Newbie just bought a Kart with potential #2
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perceptionist
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Ok well back to it then...
Here are some pics of the axle removal. On closer inspection, this axle was totally homemade right down to the bad key ways. I also think I will replace the ruined welded ujoints with new ones or maybe CV joints, Anyone care to submit pros & cons on U joints vs CV joints?
So as you can see I am pretty much in the mode of taking this thing apart, well at least the rear axle & suspension and will be doing the same to the front steering & suspension. This way it will be easier for me to look at it with the crap outta the way and get some ideas for improvements.
I am really liking the sturdiness of the frame as is. I think I might just re do the front & rear so I can enjoy it for a while then I really dig what they did with the seating position on this job, fighter jet style! Also like the full cage look.
For something like this I would obviously need to do a little stretching to my existing frame, not sure if I should do it that way or build one from scratch.
Pros cons?
Here are some pics of the axle removal. On closer inspection, this axle was totally homemade right down to the bad key ways. I also think I will replace the ruined welded ujoints with new ones or maybe CV joints, Anyone care to submit pros & cons on U joints vs CV joints?
So as you can see I am pretty much in the mode of taking this thing apart, well at least the rear axle & suspension and will be doing the same to the front steering & suspension. This way it will be easier for me to look at it with the crap outta the way and get some ideas for improvements.
I am really liking the sturdiness of the frame as is. I think I might just re do the front & rear so I can enjoy it for a while then I really dig what they did with the seating position on this job, fighter jet style! Also like the full cage look.
For something like this I would obviously need to do a little stretching to my existing frame, not sure if I should do it that way or build one from scratch.
Pros cons?
Ok well back to it then...
Here are some pics of the axle removal. On closer inspection, this axle was totally homemade right down to the bad key ways. I also think I will replace the ruined welded ujoints with new ones or maybe CV joints, Anyone care to submit pros & cons on U joints vs CV joints?
So as you can see I am pretty much in the mode of taking this thing apart, well at least the rear axle & suspension and will be doing the same to the front steering & suspension. This way it will be easier for me to look at it with the crap outta the way and get some ideas for improvements.
I am really liking the sturdiness of the frame as is. I think I might just re do the front & rear so I can enjoy it for a while then I really dig what they did with the seating position on this job, fighter jet style! Also like the full cage look.
For something like this I would obviously need to do a little stretching to my existing frame, not sure if I should do it that way or build one from scratch.
Pros cons?
That looks like something out of mad max. Sweet! If someone used a grinder to make that key way i gotta give them props. Not bad at all for free hand. Looks like you are doing it right man. Take it all down and get rid of what is crap or what you don't need. Whatever the outcome, make sure you plan everything. When you weld, tack first. Tack everything first. After looking it over and over and then over again, finish welding. I build the entire chassis by tacking everything together. If i find something i don't like or isn't safe it is easy to remove. Good luck and keep the pictures coming. I love a good build thread.
perceptionist
New member
I will try to post pics of anything I do, buying new stuff will be a bit slow so have patience, budget restrictions, but would rather have the right stuff rather than save a few $$...
I don't know if I could do this good, but here is a really close example of how I would like the axle setup to look when I am done...
I don't know if I could do this good, but here is a really close example of how I would like the axle setup to look when I am done...
perceptionist
New member
Went out and got a couple sawhorses to support the kart...
perceptionist
New member
Woo Hoo!! I spent the day cutting & grinding this thing apart to a state that I can begin my brainstorming. Heres some pix from todays play...
These first few are of the current front steering/suspension setup I tore out:
And here are some pix of me trying to visualize my next step with regard to lengthening the frame for my tandem seating...
Yeah this might be a little tight as is but I sat in the passenger seat and it is almost perfect, just need some more headroom to accommodate the lift I will be putting on that rear seat....
I bought these seats a few years ago to put in my Fiero but they didn't fit the way I wanted them to so I stayed with the stock seats. I have been lugging these around with no plans for them until now
Here are some shots of how I envision them to be positioned in my finished project...
Well thats it for now,
More to come...
These first few are of the current front steering/suspension setup I tore out:
And here are some pix of me trying to visualize my next step with regard to lengthening the frame for my tandem seating...
Yeah this might be a little tight as is but I sat in the passenger seat and it is almost perfect, just need some more headroom to accommodate the lift I will be putting on that rear seat....
I bought these seats a few years ago to put in my Fiero but they didn't fit the way I wanted them to so I stayed with the stock seats. I have been lugging these around with no plans for them until now
Here are some shots of how I envision them to be positioned in my finished project...
Well thats it for now,
More to come...
perceptionist
New member
As for my live axle steering on pavement issue, I am considering a manual locking hub on one of the rear wheels similar to this one...
