My Dirt Devil gokart build

[Nodroz]

looks good to me. I am guessing the spindles and stub axles are just for the mock-up? cause they look wayyyy too long.....

Haha, yeah. They'll will be cut to the right dimension when I'm sure what wheels I'm going to use. The ones that are on right now are temporary, until I find some better ones.

Looking good! You got a lot done!

Thank you! You're doing a nice job on your build too!

Nice Alex. Give it a week or two and you are going to be riding that thing.

Are you going to be haring the go kart with the friend who is helping you?

I hope that! I have no hurry, I got a lot of time.
I am the main builder and everythin takes place at my house. I buy tools and material. My neighbour friend just comes and help me so he can drive on that gokart as soon as possible too. Haha

I hope it's just camera angle coz, to me, it looks crooked.

Good work, won't be long now...

D***ed, you're good in these things. You're correct. There is a misallignment - the left shock is a mounted a little bit higher than the other side, thus causing the frame to look crooked. Will fix that as soon as possible.

Important safety note:
Safety goes first. Always.
Stay safe!

I was unlucky to get a metal particle in my eyes. This damaged some layer in my eyes. The doctor put some anti-biotica into my eye and put a cover on it. I wasn't allowed to open my eye for 24h... man, that was sorcery!
Wasn't allowed to read on computer screen. When I tried it, I got a really bad headache and the text was blurry. Watching TV is intensive for your one eye only too. Each 30 minutes you had to close your eyes for 5 minutes so it gets some rest.

Then today I wasn't allowed to do anything. No PC, no work, etc. I got reaaaaaallly bored today. TV gets boring after an hour too...

Altough, I was wearing safety goggles, some particle got from underneeth in my eye. I'm going to get better safety goggles asap!

 

[exenos]

Full face mask and safety glasses, that's the best to do. Sucks about your eye, just be happy you still have it, my friend lost his eye from falling on a piece of wire, my dads friend lost his eye from a grinder disk exploding before he put his glasses on and my employer lost his eye from not wearing safety glasses on the plant floor. I'm especially careful with my eyes because I effectively only have on eye to see from, my right eye is nearsighted and slightly misshapen to the point that they cant correct it much past 10/20 so if i loose my sight in my left eye I'm screwed, and I'm telling you, doing most things with one eye is bearable but annoying and something you want to avoid at all cost.

 

[OzFab]

D***ed, you're good in these things. You're correct. There is a misallignment - the left shock is a mounted a little bit higher than the other side, thus causing the frame to look crooked. Will fix that as soon as possible.

Sorry man, I'm a panel beater, I'm trained to notice these things

Important safety note:
Safety goes first. Always.
Stay safe!

I was unlucky to get a metal particle in my eyes. This damaged some layer in my eyes. The doctor put some anti-biotica into my eye and put a cover on it. I wasn't allowed to open my eye for 24h... man, that was sorcery!
Wasn't allowed to read on computer screen. When I tried it, I got a really bad headache and the text was blurry. Watching TV is intensive for your one eye only too. Each 30 minutes you had to close your eyes for 5 minutes so it gets some rest.

Then today I wasn't allowed to do anything. No PC, no work, etc. I got reaaaaaallly bored today. TV gets boring after an hour too...

Altough, I was wearing safety goggles, some particle got from underneeth in my eye. I'm going to get better safety goggles asap!

I've lost count of how many times I've been through this. I now have $30 goggles with a seal right around the lense & I still get shrapnel in my eyes...

Full face mask and safety glasses, that's the best to do. Sucks about your eye, just be happy you still have it, my friend lost his eye from falling on a piece of wire, my dads friend lost his eye from a grinder disk exploding before he put his glasses on and my employer lost his eye from not wearing safety glasses on the plant floor. I'm especially careful with my eyes because I effectively only have on eye to see from, my right eye is nearsighted and slightly misshapen to the point that they cant correct it much past 10/20 so if i loose my sight in my left eye I'm screwed, and I'm telling you, doing most things with one eye is bearable but annoying and something you want to avoid at all cost.

Man, you're surrounded by people with eye damage...

As you would both now know, depth perception is the first thing to go.

Not sure how many of you know this but, I'm a full time carer. I moved back home a couple of years ago to take care of my mum who, apart from being 82, suffers with diabetes & glaucoma. She is now completely blind in the right eye & has very limited vision in her left. The sad part is glaucoma is hereditary so, I'm genetically dispositioned to it.

Fortunately, ATM I'm lucky to have 20/20 vision but, who knows what the future holds.

These days, hands, feet, limbs, etc can be replaced; eyes can't.
You only get one pair of eyes, once they're gone, they're gone so look after them.

Sorry for the rant Alex

 

[landuse]

I hope that eye of yours gets better soon man

 

[Nodroz]

My eye is back as the old one! Thanks for asking, Landuse.

Some stuff I planned to do last weekend got delayed because my eye injury. Throughout the weekly, I slowly got some work done.

• Finished steering.
• Added brackets for rear swingarm
• Welded motor mount on rear swingarm

Pictures ofcourse!

 

[OzFab]

I have a few concerns:
1. It appears that you have two swing arm frames Please explain?
2. I'm not too fond of those axle bearing mounts, Is it possible for you to find cast mounts?

