Need help w/ throttle cable assembly

[Clinton]

Hello all. I'm trying to this kart together for my daughter. It's one of two I recently purchased incomplete. Today I bolted on the new motor but I have no idea what pieces to buy for the throttle hook up. I'll need two as the other kart looks just like this and will have the same motor. Any ideas. Go Kart Galaxy has about a million different sizes.

 

[Clinton]

Another pic.

 

[Clinton]

The whole kart.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I'm not sure about the factory kart. All I ever use is bicycle brake cable, and assortment of hardware store fittings. Cut to length, and *poof*- you're good!

 

[OzFab]

Most of us use a bicycle brake cable for the accelerator

 

[J_Walker]

Can possible rip a throttle cable off a old lawn mower too. just remember. Lube the cable with some throttle cable lube. they can get "sticky" with dirt and junk.

 

[Clinton]

Thanks guys. I'll try a bike or lawn mower shop for a cable assembly.

 

[qtband]

Walmart has a multi-pack of bike cables for about $7.

 

[mckutzy]

A tip on cable ends for connection to throttle; Tin the cut end with solder(about an inch). This gives it more strength(from fraying) when it is put into the screw clamp on the throttle arm.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Can possible rip a throttle cable off a old lawn mower too. just remember. Lube the cable with some throttle cable lube. they can get "sticky" with dirt and junk.

Most lawn mower throttle cables are solid wire- not stranded cable. Avoid those. Come to think of it, I do not recall having ever seen a factory lawn mower or tractor throttle control being made of stranded wire cable. Seeing as the factory setup would require the cable to push as well as pull, a flexible cable of such a light gauge simply would not do.

 

[jamyers]

A tip on cable ends for connection to throttle; Tin the cut end with solder(about an inch). This gives it more strength(from fraying) when it is put into the screw clamp on the throttle arm.

Good point - even better, tin it with solder BEFORE you cut it, that way it doesn't have much chance to fray at all.

 

[Clinton]

Thanks for all the tips!

 

[Shadow9]

It appears you have about 6 in between the throttle rod end and the bracket to hold the end of your throttle cable. That means the throttle rod, when the return spring pulls it back to the starting point will be pushing on a string, the cable end. So you will want to have a return spring on the throttle lever at the engine itself to maintain the tension in the throttle cable. I note you have the same predator 212 engine I do, which needs a stronger return spring at the engine throttle in addition to the return spring on the throttle rod.

 

[Clinton]

It appears you have about 6 in between the throttle rod end and the bracket to hold the end of your throttle cable. That means the throttle rod, when the return spring pulls it back to the starting point will be pushing on a string, the cable end. So you will want to have a return spring on the throttle lever at the engine itself to maintain the tension in the throttle cable. I note you have the same predator 212 engine I do, which needs a stronger return spring at the engine throttle in addition to the return spring on the throttle rod.

Ha! Tonight I discovered exactly everything you described. After getting a cable installed, the engine is not going all the way back to idle due to that long gap from the throttle arm to cable sheath and the weak engine throttle return spring. I'm looking for a place on the engine to put another return spring.

Got any pics of your setup?

 

[Clinton]

This is what I came up with. I'll zip tie the sheath the the kart frame.

 

[Clinton]

Pic 2

 

[OzFab]

Re: Pic 1. Reposition the sheath so the chrome end cap is under the clamp otherwise the cable may end up either slipping or binding

 

[Clinton]

Will do. Thanks.