I still don't know enough about splined axles and splined components to ensure all my parts will fit together. If I am ordering from different suppliers online, I had better be sure I know what I am talking about. I plan to go with a 1" axle. Can anyone point me to a good reference for understanding splined shafts etc...? What I mean is are splines like threads on bolts in that for threads there are metric & standard and different pitches etc... or is a (for example) 36 splined 1" axle the same across the board, like if I get a 1" 36 splined axle, when I order hubs or splined collars, do I just ask for 1" 36 spline hub or collar or is there more information to consider?
I have been doing many google image searches and have found much of the components I would like to play with, but I am limited by my lack of understanding on the terminology which will affect my ability to order the correct size (or other spec) part.
I know absolutely nothing yet on the subject
so any info is appreciated, Thanks
I still don't know enough about splined axles and splined components to ensure all my parts will fit together. If I am ordering from different suppliers online, I had better be sure I know what I am talking about. I plan to go with a 1" axle. Can anyone point me to a good reference for understanding splined shafts etc...? What I mean is are splines like threads on bolts in that for threads there are metric & standard and different pitches etc... or is a (for example) 36 splined 1" axle the same across the board, like if I get a 1" 36 splined axle, when I order hubs or splined collars, do I just ask for 1" 36 spline hub or collar or is there more information to consider?
I have been doing many google image searches and have found much of the components I would like to play with, but I am limited by my lack of understanding on the terminology which will affect my ability to order the correct size (or other spec) part.
I know absolutely nothing yet on the subject
so any info is appreciated, Thankssplines go down the length of the part so there's no #s aside from the amount of splines [teeth] and the diameter, and those 2 together determine the size of the splines. depth is a standard thing, too shallow or too deep and it wouldn't hold well.
perceptionist
New member
Ok so all I need for reference in ordering female splined components for the axle is (for example on a 1" axle) the axle diameter and the number of splines?
What are the criteria for deciding how many splines to go with for a given application?
Is torque handling a factor when deciding between high quantity of small splines vs low quantity of larger splines?
Another reason I was asking about differences between splines in my last post, I have seen tapered or pointed splines and I have also seen squared off splines or teeth, will I need to specify one or the other, or is this automatically determined by my diameter and spline count?
What are the criteria for deciding how many splines to go with for a given application?
Is torque handling a factor when deciding between high quantity of small splines vs low quantity of larger splines?
Another reason I was asking about differences between splines in my last post, I have seen tapered or pointed splines and I have also seen squared off splines or teeth, will I need to specify one or the other, or is this automatically determined by my diameter and spline count?
perceptionist
New member
Thanks, thats good to hear, but (looking modest) I am only tearing down right now, and I am a learning welder, however the further I get into a project like this, the more the perfectionist in me begins to emerge which can be good for the finished product but bad for me making a decision on which way I want to go with any given number of ideas I am tossing around making the project take forever.
I have found I have been avoiding buying full axle kits or complete assemblies as I want to end up with a setup that none of my searching has turned up, so I plan to put a lot of time in my parts selection.
Looking on sites not even designed towards kart building has helped me to think outside the box, also having no prior kart building experience, thinking outside the box is even easier. Check out some of the stuff they got here:
http://www.directindustry.com/cat/mechanical-transmission-actuators-L.html
But I could still use some of the time tested advise the people here have to offer
One thing that just came to mind is frame geometry. Is this a science or just common sense for the mechanically inclined? In order to reshape the frame to handle the seat positions I am going for, it looks like I will be pretty much dismantling everything in front of the motor cage. Hell knowing me, if/when I get it down that far, I might just consider starting from scratch. Besides that pic of the tandem seat go kart I posted above, I have never seen one before, even after an exhausting search for one. So it looks like I am on my own in figuring out a design. Hmm where's the "Mad scientist" smiley?
Here you go, but it is the only one they don't offer plans for.
http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_ballistic.htm
IIRC it has some sort of Subaru rally car engine. According to the site they recently sold it to someone who plans to race it in the Dakar Rally.
http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_ballistic.htm
IIRC it has some sort of Subaru rally car engine. According to the site they recently sold it to someone who plans to race it in the Dakar Rally.
Kenny_McCormic
Kartless....
I personally would just make a roomy one man cart.
perceptionist
New member
perceptionist
New member
She's topless now!! Also frontless
Next step will be to figure out the necessary measurements/angles for the new cage to provide headroom for passenger & legroom for driver.
Next step will be to figure out the necessary measurements/angles for the new cage to provide headroom for passenger & legroom for driver.
perceptionist
New member
Moving forward...
Original thread can be found here for the full background:
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1679&highlight=potential
I have been dragging my feet on this project but here is where I am at now...
Last night I welded part of the extended front.
For reference, on that 2nd pic, the chains hanging on the wall in the background mark about where the front of the kart originally was.
