need new rear tires

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MF7113

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Hi guys. This is my first post. I just got an older go kart, I think it is a thunder kart, its red with a black roll bar and it has an old Central Machinery 6.5 with a clutch. I need help with rear tires. I want to go to a taller rear tire and a little bit wider. The current size is 410x350-5. I don't have a problem with changing the rims or anything I just don't know where to look for them or what size would be best. I want a more aggressive tire than the turf savers that are on it. Can anyone give me a hand on what to do?
 
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Welcome to the forum.

How does your kart perform now? How well does it accelerate?

The reason I ask is because larger tyres will affect your gearing; if it struggles a bit now, it'll never move with larger tyres...

Having said that, tyres to fit a 5" rim are not too common, you may need to go to 6" rims, which opens up a world of options...

Tyres are available from many sources, including some local car tyre dealers (not the big chain stores, the little independents), Also from places like

BMI Karts
MFG Supply
Go Kart Galaxy
Surplus Centre
just to name a few

rocketkart said:
thes are what i got on my off road kart http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200331377_200331377
Click to expand...

So not suitable; for starters, they fit 8" rims, his are 5"; not to mention what they'd do to his gearing...
 
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Thanks for welcome. Its got great performance right now, the problem is that there is about 1in of ground clearance when no one is sitting on the cart. Plus with current set up the drive tire spins for a good bit in the grass until it gets going. The biggest thing I'm concerned with is ground clearance. Where I live it is sandy/muddy/lots of gravel so I also want to introduce the chain and sprocket to that as little as possible. I'm not worried too much about torque because this will be my son's cart and he's not big enough to even drive it yet.
 
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The thing is, you want torque, the alternative is a high top speed:

high gearing = low numbers = poor acceleration = high top speed
low gearing = high numbers = good acceleration = low top speed

SO, what is the overall height of the current tyres? If my calculations are correct, they're around 11"...
 
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We would need the gears on your kart currently(axle and clutch)... and a pic or 2-3 couldnt hurt either. If youre running stock... the avg gearing setup for those 10" wheels ur running is 12T clutch and 60T axle=5:1(guessing it's a dead wheel from your description). "If" that be the case and your wanting to go big enough for gravel and mud, IMO 15-16" wheels are in order. Problem w/ that is I personally havent seen a dead axle w/ a 16" wheel b4(but then again I just replaced my WHOLE rearend... 'just' for bigger wheels and a live axle... my karts rearend build...

Just remember... 'if' you go a bigger wheel, and want the same performance... for every 2" bigger wheel... youll need to +1:1 your gear ratio. So to make it simple... 'if' you are at 5:1 ratio now w/ 10" wheels... youll need to goto bout 8:1 ratio w/ 16" wheels... to get the same speed and acceleration as you do now. Just remember the weight added, the tire traction(tread and width) WILL make performance different!
 
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Thanks again guys. I'll go get a few pics and check the teeth when I get home. Its 4am where I'm at and I won't get home till after 6am since I'm at work. I'm not worried about losing any torque or gaining top speed because as of now my intentions for this kart is to just be something my son and his cousins can ride "safely" when they get old enough. I know that by going to a larger diameter without changing sprockets will cost me low end but the clutch is old and when it goes I'll address that issue then. But for now I want to get this thing moving without putting the chain in the ground.
 
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Ok. The drive sprocket is a 10 tooth. The driven sprocket is a 54 tooth. The only identification on the cart is some old long gone stickers that said 605S. I also snapped some pics. Also, can anyone tell me if these tires will be taller than my current ones? The tire measuring system for these tires is strange to me. I have an automotive tire back ground.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Sets-of...876?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e37e9fcc

20131022_125137.jpg

20131022_125201.jpg

20131022_125221.jpg
 
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You would need a couple of these http://www.bmikarts.com/6-Split-Rim-2-1316-Bolt-Pattern_p_1570.html to put them on, and you would also need tubes : http://www.bmikarts.com/410350-6-Inner-Tube_p_1590.html

I don't think you're gonna get anything bigger to fit on there with that single drive/stub axle setup. But, it will provide decent clearance for the sprocket (I have the 12.5x6" tires on mine with a 54 tooth). If you do want more clearance you could switch over to a #35 setup and maybe even a torque converter.
 
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Thanks for the help guys. I think the 410x350-6 would work just fine. I might change it over to a live axle later because only being able to do donuts turning right is lame.
 
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