SpiderCarts Arachnid size doubt.

[lucasp]

Hello. I am a new member, and I am planning to buy the Arachnid plan in the SpiderCarts website. The only thing I am afraid of: I am 6'2 (187cm) tall. I wonder if I will be able to comfortably drive the kart. (I tried to e-mail them but got no answer).
And also, if this can be aswered, I have no experience, no tools, but enough time and patience. Can I build it in one year?
Thank you.

 

[BMPoland1993]

Hi.

I might be able to help you. I've built an Arachnid myself, and I am also 182cm tall. When building it, my fear was the same, and I ended up extending the frame by 10cm each side. I put on a low back racing seat, and with the standard spot for the pedals, the arachnid is perfect for my size. I had no experience too, just handy with stuff - I've built small things and fiddled with objects all my life. I also have a keen interest in pyrotechnics.

I ended up cutting up all the elements myself with a blade saw.. but I replaced the normal circular blade that was designed for wood and installed one that could cut steel. Beware - the blade has a much lower rating for RPMs, you will need to buy yourself a voltage reglator thingie, with a dial - one that can handle the wattage of whatever engine you might be having in your saw. I also bought myself a welder, and made the initial welds myself, but ended up taking the whole frame to a mechanic 500m down the road who was kind enough to help me out for the entire process of the build. The time it took me to finish the kart is difficult to put a finger on, I'm still improving it and it's been over two years since I started building it. But I guess a year is a long time, and you will definitely have it running by then.

Remember to use the 11" version of the rack and pinion, from what I've heard the 8" is crap. Also, don't angle the rear as much as the instructions tell you, you want the swing arm to be quite parallel to the ground, which will require you to make some modifications to the shock mount placement points on the frame. I had initial problems when buying the front and rear shocks, both of which were too strong and I had to ditch those and buy weaker ones instead, so take some time in researching which shocks will fit in terms of load capacity.

I think I have a PDF with the plans still on my computer somewhere, so if you want I could send you those if you don't want to pay for the download.

My kart has a 420cc lifan engine on it, tuned with an air filter and carb jet, plus header. I never took the governor off. I'm using a 60 tooth sprocket and a series 40 torque converter.

Video to how it looks:

Let me know about the PDF, and I wish you well on your build.

B.

 

[BMPoland1993]

Edit: Sorry, misread your height. I have a friend who is 187cm and he has no problems when sitting in the kart - you should be fine, remember to extend the frame by a bit! Specifically MF115-1507.

 

[redflash]

I built an arachnid,and forgive me ....I don't know what the centimeter crap is, but I'm 6 foot tall. I extended the MF-115-1507 bars exactly 12 inches longer. (Not 12 whatevers!) 12 inches= 1 foot. The length is perfect for me...too long for a 12 year old, but adult perfect. That is the simplest way to extend the arachnid.

Da Flash

 

[lucasp]

I built an arachnid,and forgive me ....I don't know what the centimeter crap is, but I'm 6 foot tall. I extended the MF-115-1507 bars exactly 12 inches longer. (Not 12 whatevers!) 12 inches= 1 foot. The length is perfect for me...too long for a 12 year old, but adult perfect. That is the simplest way to extend the arachnid.

Da Flash

thank you!

 

[lucasp]

Hi.

I might be able to help you. I've built an Arachnid myself, and I am also 182cm tall. When building it, my fear was the same, and I ended up extending the frame by 10cm each side. I put on a low back racing seat, and with the standard spot for the pedals, the arachnid is perfect for my size. I had no experience too, just handy with stuff - I've built small things and fiddled with objects all my life. I also have a keen interest in pyrotechnics.

I ended up cutting up all the elements myself with a blade saw.. but I replaced the normal circular blade that was designed for wood and installed one that could cut steel. Beware - the blade has a much lower rating for RPMs, you will need to buy yourself a voltage reglator thingie, with a dial - one that can handle the wattage of whatever engine you might be having in your saw. I also bought myself a welder, and made the initial welds myself, but ended up taking the whole frame to a mechanic 500m down the road who was kind enough to help me out for the entire process of the build. The time it took me to finish the kart is difficult to put a finger on, I'm still improving it and it's been over two years since I started building it. But I guess a year is a long time, and you will definitely have it running by then.