Other than that, you're doing good. I'm glad your eye is better; did you get new goggles?

 

[souperman000]

I have a few concerns:
1. It appears that you have two swing arm frames Please explain?
2. I'm not too fond of those axle bearing mounts, Is it possible for you to find cast mounts?

Other than that, you're doing good. I'm glad your eye is better; did you get new goggles?

1. the triangular looking one is part of the frame. Don't see what you are looking at.

2. those look like they are stuck between two pieces of aluminum...

good build so far, I like it!

 

[OzFab]

1. the triangular looking one is part of the frame. Don't see what you are looking at.

No no, Pics 1,2 & 3 show the engine plate on a frame with all the fancy red mountings but pics 6 & 7 show a slightly different frame with just two bars attached

 

[JCB003]

I have a few concerns:
2. I'm not too fond of those axle bearing mounts, Is it possible for you to find cast mounts?

They look like some type of stamped steel assembly. I would like to see another pic of them. I could see them as being a weak link based on how they attach, it doesn't appear to be a real solid connection and that motor and weight of the kart could test them.

Good job on the kart, lots of work done!

 

[OzFab]

 

[souperman000]

No no, Pics 1,2 & 3 show the engine plate on a frame with all the fancy red mountings but pics 6 & 7 show a slightly different frame with just two bars attached

Ahh, haha the "second" swing arm you see is actually the same one. I believe it is in the stage right before it was put on the kart. The frame is flipped over, making it look like the bars are not the motor mount bars.

of course Nodroz can verify this for all of us...

 

[Nodroz]

Ahh, haha the "second" swing arm you see is actually the same one. I believe it is in the stage right before it was put on the kart. The frame is flipped over, making it look like the bars are not the motor mount bars.

of course Nodroz can verify this for all of us...

Yes, exactly. The last pics show the a stage before I cut of those 2 L-bars and welded on the engine plate.

Fabroman is right. I'm using that type of bearing supports. I find them strong enough... after I've put them to the test.

The axle didn't move a milimeter after this crash and the bearings don't have a scratch or. Also, nothing from the rear axle got bent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE--90D7m8g

Do you still suggest me to use other bearing supports?

Btw, the rear swingarm is still in BETA stage. I want to test everything out, then I'll proceed with fine-tuning stuff.

@Fabroman, going to the shop tomorrow for a new goggle.

 

[OzFab]

Do you still suggest me to use other bearing supports?

Yes. The downhill racer didn't have 15ft/lbs of torque punching through it's rear axle. My concern is that, once you put some horsepower through those bearing hangers, they're going to move, bend &, eventually, break; even more so if you go off road.

@Fabroman, going to the shop tomorrow for a new goggle.

Good lad

 

[r97]

I think those bearings would be okay, although upgrades would be worth the money. If you do change them out, save some money and just buy a new housing for the bearing. If I were buying new housings I would choose stamped steel three bolt flange housings.

 

[Nodroz]

I decided to use these bearings for now. Later, when I got some more money again, I'll buy those stronger housings.

Anyhow, new update today! Back swingarm with shocks has been mounted and working properly! I put my old 20mm axle with my regular gokart tires on that back end, to take it for a ride. With some help from my neighbours, who pushed me, we drove to the street. Everything is working really great, except the steering. It's not steering sharp enough for me... will fix that soon.

3D plan for the axle will be made today. Hopefully my school hurries to get it done... I don't want wait too long...

I'll upload a video from our very first testrun soon!

EDIT: Video uploaded!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVFM56oRjVs&feature=youtu.be

 

[OzFab]

It's coming along nicely, good work.

If you want the steering to be sharper, simply move the tie rod end to the next hole in the steering arm (just in case you didn't know that). You will also have to shorten the tie rods...

 

[landuse]

Nice work! I see that you guys were looking at the right back wheel in the vid. Is there something wrong there?

 

[Nodroz]

It's coming along nicely, good work.

If you want the steering to be sharper, simply move the tie rod end to the next hole in the steering arm (just in case you didn't know that). You will also have to shorten the tie rods...

Yeap, indeed.

Nice work! I see that you guys were looking at the right back wheel in the vid. Is there something wrong there?

I tought it was going off the axle, but apperently it was fine.
Remember that I just put those wheels on as part of a test. I'll use my 18" wheels as soon as I get my axle.

 

[Nodroz]

Took some nice photos today.
Engine is mounted and I started it for a little test. I guess the mixture is a bit too rich - there coming huge fire balls out of the exhaust. Lool.

To do list:
- Make axle stepdown from 25 to 19mm. And key the whole axle.
- Mount axle, sprocket and brake.
- Mount 18" tires.
- Install brake pedal.
- Re-inforce the whole frame.
- Cut and re-weld bad welds.
- Install seat securely. (It's just loose on there right now.)
- Install drivetrain (Chain and sprocket, and a possibly jackshaft)
- Mount fuel tank.
- Drive it!

Can't wait to take it for a first spin... just have to get my axle stepped down... waiting for the dude to reply if I can use his lathe.

 

[r_chez_08]

Getting there, looking good!
Are you still going to redo the roll hoop?