Anybody every swapped a Predator 212 to a Trailmaster Mid XRS? The Trailmaster has the chinese clone 196 on it, and it is troublesome and unreliable. Cannot even get it to start now. Rather than replacing parts I read about reliability of the predator, and I'm thinking $99 at harbor freight would be money well spent. What I'm wondering is if it's a direct bolt in. I am mechanically inclined but I haven't ever swapped a go kart engine before. Wondering if I'll need additional parts or anything like that. I looked at the predator today at HF, and it looks identical, although appears much better built. I know the shafts are the same but haven't much of an idea on torque converter or anything like that. Thanks in advance for any pointers!
Predator 212 on Trailmaster Mid XRS
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Smerft85
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If your 196cc is a honda clone then yes, everything should be plug and play. Post up a picture or two and we can help you much better, welcome to the forum!
Good deal, thanks Smerft85. Let me know if I posted the pictures correctly. Do you think the Predator is a better engine? The clones (we have two of these karts) have run for four years, but have needed constant attention. Parts fall off, linkages suck, etc. The predator looked way stouter and better put together.
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Smerft85
Member
That's definitely a clone, everything you have there will directly fit the predator, for $99 the predator is super reliable for the price. They are probably the closest clone to the quality of a true honda, mine all start up first or second pull generally speaking unless I forget the killswitch and flood it. I've given mine minimal maintenance and have zero issues. I'd hang onto that 196cc for parts, almost everything on it is compatible to the predators so if you break a starter rope, or smash a fuel tank somehow you have a spare. They are both labeled as 6.5hp so it may very well be all compatible. I'd guess most issues you've had are in the carb, and if it's not ran often will probably be your first issue with a predator.
Thanks Smerft - everything bolted up amazingly. No issues at all, and they both started right up. We'll run them easy in the breakthrough period and I'll keep the old ones for parts. Couple questions - maybe you'll have an answer for me or anybody else that wants to chime in -
1. The Predator has a low oil shut down. I thought this was a great feature, but in looking through some youtube kart videos, one guy says I should just cut that wire to the sensor, saying that an off road go kart will make the oil slosh enough to shut it down. What do you think?
2. I'd like to wire the existing dash kill toggle on the Trailmaster to the kill on the front of the Predator. The dash switch has two wires running right back to where that engine kill switch is. Is it just a matter of splicing those two wires to the two wires on the engine kill? I figure they both ground the coil for kill, but I don't want to screw anything up either. Any pointers?
Thanks!
1. The Predator has a low oil shut down. I thought this was a great feature, but in looking through some youtube kart videos, one guy says I should just cut that wire to the sensor, saying that an off road go kart will make the oil slosh enough to shut it down. What do you think?
2. I'd like to wire the existing dash kill toggle on the Trailmaster to the kill on the front of the Predator. The dash switch has two wires running right back to where that engine kill switch is. Is it just a matter of splicing those two wires to the two wires on the engine kill? I figure they both ground the coil for kill, but I don't want to screw anything up either. Any pointers?
Thanks!
Smerft85
Member
You are correct, unhook the low oil unit.
You should need a wire to a ground, and you can connect the other wire to the existing killswitch on the engine. I'll try to get a pic of how mine is done that way shortly.
You should need a wire to a ground, and you can connect the other wire to the existing killswitch on the engine. I'll try to get a pic of how mine is done that way shortly.
Unhook the low oil sensor and use that wire as a kill switch
cretella8348
New member
How did this swap go for you? I have the same mid xrs and am not super impressed with the 196cc. after having two carts with predators. Did you have any issues with bottom end speed?.....or am I just chunky lol. It rolls to 12-15mph then it kicks in. Thanks!!!
Also, did the mid xrs torque converter work well the predator?
Also, did the mid xrs torque converter work well the predator?
Everything worked perfectly. I did not change anything, really. After one or two rides I did unhook the low oil switch, as you probably noted from the thread. No issue with low end, I have patches all over my property from these kids hitting the gas and the karts peeling out. Wish I'd have done the swap sooner, the kids like riding them a lot more now. I do dial the throttle back a little bit when some of the younger kids ride, they've got lots of power. Torque converter worked fine, I literally did not have to alter/change/adjust a thing.
cretella8348
New member
Awesome! Thanks
cretella8348
New member
How did you wire the kill switch?
mckutzy
Well-known member
Wire inline to ground, from the gold box, a momentary switch.
It's an easy quick killswitch...
It's an easy quick killswitch...
Jarredalan
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I’m in the same process of swapping my trailmaster Mid xrs with a predator 212. The only problem I’m having is with the crankshaft stem. It’s not as long as the 196 stem so I’m trying to figure out how to make it work. Did you have any trouble with that?
Lacombepaul9524
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Ever figure this short shaft issue out? I just got a go kart mid xrs and trying to swap 224cc and the shaft it shaft short for the converter parts off the 168cc original motor
Denny
Canned Monster
Just put it together and don’t worry about it. Add a little blue Loc-Tite to the bolt that screws into the crank so the bolt doesn’t back out.
Lacombepaul9524
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even if the alignment of the belt looks off it will be fine?
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Lacombepaul9524
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Denny
Canned Monster
No, alignment must be perfect. You may need to move the engine over to accomplish this.