I am a bit concerned about how I will go about strengthening the front as my front wheels, suspension etc will be mounted close to the nose.
I found a complete steering/suspension setup on ebay off of a Yamaha 660 Raptor. Pics are at home, I will post them this evening. If you remember from my original post, the front suspension was a bit shoddy so I hope this will be a decent improvement.
Not sure what I will end up doing next. Usually I just stand there staring at the kart until the next step suddenly occurs to me
A couple of the neighborhood kids were hanging around asking me when I was going to get it running and that actually motivated me to start working on it again.
I also bought a complete wiring harness for the motorcycle my engine came from, re wrapped it and had my nose buried in the wiring schematic for a while to label all the ends for their intended purpose. Hmm, I just might outfit this baby with a full lighting system and other fun electronic gadgets
More pix to come, this evening.
Original thread can be found here for the full background:
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1679&highlight=potential
I have been dragging my feet on this project but here is where I am at now...
Last night I welded part of the extended front.
For reference, on that 2nd pic, the chains hanging on the wall in the background mark about where the front of the kart originally was.
I am a bit concerned about how I will go about strengthening the front as my front wheels, suspension etc will be mounted close to the nose.
I found a complete steering/suspension setup on ebay off of a Yamaha 660 Raptor. Pics are at home, I will post them this evening. If you remember from my original post, the front suspension was a bit shoddy so I hope this will be a decent improvement.
Not sure what I will end up doing next. Usually I just stand there staring at the kart until the next step suddenly occurs to me
A couple of the neighborhood kids were hanging around asking me when I was going to get it running and that actually motivated me to start working on it again.
I also bought a complete wiring harness for the motorcycle my engine came from, re wrapped it and had my nose buried in the wiring schematic for a while to label all the ends for their intended purpose. Hmm, I just might outfit this baby with a full lighting system and other fun electronic gadgets
More pix to come, this evening.
perceptionist
New member
Found the pic of the Raptor parts
Here is the steering/suspension setup I plan to implement on the Kart:
I have been thinking a lot lately about how I want to set up the controls for this thing. One thing that I keep coming back to is a motorcycle type of layout. I know there will be naysayers, but that will only fuel me to make it work. The other thing that fuels me to do it is that I have never seen it done on a kart.
I want to have pegs that the driver's feet will rest on in front of him with the shifter on the left foot and rear brake on the right.
Handlebars with clutch control on left side and twist (or ATV style Thumb) throttle on the right. The only negatives I have heard from friends is that I will not have full steering range with a handlebar type setup. I am determined to find a way around this, there MUST be a way!
I know the shifter will be interesting to figure out but not impossible.
Here is the steering/suspension setup I plan to implement on the Kart:
I have been thinking a lot lately about how I want to set up the controls for this thing. One thing that I keep coming back to is a motorcycle type of layout. I know there will be naysayers, but that will only fuel me to make it work. The other thing that fuels me to do it is that I have never seen it done on a kart.
I want to have pegs that the driver's feet will rest on in front of him with the shifter on the left foot and rear brake on the right.
Handlebars with clutch control on left side and twist (or ATV style Thumb) throttle on the right. The only negatives I have heard from friends is that I will not have full steering range with a handlebar type setup. I am determined to find a way around this, there MUST be a way!
I know the shifter will be interesting to figure out but not impossible.
Kenny_McCormic
Kartless....
The Honda odyssey off road go karts had hand controls.
modelengineer
Lord of the noise
If you wanted to put CV joints in the rear consider copying/buying this design:
http://edge.au.com/product_pircv.htm
I have the plans and they are very detailed, but you would need a machine shop to build it (cheaply).
If the engine is 750cc or less then you can probably stay with the uni joints, as long as you grease/oil them every time you ride it they will be fine. If more than 750, go with CV joints.
Personally wouldn't go with the motorcycle layout. I can envision it now, going over bumps which slams your feet down on the gear pedal, changing gears without the clutch and at the wrong time.
Also, with the steering mounted controls you would need steering that goes to full lock in half a revolution either direction. This would make for INCREDIBLY heavy steering.
Stick with what works, and it will be awesome.
http://edge.au.com/product_pircv.htm
I have the plans and they are very detailed, but you would need a machine shop to build it (cheaply).
If the engine is 750cc or less then you can probably stay with the uni joints, as long as you grease/oil them every time you ride it they will be fine. If more than 750, go with CV joints.
Personally wouldn't go with the motorcycle layout. I can envision it now, going over bumps which slams your feet down on the gear pedal, changing gears without the clutch and at the wrong time.
Also, with the steering mounted controls you would need steering that goes to full lock in half a revolution either direction. This would make for INCREDIBLY heavy steering.
Stick with what works, and it will be awesome.
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