Okay, well last night I couldn't sleep because I was thinking up plans of an entirely bolt together, no weld, go kart. Structural integrity not guaranteed but it wouldn't be bad to try making a rolling frame then doing the jump test by bouncing many, hefty friends on it. To the fullest extent of my knowledge, these are 100% original plans being that I thought them up entirely.
To begin its entirely 2" angle iron bolted together with 1/2" by 1" long grade 8 hardware. The frame is a very simple rectangle 5' by 2.5'. The front piece it turned so that it is flat on top and in the front. The sides are turned so that they are flat on the insides and top. The rear has a flat side facing the front of the kart as well as on top. The side pieces lie on top on the front and back and are single bolted to them. In each corner, to prevent it turning into a rhombus, a piece of 2" angle iron is cut to 1.5", fitted into the corner, bolting the side of the frame to the front or back. In the front center of the frame attach 2 pieces of angle iron cut to 2" long. Double bolt them about 1.25 inches apart, these are to mount a lower steering block. (If confused, ask me for crappy illustrations, if you get my drift and love sketchup or cad, have fun I fail at both.)
There are 2 cross members for seat mounts, both are 2.5' long and positioned where you want with no specific location. These are designed to hold a basic tractor style seat or the $20 black plastic one from BMI if you want a higher back. These are single bolted to the top of the frame by notching away the angle iron so that the top is flat and lies nicely on top of the frame sides. Then brace each cross member with a piece of angle iron cut to 2" long just for some extra strength and to prevent the cross members from bending downward. I suggest mounting the front cross member so that there is a flat side towards the rear of the kart and a flat side on top (this makes the steering column easier to mount).
For the steering, 2 pieces of angle iron are used. One is 1.5' the other is 1'. The longer piece is mounted to the underside of the front seat cross member and braced with a 1.5" piece of angle iron underneath to prevent rotation. Now that this piece is extending towards the front of the kart cut a piece of angle iron 1.5" long and mount to the top of 1.5' piece where you want the steering column support (the 1' long piece) to come upwards from. Attach the 1.5" piece with 2 bolts so that the kart seat is looking into the L of the angle iron. Now attach, with 2 bolts, the 1' piece to this short piece that was just attached. At the top of the 1' vertical support, attach another piece of angle cut to 1.5" long and double bolt. This will be used to attach an upper steering block.
Now for the power plant...
Cut 2 pieces of angle to 1' long. Notch away 2" on corresponding sides on one end of each piece so that it will lie on top of the frame. Bolt these together, bolting together the un-notched ends, using a 1.5" piece of angle in the corner locking them at a 90° right angle. Also bolt them vertically thru both pieces. Take this 90° angle and bolt it to which ever rear corner of the frame you desire, bracing it to the frame with 1.5" pieces of angle iron to prevent the motor from warping the mounts downward. Get a piece of plate steel (3/16" or 1/4" thick) and cut to 1' square. Then bolt this plate to the frame and motor mount that was just constructed.
For rear wheel bearings, I like 1" pillow blocks available for about $10 from notherntool. These are nice because they come with a grease zerk installed and the bearings, when shot, are easy to replace. Either purchase new ones and bolt on or replace the inner bearing unit. Plus they come with locking collars installed for centering the axle. Anyways... cut 2 pieces of angle to 6" long for the pillow block hangers. A few words of wisdom, assemble your rear axle entirely before drilling holes to mount the pillow block hangers. Take the two pieces of 6" long angle and bolt them to the outside of the side frame pieces equal distance from the @ss end of the kart. These should be mounted so that theres is a flat side against the frame sides and a flat side facing downward to hang the rear axle from the pillow blocks.
As for your brakes. These plans I've drawn up in my head use a brake rotor and either a manual or hydraulic caliper. Cut two pieces of angle to 3" long and mount to the rear frame, double bolt, with flat sides facing each other. Having the brake caliper present will determine how far apart to mount these brackets.
