Torsk (Backbone Chassis) Kart

[gr8hairy1]

That's awesome! Glad it worked out. Definitely need to remember that one for any future projects

 

[Functional Artist]

Took 'er outside to get the wheels on & finish 'er up

Slid the axle thru the housing
...centered it
...& installed a bearing/spacer on each side

Measured the components keyways

Then, measured, marked & cut the keys
…~1" for the sprocket
…~2 1/2" for the brake drum
…& ~3" for the rear rims

Installed the brake drum on the left side
...the sprocket on the right
…& also the rear wheels

Time for a quick systems test (just double checkin')

Lastly, I threw the front wheels on
(gonna try the ones with the plastic rims, first)

Here is the final assembly video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCMetRDGdA

 

[Functional Artist]

Forgot some stuff

Once the sprocket was on, I installed the chain & adjusted the motor/chain

Went to slide the right wheel on
...but, it will rub against the tire
...so, gotta add a spacer

Positioned the wheel where it should be
…marked it
...cut a spacer
…& reinstalled the wheel

Yup, that looks better

 

[Functional Artist]

Time for a test drive (my favorite part)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wztjU3Uy4vg

 

[gr8hairy1]

Awesome! Looks great and seems like it drives really well too.

How do you like it?

What more do you want to do to it?

 

[landuse]

She's alive!!!!! Well done! I love seeing your builds get to this stage. They look so simple, but the work that goes into them is amazing

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

I admit I skipped through most of the video, but it looks like fun. How does that brake work? It's fascinating.

 

[Functional Artist]

I admit I skipped through most of the video, but it looks like fun. How does that brake work? It's fascinating.

Brakes?
...we don't need no stinkin' brakes
...just, use the force

Yup, brakes are still on the agenda

I got a brake lever & drum, just gotta get/install
...a cable, a brake band & a mount

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Though you might have invented wireless braking. Shoeless too.

 

[anickode]

Though you might have invented wireless braking. Shoeless too.

That's actually a thing. Non-contact eddy current brakes are used on land speed record cars to slow them down from supersonic speeds.

 

[Functional Artist]

Awesome! Looks great and seems like it drives really well too.

How do you like it?

What more do you want to do to it?

Thanks

I like it & it rolls out pretty good

Next,
...brakes
...speedometer
...battery covers/hold downs
…& eventually, a paint job

Issues/adjustments,
...steering seems "heavy"
...seat (bottom) seems kinda small
...the Amp/Volt meter readings seem "jumpy"
...the thumb throttle acts "weird", it seems to have a "dead spot"

When running at full throttle, I notice a "miss"
...I can physically feel & can audibly hear, the motor is NOT running at full speed

but, if I "back off" just a bit
...I can hear the motor "smooth out" & feel 'er speed up

Throttle issue?

 

[Functional Artist]

Here is a video of my second run with the Torsk kart.

It's kinda of a long one (to show the whole 5 mile trip)
...so, I sped some of it up a bit

Top speed ~24 MPH
Avg. speed 15 MPH
Distance 5.1 miles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76-QhtSYhM8

 

[Functional Artist]

I took the Torsk
...& my daughter Desteny took her kart "out for a cruze"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9NrM-QY55I

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Don't take this the wrong way, your build threads are excellent, and the karts you are constructing are wonderful, but you Sir are cheating the barber.

 

[Functional Artist]

Don't take this the wrong way, your build threads are excellent, and the karts you are constructing are wonderful, but you Sir are cheating the barber.

Thanks!

"That's what he gets"

Barber!?
...we don't need no stinkin' barber

"Oh say can you see ...my eyes
If you can...than my hairs too short!"

