Newbie Back Again - Brakes Question

[Kristajoy15]

The brakes from the old go kart I bought of the neighbor need replaced. I have no idea how or where to find this style of brake system. Any advice? It’s crescent-shaped and comes down onto the tire tread to stop

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Why does it need to be replaced? Is it broken?

 

[Hellion]

I think Krista only has one “shoe”, Ezcome.

It’s a scrub brake “shoe” and as far as I can tell they don’t make them anymore. They really are a low tech option and it’s surprising that kart and mini bike makers ever devised them.

Read recently somewhere that they work best on slick tires and worst on knobbies. And with wet tires, they don’t work at all.

I would upgrade the brakes to a band and drum setup but that will take some fabrication.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

I hate to say this and mean no offense, but Krista has "man-hands". Back to the subject of brakes....

 

[Hellion]

The last time I rode a go kart with a band brake I was able to lock up the wheel (or the whole axle) and skid to a stop. It really seems like one of the best braking systems there are because you're closing the band in the direction of, and around the axis of rotation. It helps itself so to speak.



I would definitely support "Hent" at ombwarehouse. He's Admin (I think) at our "sister site" Oldminibikes.com

"Band brake" search results:
https://www.ombwarehouse.com/search-magic.html?category=9950,9990,13767,10041,13748,10058,14123,14341,14126&query=band+brake


We would want to see your drive sprocket in order to see which of the drums would fit, or retrofit to it. Most one-wheel-peel-out karts have the brake drum mounted to the axle sprocket..

 

[Kristajoy15]

I hate to say this and mean no offense, but Krista has "man-hands". Back to the subject of brakes....

I hate to say this and mean no offense, but Krista has "man-hands". Back to the subject of brakes....

No offense taken…although, your mom doesn’t seem to mind them.

Now back to the subject of brakes….

 

[Kristajoy15]

The last time I rode a go kart with a band brake I was able to lock up the wheel (or the whole axle) and skid to a stop. It really seems like one of the best braking systems there are because you're closing the band in the direction of, and around the axis of rotation. It helps itself so to speak.

View attachment 155109

I would definitely support "Hent" at ombwarehouse. He's Admin (I think) at our "sister site" Oldminibikes.com

"Band brake" search results:
https://www.ombwarehouse.com/search-magic.html?category=9950,9990,13767,10041,13748,10058,14123,14341,14126&query=band+brake


We would want to see your drive sprocket in order to see which of the drums would fit, or retrofit to it. Most one-wheel-peel-out karts have the brake drum mounted to the axle sprocket..

Thank you for this detailed insight. I’ve been toying with disassembling the whole thing and rebuilding from scratch anyway, so this is another reason to do so. I got the cart up and running (upgraded wheels/tires thanks to your suggestion) but now the thing is flying and no way to stop

 

[Edwin Spangler]

Thank you for this detailed insight. I’ve been toying with disassembling the whole thing and rebuilding from scratch anyway, so this is another reason to do so. I got the cart up and running (upgraded wheels/tires thanks to your suggestion) but now the thing is flying and no way to stop

Have an anvil tied to a rope, on your lap that you throw out to stop lol

 

[Denny]

Have an anvil tied to a rope, on your lap that you throw out to stop lol

It works for Wile Coyote!

 

[Hellion]

I’ve been toying with disassembling the whole thing and rebuilding from scratch anyway

If you can weld or know someone who does, you can simply add the drum to the sprocket (may have to drill it) and weld a steel peg to the frame to support one end of the band brake; not the top part on my illustration (#3 Brake Pin) but the bottom part. Otherwise you could have someone fab up a new brake "shoe" but I think a band brake is the best alternative.

It's a neat kart though, as I said before a Phoenix (formerly Bird) Engineering "Sidekick".