Newbie

[dobbo049]

Hello
I'm new here and this is my first post
I'm Stuart, I'm 20 years old and live in England, always been a bit of an engineer and love building things, I work in Agriculture.

For a while now I've been debating building a Go Kart, I've built several ones without engines in the past but now I want to build a proper one

I have access to a workshop and all the necessary tools and cost wont be a huge issue as I will do it over time (but I don't want to spend unnecessary coin).

As I'm a farm boy it will be an off road Kart for darting up and down farm tracks and small grass fields so my first question is what engine?

Obviously I want speed but I guess being off road, power is probably more important, at the end of the day it will be useless if it cant make it up a small hill. From what I have read from this website I should go for something in the area of 6.5hp 200c, So I was looking at this . .
http://www.westbankwholesale.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=37&product_id=69

My other main question is guess is suspension?

I'm still working on design but I bassed it on a simplified version of this . . (Picture from spidercarts.com)

The difference being I designed a much more solid and simple chassis (and I've put the same size wheels, comments?). But I was wondering, as an off road kart, is it worth having the suspension? or would I be fine without it? I've not got a problem with fitting it, its obviously more money and more effort but if it doesn't make much of a difference I wont bother, I can always modify it to add it in the future.

Anyway any advice would be great,
Thanks

 

[klicky96]

If you are gonna be join pretty fast trough the fields, you are gonna want a suspension. In this case, it will be a challenge to put a front suspension without re-designing the entire front-end. I recommend a rear swing mount suspension in this case. It will be simple to modify this design. What program did you use to design this?

 

[dobbo049]

I didn't design it, the picture is from Spidercarts.com
http://www.spidercarts.com/go-kart-plans/tarantula-go-kart-plans.html,

they sell plans but I'd personally prefer to design my own.

If I put suspension in the middle similar to this design would that be enough? Or should I consider lifting the front wheels separately?

Thanks

 

[qtband]

I would go for a swingarm in the rear and a single A-arm in the front. Search this site for some example and you'll see what I mean. It's not that difficult a build.

 

[dobbo049]

Okay thanks, can you link me to any specific threads or pics? I'm searching now but If you have anything specific It would be a great help.

Thanks

 

[qtband]

Look here:
http://blog.kartbuilding.net/category/other-kart-plans/
Scroll down to the video on making a go-kart with suspension.

 

[qtband]

Spider karts has a dual-A-arm kart.
http://www.spidercarts.com/

 

[dobbo049]

Ahh ok I'm with you, thanks

I think I would rather have a Dual-A-arm on the back, Id quite like to have the engine centred between the shocks. Just think there would be better to spread out the weight.

 

[cumminsbayou4x4]

you may want front supsion i have 4 gocarts 1 with suspion there all off road ones the one with supsions not much better if you have big tires and let them be kinda low youll be ok as for the motor if you want a off roader go for any thing above 10hp i dont know bout engalnd but do yall have harbor frights

 

[dobbo049]

I dont think we do but I went on their website and they ship around the world so I'm sure I could get one from there.

 

[treyfus]

i did a hybrid of the spidercarts arachnid, the edge taipan, and my own design. pictures are in my album. For off road i couldnt ask for a better kart. high off the ground, safe, fast. what is your budget?

 

[dobbo049]

With the amount I'm now adding back onto it I'm starting to think it would be better to just build the Arachnid :/

I don't really have a budget but as this is my first time of building a proper Go Kart, I was hoping to keep it a little more simple

 

[dobbo049]

What if I where to just have the rear suspension?

I'm fairly confident with building but as I said this is my first proper Kart so I don't want to over complicate it, Id rather build a more simple one that I can adjust and improve in time.

 

[OzFab]

What if I where to just have the rear suspension?

Earlier you mentioned dual A arm rear, which is pretty involved. If you're gonna go that far why not do all 4. Otherwise, you're back to a swing arm.

That being said, single a arm front is not too difficult...

 

[dobbo049]

I just men't two shocks on the same arm, Just so I could centralise the engine, like the tarantula.

Ill have a look around the forum, I think the look of the front suspension on the Arachnid is putting me off a bit, I need to find some example of a more simple system.

 

[qtband]

Here's a picture of a rollover I had, but in it you can see how I mounted the swingarm in the rear with 2 shocks and a snowmobile engine. I have dual A-arms from a quad on the front.

 

[dobbo049]

That looks great

Definitely the kind of thing I'm going for on the back.
Front looks like its going to take a bit of work, does anyone do single A-arms on the front? or would that not be stable enough?

I'm putting a few quick drawings together of ideas, Ill post them when I'm done.

 

[treyfus]

this kart i just finished has sing a-arms in the front and lever on back. very simple. i used golf car front steering and suspension.

 

[dobbo049]

Wow thanks for the picture's I actually really like that one, Looks great but not over complicated. Its very similar to the kind of design I'm going for. I might have to nick some of your ideas

 

[treyfus]

i have all of my cad files and assemblies, i can tell you anything you want to know, finacial summary, bill of materials, the works. heres another pic. the frame is rhino lined. i built it in 15 weeks for my mechanical engineering final project. hand made 100%