* Built in/on helmet

 

[gr8hairy1]

Lol

 

[Functional Artist]

I have put probably ~20 miles on the Torsk so far

First thing that gave up/failed were the "ceramic bushings" in the front wheels

Don't know why they call 'em ceramic?
...they seem like plastic to me

But, so far, I really like these plastic wheels ~$7.00 ea.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Wheel...0-6-Carlisle-Wheel-Tire-Assembly-1-116259.axd
...their super light
...seem really ruggedly built
…& they can be (pretty easily) converted to "real" roller bearings

BMI has these low speed "flanged" bearings ~$2.00 ea
https://www.bmikarts.com/Flanged-Wheel-Bearing-58-x-1-38_p_1607.html

or these high speed "snap ring" bearings ~$2.00 ea. too
https://www.bmikarts.com/High-Speed-Wheel-Bearing-with-Snap-Ring-58-x-1-38_p_1608.html

Yup, I got the high speed ones
...picked 'em up from a local shop "Homers Cycle Shop" here in Toledo, Ohio
...gotta support local businesses

The steel bearings fit into the plastic rims, pretty snug
...but, I could turn them (just a bit) by hand/finger

Don't wanna "spin a bearing" so I added a little "traction"
...a couple of "light" coats of liquid electric tape
…now, they fit good-n-snug

 

[Functional Artist]

I also installed a ~50" brake cable & a 4" brake band
...but, it didn't seem to work too good (at first because)

I installed it backwards

The "pull" has to go with the direction of rotation
...not against it

When the brake band pulls with/toward the rotation of the brake drum
...it "actually" helps the braking action by kinda sucking it in tighter

When it pulls against the direction of rotation
...it does the opposite & "tries" to push the brake band "open"

 

[Functional Artist]

So far, I love these plastic/composite (front) wheels
…& the "new" bearings are "way better" than them plastic/ceramic bushings

Even the (2 ply) "wheelbarrow tires" seem to be holding up pretty well
...but, I want to get the "proper" heavy duty (4 ply) "ribbed" tires, that match the rear wheels, on 'er

Where is my "air chuck"?

 

[RickyBobby]

Funny, I was just looking at making a kart with this motor yesterday. Looks as there are two versions of the my-1020 motor brushed and brush-less which one did you use and do you think the extra price for brush-less is worth it? Also on your little amp gauge. What is the maximum amps you saw used during a hard acceleration? If it stays below 20a, the battery's are much cheaper.

Another thing, and you may have already covered this, I read most of your 9 pages but really fast. It would be nice if you had some sort of battery cover. I suppose you could make one with some thin gauge metal or aluminium sheet using a metal brake to form a u-shaped cover to fit the length of the battery packs but I had an idea from another project and that is to use heavy gauge sheet of some type of Acrylic or Lexan plastic laid over a fabricated wooded box. then use a heating element strip like this https://www.tapplastics.com/product...lies/plastic_bending_strip_heater_element/169
to heat the joints and fold the sides over to make a lightweight cover for the battery tops and fasten with velcrow or what ever attachment method you wish to use. The plastic could then be primed and painted to match. Just a thought to keep the connections covered from shorting and the elements.

I just built a full-out rail buggy kart for my kid I just posted here on this forum as well as just completed a fairly mint Manco Dingo restoration I will be posting soon but my real hobby is electric bikes and I have been wanting to building something very similar to this for a while now. I made several notes and will steal some of your ideas like the steering wheel. Good Idea on that! But I had planned on using a li-ion or li-po battery pack on mine. You can pick up some really cheapones on aliexpress like this one here
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/48V...7f32-452f-a3fc-b72050cfdddb&priceBeautifyAB=0

Those 12v12ah deep cycle cells I see being used for the electric scooters or comercial electric go-karts as going for 50-55 each times 4 thats 220.00 and to me the li-ion packs can be had for just a few dollars more and are only ~10 lbs and can handle a lot more cycles

Great job on the kart though. The design reminds me of the Z-kart I saw a few years back.
https://www.google.com/search?q=z-k...8d_cAhUGWK0KHe6yCIsQ_AUICygC&biw=1600&bih=755