Kart Ideas

[GPhillips12]

Okay here is my idea for my "shifter kart on steroids" Looking at using a 250cc 2 stroke engine out of an ATV or MX bike (may have to go with something with more power). Full front double A-Arm suspension, rear 4 link suspension, 10x10 wheels with racing tires, small body racing shocks with coil-over springs. Going to try to use ATV hubs if I can figure out a way to get a common bolt pattern on the front and rear. Kart frame will be built out of 1.25" or 1.50" DOM tubing and will have roll cage. Driver's area will have a racing seat and 5-point harness for added safety.

So what do you guys think?

 

[t0x1k]

DOM tubing will jack the price up drastically. Use plain old HREW.

 

[modelengineer]

Sounds good, but at that point it becomes more of a buggy than a kart (like mine)

 

[dpaxson]

are you thinking street kart or off road?

 

[GPhillips12]

are you thinking street kart or off road?

It will be an off road kart but I am planing on building it for use on dirt oval, a friend of mine has a oval that he has built at his house. That's why I'm going build it using a 4 link rear , suspension like is used on dirt late models and modifieds. Will also be putting a body on it to look like a Late Model. It mainly just a project to have some fun with.

 

[anderkart]

Unless your dirt oval track is going to have big bumps or jumps, I think you'll be fine without adding suspension. I know late model stock cars have (and need) very trick suspension systems but if you were to check out the top dirt oval race karts you'd find they're axles/spindles are solid mount.

If you want to build your own frame and do something to trully help your kart turn and hook up better on dirt oval: You should research the design differences between dirt oval race kart frames. (designed to turn left much better / called Offset-karts) and the more conventional Sprint kart race frames that sorta compromise to turn both right and left fairly well. (Straight rail frames)

Oval race karts also run a narrower track width, carefully chosen rim widths, tire stagger and diferent rubber compounds. They also pay very close attention to caster/camber/wedge adjustments and how much of the karts (and riders) weight is biased to the right/left and front/rear corners.

If you wanna hookup on dirt oval, I'd recommend you research/post at this forum: http://karting.4cycle.com/forumdisplay.php?f=81
(Most of the guys over there race dirt oval every week and are pretty helpful...

 

[GPhillips12]

What I am trying to do with is something like the mini sprint cars that are raced on various tracks, just wanting to give the dirt late model fans their own minis to race. Trying to use some pretty common parts so that we can keep the cost down and build them at a reasonable price. I was hoping that someone on here could answer some of the questions that I have been having.

The first one is will the breaks off a sport ATV, such as a 400ex, be enough to stop a 600-900lb cart?

Thanks

 

[freakboy]

yeah brakes from a 500+lb atv will stop a kart