Remember to use the 11" version of the rack and pinion, from what I've heard the 8" is crap. Also, don't angle the rear as much as the instructions tell you, you want the swing arm to be quite parallel to the ground, which will require you to make some modifications to the shock mount placement points on the frame. I had initial problems when buying the front and rear shocks, both of which were too strong and I had to ditch those and buy weaker ones instead, so take some time in researching which shocks will fit in terms of load capacity.

I think I have a PDF with the plans still on my computer somewhere, so if you want I could send you those if you don't want to pay for the download.

My kart has a 420cc lifan engine on it, tuned with an air filter and carb jet, plus header. I never took the governor off. I'm using a 60 tooth sprocket and a series 40 torque converter.

Video to how it looks:

Let me know about the PDF, and I wish you well on your build.

B.

thank you!!!

 

[madprofessor]

Beware - the blade has a much lower rating for RPMs, you will need to buy yourself a voltage reglator thingie,

Not even sure how he got a metal-cutting blade to attach to that thing. Don't even consider doing it. A circular saw is the wrong size, shape, and configuration to easily work with for the kinds of tubular, square pipe, angle iron, flat bar, or sheetmetal you may want to cut in the process of creating a gokart from scratch.
I build everything with the cheapest 4.5" angle grinder from Harbor Freight, and use either their coarsest standard metal cutoff wheels or their thinner cut (thin kerf) metal cutoff wheels for all my metal. Guess what else you need an "angle grinder" for.............all that grinding you have to do.
I'll link the 4.5" angle grinder I love so much and some cutoff wheels below. Got one grinder for $9.99 with a coupon, two others for about $15 each. Ruined the bearings in the first one myself, not the tool's fault. Burned up the second one myself, also not the tool's fault. Amazingly tough tool at the cheapest price anywhere. Been through hundreds of wheels between the three of them, still going full strength like brand new.
NOTE: Tried their more expensive paddle switch grinder when my usual wasn't available one day, hated it, took it right back. Usual one has a slide switch, stays on by itself. Paddle switch version has to be held down, no matter what position or angle you're trying to use it.
4.3 Amp, 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder with Slide Switch (harborfreight.com)
Cut-off Wheels - 4-1/2" Cut-off Wheels for Metal, Pack of 10 (harborfreight.com)
4-1/2 in. x 3/64 in. x 7/8 in. Type 01/41 Thin Metal Cut-off Wheel, 5 Pk. (harborfreight.com)
4-1/2 in. Metal Grinding/Cut off/Flap Wheel Assorted Set 10 Pc. (harborfreight.com)

 

[Denny]

Mad, they do make metal cutting blades for circular saws. How else could you cut metal for roofs and barns. Used one when I worked for Coachmen trailers. We cut steel, copper and aluminum with them. Use the cutting wax lube. Is all.

 

[madprofessor]

they do make metal cutting blades for circular saws

Yes, I've used them myself in Miami, when a decker was holding up my crew by not getting it down and spotted off ahead of us. Grabbed his ground man's saw and started tearing away at a stack of decking. Maybe my experience with slicing crosswise and down the valleys on a stack of a few sheets of corrugated metal colored my tastebuds for it, but it was indeed just a flat cut across and with some corrugation.
My experience with making more difficult trim cuts for final fits and such on a kart already tacked off so that it was a "cut it where and how it is" situation was difficult enough even with the much smaller and easier to wield angle grinder in tight and/or upside-down circumstances. That alone could account for (right or wrong) my distaste for the 7.25" circular saw cutting metal.
Add in the need for a grinder as well, the cost of the equipment and of the blades to use up, the adjustability of the half-circle blade guard to direct the sparks shower, etc. and there's more than enough reason to set off my OCD about a circular saw vs. an angle grinder.
LUCASP: Don't listen to me, I've gone off all OCD again. Just weigh and average the various aspects of all the very knowledgeable folks on this forum as a joint answers vault, I've been robbing knowledge from them for years.