For the steering shaft, cut the vertical support to the desired height and mount it the desired distance from the seat cutting away extra metal. For a steering shaft on my homemade kart i used about 2 feet of 5/8" solid tool steel. Very,very strong but also hefty. The steering wheel hub is kind of your own creation. On one kart I saw a chopped up mountain bike sprocket I suggest drilling two holes in the steering column, threading them, bolting on a small plate, and then attaching the wheel to that plate. (just to stick with the "no weld" kart). For the pitman arm, get 6" of 1" wide by 1/4" thick band iron. Now here is where a torch and vice come in handy. Heat and bend about 1.5" up the metal to a 90° angle. Then drill out 2 holes on the band iron with corresponding holes the steering column. The steering column should be long enough to go through both steering blocks and extend through the bottom steering block where the pitman arm is attached (below the lower steering block). Drill a hole in the end of the pitman arm so that the tie rods can be bolted to the pitman arm. Drill holes in the steering column above and below the upper steering block so that cotter pins maybe dropped through to prevent the steering column from moving up or down. This also allows for easy removal if the column must be replaced for some reason.
For brake and throttle rod controls, cut pieces of angle iron about an inch long and then double bolt onto the frame. These are not heavy load bearing parts and grade 8, or graded hardware for that matter, isn't necessary.
For the spindles, cut 2 pieces of your good old friend angle iron to 6" long. Bolt 2" of the 6 to each front side of the frame by drilling 2 holes although only one more will need to be drilled in the frame as one of the existing bolts holding the corner of the frame together can be used to attach the spindle support to each side. Bolt the extensions on so that there is a flat side against the frame and on the bottom so that when looking at the front of the kart, one is looking into the L of the angle iron. Now cut 2 pieces of angle iron 1.5" long and 2 at 2" long. Bolt the 1.5" long piece to the flat bottom of the extension and the 2" long piece to the back of the extension arm. Now drill the purchased spindle brackets as well as corresponding holes in the 2 overlapping pieces of angle iron on the extension arm.
Well just one more note that I feel is very beneficial for under $10 is good rear axle nuts. They should be whats called slotted hex nuts or castle nuts. They have big slots cut in them so that a hole may be drilled through the axle and a cotter pin dropped through to prevent accidental back offs.
Please if I missed anything just quote this and any previous quotes about additions and add your two cents.
Also, this is just an idea I put together in my head because I've always wanted to build a kart but don't have welding equipment and I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat. Just a warning...this has never been built so take it as a rough idea and fortify as necessary.
If there are any questions please post them, DO NOT p.m., and I'll answer them and try to make drawings to clear things up. I will post a final set of plans if deemed possible by the community in a week or so with revisions.
Thank you,
Redsox985
To begin its entirely 2" angle iron bolted together with 1/2" by 1" long grade 8 hardware. The frame is a very simple rectangle 5' by 2.5'. The front piece it turned so that it is flat on top and in the front. The sides are turned so that they are flat on the insides and top. The rear has a flat side facing the front of the kart as well as on top. The side pieces lie on top on the front and back and are single bolted to them. In each corner, to prevent it turning into a rhombus, a piece of 2" angle iron is cut to 1.5", fitted into the corner, bolting the side of the frame to the front or back. In the front center of the frame attach 2 pieces of angle iron cut to 2" long. Double bolt them about 1.25 inches apart, these are to mount a lower steering block. (If confused, ask me for crappy illustrations, if you get my drift and love sketchup or cad, have fun I fail at both.)
There are 2 cross members for seat mounts, both are 2.5' long and positioned where you want with no specific location. These are designed to hold a basic tractor style seat or the $20 black plastic one from BMI if you want a higher back. These are single bolted to the top of the frame by notching away the angle iron so that the top is flat and lies nicely on top of the frame sides. Then brace each cross member with a piece of angle iron cut to 2" long just for some extra strength and to prevent the cross members from bending downward. I suggest mounting the front cross member so that there is a flat side towards the rear of the kart and a flat side on top (this makes the steering column easier to mount).
For the steering, 2 pieces of angle iron are used. One is 1.5' the other is 1'. The longer piece is mounted to the underside of the front seat cross member and braced with a 1.5" piece of angle iron underneath to prevent rotation. Now that this piece is extending towards the front of the kart cut a piece of angle iron 1.5" long and mount to the top of 1.5' piece where you want the steering column support (the 1' long piece) to come upwards from. Attach the 1.5" piece with 2 bolts so that the kart seat is looking into the L of the angle iron. Now attach, with 2 bolts, the 1' piece to this short piece that was just attached. At the top of the 1' vertical support, attach another piece of angle cut to 1.5" long and double bolt. This will be used to attach an upper steering block.
