arm straight, measure the distance between the front of the rims, then do the same for the rear of the rims. The distance should be the same.

If it's not that, the kart could have been crashed and bent the front axle or spindle bracket to where the angles are off.

 

[mckutzy]

What is this "darting", you are referring about?

 

[BCThompson1427]

What is this "darting", you are referring about?

Darting: An unstable condition where the kart is overly responsive to steering input.