 

[lucasp]

Not even sure how he got a metal-cutting blade to attach to that thing. Don't even consider doing it. A circular saw is the wrong size, shape, and configuration to easily work with for the kinds of tubular, square pipe, angle iron, flat bar, or sheetmetal you may want to cut in the process of creating a gokart from scratch.
I build everything with the cheapest 4.5" angle grinder from Harbor Freight, and use either their coarsest standard metal cutoff wheels or their thinner cut (thin kerf) metal cutoff wheels for all my metal. Guess what else you need an "angle grinder" for.............all that grinding you have to do.
I'll link the 4.5" angle grinder I love so much and some cutoff wheels below. Got one grinder for $9.99 with a coupon, two others for about $15 each. Ruined the bearings in the first one myself, not the tool's fault. Burned up the second one myself, also not the tool's fault. Amazingly tough tool at the cheapest price anywhere. Been through hundreds of wheels between the three of them, still going full strength like brand new.
NOTE: Tried their more expensive paddle switch grinder when my usual wasn't available one day, hated it, took it right back. Usual one has a slide switch, stays on by itself. Paddle switch version has to be held down, no matter what position or angle you're trying to use it.
4.3 Amp, 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder with Slide Switch (harborfreight.com)
Cut-off Wheels - 4-1/2" Cut-off Wheels for Metal, Pack of 10 (harborfreight.com)
4-1/2 in. x 3/64 in. x 7/8 in. Type 01/41 Thin Metal Cut-off Wheel, 5 Pk. (harborfreight.com)
4-1/2 in. Metal Grinding/Cut off/Flap Wheel Assorted Set 10 Pc. (harborfreight.com)

thank you

 

[maria_212]

Hi.

I might be able to help you. I've built an Arachnid myself, and I am also 182cm tall. When building it, my fear was the same, and I ended up extending the frame by 10cm each side. I put on a low back racing seat, and with the standard spot for the pedals, the arachnid is perfect for my size. I had no experience too, just handy with stuff - I've built small things and fiddled with objects all my life. I also have a keen interest in pyrotechnics.

I ended up cutting up all the elements myself with a blade saw.. but I replaced the normal circular blade that was designed for wood and installed one that could cut steel. Beware - the blade has a much lower rating for RPMs, you will need to buy yourself a voltage reglator thingie, with a dial - one that can handle the wattage of whatever engine you might be having in your saw. I also bought myself a welder, and made the initial welds myself, but ended up taking the whole frame to a mechanic 500m down the road who was kind enough to help me out for the entire process of the build. The time it took me to finish the kart is difficult to put a finger on, I'm still improving it and it's been over two years since I started building it. But I guess a year is a long time, and you will definitely have it running by then.

Remember to use the 11" version of the rack and pinion, from what I've heard the 8" is crap. Also, don't angle the rear as much as the instructions tell you, you want the swing arm to be quite parallel to the ground, which will require you to make some modifications to the shock mount placement points on the frame. I had initial problems when buying the front and rear shocks, both of which were too strong and I had to ditch those and buy weaker ones instead, so take some time in researching which shocks will fit in terms of load capacity.

I think I have a PDF with the plans still on my computer somewhere, so if you want I could send you those if you don't want to pay for the download.

My kart has a 420cc lifan engine on it, tuned with an air filter and carb jet, plus header. I never took the governor off. I'm using a 60 tooth sprocket and a series 40 torque converter.

Video to how it looks:

Let me know about the PDF, and I wish you well on your build.

B.

hi can i get the pdf

 

[landuse]

hi can i get the pdf

No. These plans are for sale by the respective designers. Distributing plans that have been paid for is illegal and we do not tolerate it on this site