Now for the power plant...
Cut 2 pieces of angle to 1' long. Notch away 2" on corresponding sides on one end of each piece so that it will lie on top of the frame. Bolt these together, bolting together the un-notched ends, using a 1.5" piece of angle in the corner locking them at a 90° right angle. Also bolt them vertically thru both pieces. Take this 90° angle and bolt it to which ever rear corner of the frame you desire, bracing it to the frame with 1.5" pieces of angle iron to prevent the motor from warping the mounts downward. Get a piece of plate steel (3/16" or 1/4" thick) and cut to 1' square. Then bolt this plate to the frame and motor mount that was just constructed.
For rear wheel bearings, I like 1" pillow blocks available for about $10 from notherntool. These are nice because they come with a grease zerk installed and the bearings, when shot, are easy to replace. Either purchase new ones and bolt on or replace the inner bearing unit. Plus they come with locking collars installed for centering the axle. Anyways... cut 2 pieces of angle to 6" long for the pillow block hangers. A few words of wisdom, assemble your rear axle entirely before drilling holes to mount the pillow block hangers. Take the two pieces of 6" long angle and bolt them to the outside of the side frame pieces equal distance from the @ss end of the kart. These should be mounted so that theres is a flat side against the frame sides and a flat side facing downward to hang the rear axle from the pillow blocks.
As for your brakes. These plans I've drawn up in my head use a brake rotor and either a manual or hydraulic caliper. Cut two pieces of angle to 3" long and mount to the rear frame, double bolt, with flat sides facing each other. Having the brake caliper present will determine how far apart to mount these brackets.
For the steering shaft, cut the vertical support to the desired height and mount it the desired distance from the seat cutting away extra metal. For a steering shaft on my homemade kart i used about 2 feet of 5/8" solid tool steel. Very,very strong but also hefty. The steering wheel hub is kind of your own creation. On one kart I saw a chopped up mountain bike sprocket I suggest drilling two holes in the steering column, threading them, bolting on a small plate, and then attaching the wheel to that plate. (just to stick with the "no weld" kart). For the pitman arm, get 6" of 1" wide by 1/4" thick band iron. Now here is where a torch and vice come in handy. Heat and bend about 1.5" up the metal to a 90° angle. Then drill out 2 holes on the band iron with corresponding holes the steering column. The steering column should be long enough to go through both steering blocks and extend through the bottom steering block where the pitman arm is attached (below the lower steering block). Drill a hole in the end of the pitman arm so that the tie rods can be bolted to the pitman arm. Drill holes in the steering column above and below the upper steering block so that cotter pins maybe dropped through to prevent the steering column from moving up or down. This also allows for easy removal if the column must be replaced for some reason.
For brake and throttle rod controls, cut pieces of angle iron about an inch long and then double bolt onto the frame. These are not heavy load bearing parts and grade 8, or graded hardware for that matter, isn't necessary.
For the spindles, cut 2 pieces of your good old friend angle iron to 6" long. Bolt 2" of the 6 to each front side of the frame by drilling 2 holes although only one more will need to be drilled in the frame as one of the existing bolts holding the corner of the frame together can be used to attach the spindle support to each side. Bolt the extensions on so that there is a flat side against the frame and on the bottom so that when looking at the front of the kart, one is looking into the L of the angle iron. Now cut 2 pieces of angle iron 1.5" long and 2 at 2" long. Bolt the 1.5" long piece to the flat bottom of the extension and the 2" long piece to the back of the extension arm. Now drill the purchased spindle brackets as well as corresponding holes in the 2 overlapping pieces of angle iron on the extension arm.
Well just one more note that I feel is very beneficial for under $10 is good rear axle nuts. They should be whats called slotted hex nuts or castle nuts. They have big slots cut in them so that a hole may be drilled through the axle and a cotter pin dropped through to prevent accidental back offs.
Please if I missed anything just quote this and any previous quotes about additions and add your two cents.
Also, this is just an idea I put together in my head because I've always wanted to build a kart but don't have welding equipment and I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat. Just a warning...this has never been built so take it as a rough idea and fortify as necessary.
If there are any questions please post them, DO NOT p.m., and I'll answer them and try to make drawings to clear things up. I will post a final set of plans if deemed possible by the community in a week or so with revisions.
Thank you,
Redsox985
