my 4x4 two cylinder turbo'd cart build

[mudduck7.3]

hey whats up everyone im new to here . figured id post up some pics of the build i just started a few days ago. heres the specs so far
-old go kart frame
-18hp briggs two cylinder that we turbo'd and will either run alcohol or 110
-large lawn tractor transaxle mounted sideways for the trans and transfer case, 1 high forward speed , 1 low forward speed , and reverse
-one link suspension using chromoly 3/4" heims for the one link joints , either atv progressive rate coils or shocks from the front of a dirtbike
-the axles are going to be narrowed down ford 1/2 tons from a 79 ford ( d44 and 9") both welded diffs
-tires for now are grooved out 33" baja claws but i think im going to get some 8x16 v-treads later on
-fiberglass stingray corvette body

i think that pretty much covers my plans for now . any helpfull advice would be appreciated , heres what ive got done so far

mounted the turbo and tested it out . works like a champ!

the body that will be goin on it

tires before grooving

got some work done today , pulled the stock axles off the cart , pulled the old 6.5 motor. got the front axle narrowed down the rear axle still needs narrowed but i should have that done tomarrow. this will be about what the ride height will be if it was just sitting on the axles , with the tires on it add about another 15"

 

[bighead]

Will a 18hp turn a 9" axle? Will the mower trans turn the 9" axles? I have no clue just wondering.

So your going to fab the 9" to the go kart frame? Or you making a whole new frame and cage?

Been looking for a narrowed 9" for my nova? You do this work yourself? What are the axle's in the pics?

 

[88s10Durango]

Hi very good ideas`s you have , if using the transaxle for the trans > transfercase you`ll have to weld up the spider gears if it has any or lock up both axles in it to supply even transfer of power to the front & rear diff`s , your diffs are overkilll and alot of weight ,your 18 Hp will not push these and the total weight of this kart , theretically I believe you`ll need in the neighbour hood of 150 to 200 Hp for it to work properly .just my .02 cents and beliefs , Cheers Bill .

 

[Gillgamesh64]

Are you sure you couldn't find a bigger diff???

 

[Doc Sprocket]

You're going to lose a lot of power to that driveline, that's some heavy gear. Bike engine???

Either way, VERY interesting, I'll be watching this closely...

 

[bighead]

I do not think those are 9" ford axles. Maybe just a mock up?

 

[mudduck7.3]

Will a 18hp turn a 9" axle? Will the mower trans turn the 9" axles? I have no clue just wondering.

So your going to fab the 9" to the go kart frame? Or you making a whole new frame and cage?

Been looking for a narrowed 9" for my nova? You do this work yourself? What are the axle's in the pics?

still using the original go kart frame , might have to stretch it a foot or so but undecided yet. yea im doin all the work myself. the axles in the pic are whats going under it , theyre 79 half ton ford axles rear is a 9" 31 spline ford , front is a hp dana 44

 

[mudduck7.3]

Hi very good ideas`s you have , if using the transaxle for the trans > transfercase you`ll have to weld up the spider gears if it has any or lock up both axles in it to supply even transfer of power to the front & rear diff`s , your diffs are overkilll and alot of weight ,your 18 Hp will not push these and the total weight of this kart , theretically I believe you`ll need in the neighbour hood of 150 to 200 Hp for it to work properly .just my .02 cents and beliefs , Cheers Bill .

yea i took the mower diff apart yesterday and welded it and shortened the mower transaxle as much as possible for the best possible driveline angles i can get , we took it from about 24" wide down to 12" so it will help a lot. i was thinking on maybe gettin some headwork done to the motor also to bump up the compression a little but i think with the low gearing it should do ok , won't be really really fast but im ok with that the low gear is more important to me.

 

[mudduck7.3]

Are you sure you couldn't find a bigger diff???

haha well i do have a set of these layin around my shop that are goin in my mudtruck

those are 2.5 ton both steering eatons. next to the axles im puttin in the cart they make them look like go cart axles

 

[mudduck7.3]

You're going to lose a lot of power to that driveline, that's some heavy gear. Bike engine???

Either way, VERY interesting, I'll be watching this closely...

well i really considered a bike engine but after a lot of searching i just couldn't find anything i liked . these 18 hp briggs motors make only 18hp stock but they make 30 ft lbs of torque , im stripping the axles of they're brakes to save a lot of weight and will use a drivline disk brake and narrowing them saves some weight . i know it looks like it will be really heavy but after its all said and done im hopin to be in the 450- 500 lb range . i think i can add enough beef to this motor to make it turn it all fine.

 

[mudduck7.3]

I do not think those are 9" ford axles. Maybe just a mock up?

yea thats the ford 9" for the rear and the d44 is the front , those are the exact axles being used for this cart , the rear just hasn't been narrowed yet in the pic your seeing

 

[T.E.D. Jordan]

I had written a massively long reply to add here but thought better of it. Theres alot of wrong and dangerous information in this thread.

Jordan

P.S. I will add that I Like the body though and hope to see it get used

 

[Bluethunder3320]

i suggest a bigger engine if you use the car axles. look for a bike engine or something like at least 40hp.

and..... why couldnt you hook the 18hp up to the go kart axle?

 

[mudduck7.3]

Theres alot of wrong and dangerous information in this thread.

Jordan

P.S. I will add that I Like the body though and hope to see it get used

id like to hear it , i don't see anything dangerous about it , but if you can see something that im not please feel free to point it out to me. the body will be very well used probly busted up right away

 

[mudduck7.3]

i suggest a bigger engine if you use the car axles. look for a bike engine or something like at least 40hp.

and..... why couldnt you hook the 18hp up to the go kart axle?

the 18 hp is a vertical shafted engine so it would have to be laid on its side to run the stock cart rear axle . i think there would be fuel and oiling issues

 

[Bluethunder3320]

the 18 hp is a vertical shafted engine so it would have to be laid on its side to run the stock cart rear axle . i think there would be fuel and oiling issues

what about buying a right angle gearbox, and run it like this.

i thought of doing this with a 13.5hp briggs but it was cheaper to use my 6.5 clone in the kart.

 

[mudduck7.3]

if i was using this motor on a 2wd kart i probly would go that route

 

[t0x1k]

This thread is full of failure.
There's no way you can push those mickeys, and bronco axles with some tiny *** engine.
I had a 9" geared to 4.56 with 35 mickeys and my tiny ranger pushing 150hp barely moved them.

Why go so big on everything and skimp out on the engine? I mean really?

 

[mudduck7.3]

i disagree , there is some serious gear reduction to make up for the lack of motor . if it ends up not havin enough engine ill swap one in that will work . i think comparing a pickup to a gokart is a terrible comparison . the cart is going to be much lighter and much lower geared . but we will see so until then go ahead and flame it

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Well, truly it works like this-

You could push a 78 Bronco with a weedeater, if you gear it low enough. You could track its speed with a calendar, but it would work...

None too practical, though. You would lose quite a bit of power to all that rotating mass. How much gear reduction is "serious"? Have you done the math? What are your projected numbers? How slow you wanna go?

I wouldn't call it a flame, I'd call it a real concern. Personally, and this IS my personal opinion, it's not worth the effort, as such. Take it for what it's worth, or blow us off. Just don't say you weren't warned...

On second thought, prove us wrong- that'd be cool, too...