Stick Shift Go Kart Transmission and Gear Ratios need help!

[Briggs8Stratton]

Hi all, I am new here and I was wondering if anyone has tried using a peerless transmission for example, on a go kart. Here is my situation: I have a 14 hp Briggs and Stratton Vanguard V Twin. I want to make a stick shift go kart with it. I would weld a sprocket to the engine shaft (I have to do this since it's a tapered shaft engine), then run a chain to a jack shaft with a sprocket on one end and a DownsBros manual clutch on the other. From the clutch I would run a chain to the lawn tractor transmission. Then from the transmission axle one last drive chain to the go kart axle. Does anyone know if this will work? Also does anyone know what gear ratio those 6 speed mower transmissions have in each gear? Can I shift while driving? Also does anyone happen to know how high I can rev a vanguard 14 hp v twin (without a rev kit)?

 

[OzFab]

Let's break this up a bit:

I was wondering if anyone has tried using a peerless transmission for example, on a go kart.

I would weld a sprocket to the engine shaft

No, you wouldn't!

NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER WELD ANYTHING TO AN AXLE; A crankshaft is considered an axle!

First, the crankshaft is hardened; attempting to weld toit will prove difficult.

Second, you may easily damage to the shaft, rendering it useless...

Third, if, by some fluke of engineering, you do manage to weld it & it's slightly crooked, you're screwed...

(I have to do this since it's a tapered shaft engine)

There are other options like machining the shaft or making a hub to fit the shaft which then attaches to the sprocket

From the clutch I would run a chain to the lawn tractor transmission.

Don't the peerless boxes have a vertical input shaft?

You didn't mention whether the engine has a vertical or horizontal crankshaft

Can I shift while driving?

Not if you want to continue to use the gearbox...

They can be rebuilt with tighter gears but, IIRC, even then they can't be shifter "on the fly"...

Also does anyone happen to know how high I can rev a vanguard 14 hp v twin (without a rev kit)?

All industrial engines (B&S, Honda/clone, etc) are governed to 3600rpm...

 

[Briggs8Stratton]

Thanks very much. Do you know how I can put that clutch on a tapered shaft? The engine is horizontal shaft. Can you explain more deeply how I can put a sprocket on?

 

[MancoGX390]

Thanks very much. Do you know how I can put that clutch on a tapered shaft? The engine is horizontal shaft. Can you explain more deeply how I can put a sprocket on?

As fabroman said you will have to make a extra piece that slides over the taper to turn it into a 1" keyway or just buy a new crank and have the engine rebuilt

 

[OzFab]

Thanks very much. Do you know how I can put that clutch on a tapered shaft? The engine is horizontal shaft. Can you explain more deeply how I can put a sprocket on?

Unless I missed an update, the DBR clutch are, as yet, not available for larger engines...

To mount a sprocket to the tapered shaft, you will need an adaptor that has the same taper on the inside, then mount the sprocket to the end & bolt the whole assembly to the shaft using the centre bore thread in the end of the crankshaft...

As fabroman said you will have to make a extra piece that slides over the taper to turn it into a 1" keyway or just buy a new crank and have the engine rebuilt

More than likely, the shaft is alraedy larger than 1"; Briggs8Stratton, can you measure the diameter of the shaft at the small end & report back please

 

[Briggs8Stratton]

Cool, thanks. I'll look in to that. Just out of curiosity, does anyone know of any go kart shifter gearboxes, or how to make one?

 

[OzFab]

If we knew of any, everyone would have one; unfortunately, to date, the only successful way to achieve shiftable gears on a go kart is to use a motorbike engine with an intergrated gearbox...