Radio Flyer Go Kart

[robotmickey]

So I'm building a wagon go kart for my friend for the price of parts. We are using an electric scooter for the guts ($80 on craigslist, and it needs new batteries, ~$40). Should have some pictures tomorrow, maybe Sunday.

 

[robotmickey]

Here are some pics of the wagon mostly, little to zero progress so far. And the scooter.

 

[DCProductions]

Very cool! What kind of driveline did you have in mind? (one-wheel drive/ solid axle?)

 

[robotmickey]

3/4" live axle, cause it doesn't really need to be any bigger than that cause he's just going to use it to cruise on the sidewalk.

 

[kendelrk]

is it going to be live or dead axle? if dead i suggest just welding up the backs with 5/8 if live deffinetely go with an inch, easier to find tires

 

[robotmickey]

Its going to a live axle. I'm going to take wheels that have 5/8" bearings, remove the bearings, then turn down a weldable hub on my lather that has a 3/4" bore, then weld that to the wheel.

 

[kendelrk]

NO, do yourself a favor, get an inch, you dont need it to long, itll be ten times easier to find tires, and i really wouldnt sugest that

 

[kendelrk]

oh and btw, in an episode of orange county choppers, mikey and his friend did this

 

[robotmickey]

I love that show. Correction I lovED, I don't like the Senior vs. Junior stuff, I think it's stupid, its no longer about building the bikes and more about their drama.

 

[kendelrk]

i agree but they did so

 

[robotmickey]

I received some parts in the mail yesterday and today, I need to make a run to the scrap yard to get some more frame material, hopefully pictures this weekend.

 

[robotmickey]

Here are some parts:

 

[robotmickey]

Here's some more progress...
the little "bumpers" are from the hand truck that the wheels came from, so disregard them, this is just a little mock up I made so we can figure out where to put the handle bars.

 

[nak18]

Here's some more progress...
the little "bumpers" are from the hand truck that the wheels came from, so disregard them, this is just a little mock up I made so we can figure out where to put the handle bars.

Nice welds, atleast to me they look good.

How much was the metal tubing all together?

 

[robotmickey]

Nice welds

ha ha, they're...... fine. They're not going anywhere at least.

The 15' of tubing weighed 9 pounds so at $.65 a pound it cost $5.85. I got the wheels for $15 dollars a pair, and some other material, in total I spend $47 dollars or so.

 

[robotmickey]

So I know that I haven't updated this in a while but I made some more progress today. Motor is mounted, steering's good. Took it for a test drive and it went about 12-13mph, pretty much what I expected. Could get a bit more speed out of it with a smaller rear sprocket as the current one has 90 teeth, but I like the giddyup and don't think it needs to go any faster. Still some issues with chain tension and little stuff. Ha ha, I also need brakes.

 

[robotmickey]

So I rode it down the street, and the chain fell off so I tried to tip it on its handle bars so I could fix it, then all of the guts fell out of the box and a ground wire fell off, so I put it back on and the motor goes VROOOOOOM... so I detach it. Turn the machine off, reattach it, turn the machine on and VROOOOOOM... again. So know I don't know what's going on. If I disconnect the throttle and turn it on, nothing happens, I don't THINK it's the controller but I could be wrong. I don't know how something could really break like that in that way you know what I'm saying. My words seem kinda slurred together cause I'm kinda frustrated. Does anyone know how the hall-effect throttle's work? Is there something that could break inside from a bump?

It's just really weird to me because I had all of the guts from my other go kart fall out at high speed when my friend flipped it and nothing was broken electronically. I feel really stupid right now.

 

[robotmickey]

Here's some more pictures. All that's left is to fix the throttle, make a chain tensioner, fiddle with the brakes and paint it.

 

[robotmickey]

I still don't know what color I'm going to make it. This is an idea. What do you think?

 

[SouthKart3377]

I still don't know what color I'm going to make it. This is an idea. What do you think?

I love it perrrfect