Making the steering slower?
- Thread starter knievel
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Doc Sprocket
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You can reduce the leverage rate by either making the steering arms (at the spindle) longer or by shortening the pitman arm. The pictures don't show me much- how much caster does it have (that would be the angle that the spindles are tilted back. A few degrees of caster will make the steering heavier and less twitchy, as well as improving the "return to centre" effect.
knievel
New member
I think I understand what you are saying.
Here's a couple of pics from above and from the front..
Here's a couple of pics from above and from the front..
knievel
New member
Ok thanks I'll do that. Guess it'll be trial and error though.
Does the front tire width have an affect on things?
Does the front tire width have an affect on things?
Doc Sprocket
*********
In terms of sensitivity or twitchiness? Not really.
knievel
New member
Ok thanks.
I will alter the steering as suggested and let you know how it goes..
I will alter the steering as suggested and let you know how it goes..
anderkart
Moderator
knievel, I agree with toystory and redsox's advice, your pitman arm does appear to be very long.
But... I feel there may be 1 other possibility you could explore here first, and that's your Toe-in adjustment.
I've found that the more Toe-in your tie rods are adjusted to, the more sensitive your karts steering will be.
Karts that have their tie rods adjusted to have no toe in, (or even more so: toed-out), tend to be much less sensitive. But this may come with the side effect of the kart wandering a bit while driving.
You may very well end up needing to drill a new hole in your pitman arm like the others suggested, but first I'd suggest you get a tape measure out and simply measure what your current toe-settings are:
Have the kid sit in the kart while measuring, also check to make sure none of the front-end components are loose/worn and causing excessive looseness/steering-slop.
You'd just need to accurately measure from reference points (at the front and rear-center points) and across from both front tires. Sometimes its difficult to find your reference points. I recommend you first elevate the front tires off the ground and spin each tire by hand and hold a crayon up against each tire to scribe an accurate line anywhere near the center of the tread area.
Then, If you adjusted your tie rods to around a 1/4" toe-out, I think your kid would notice a big drop in his steering sensitivity level.
Then at that point, if he still desired more improvement you could consider drilling a secondary hole in your pitman arm. The tie rod mounting hole in my karts pitman arms are 2" measured center to center from the steering shaft.
But... I feel there may be 1 other possibility you could explore here first, and that's your Toe-in adjustment.
I've found that the more Toe-in your tie rods are adjusted to, the more sensitive your karts steering will be.
Karts that have their tie rods adjusted to have no toe in, (or even more so: toed-out), tend to be much less sensitive. But this may come with the side effect of the kart wandering a bit while driving.
You may very well end up needing to drill a new hole in your pitman arm like the others suggested, but first I'd suggest you get a tape measure out and simply measure what your current toe-settings are:
Have the kid sit in the kart while measuring, also check to make sure none of the front-end components are loose/worn and causing excessive looseness/steering-slop.
You'd just need to accurately measure from reference points (at the front and rear-center points) and across from both front tires. Sometimes its difficult to find your reference points. I recommend you first elevate the front tires off the ground and spin each tire by hand and hold a crayon up against each tire to scribe an accurate line anywhere near the center of the tread area.
Then, If you adjusted your tie rods to around a 1/4" toe-out, I think your kid would notice a big drop in his steering sensitivity level.
Then at that point, if he still desired more improvement you could consider drilling a secondary hole in your pitman arm. The tie rod mounting hole in my karts pitman arms are 2" measured center to center from the steering shaft.
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