twin 5hp briggs

[foster2484]

im putting a second briggs on my carts and had this idea. the one on there know is a single wheel drive on the left side and im thinkin bout using a jackshaft kit for the second motor. will this work?? i want each motor turning its own wheel. any suggestions would be awsome. thanx in advance

 

[TerryOlson]

I'd worry about syncing the motors up if each runs it's own dedicated wheel. If they're not close while under power the kart might pull / steer to one side or the other. I don't know if this would be much of a problem, but it comes to mind. Instead, you could convert to a live axle arrangement, connecting both motors in the usual manner. This will negate any power differences. Again, I'm not sure your idea would be a problem, but the possibility comes to mind.

 

[doesgo]

Yeah, live axle, no jackshaft (orient the engines the same way, each running its own dedicated sprocket attached to the axle), and have at it!

You won't get double the power because the engines will work against each other a little bit, but you'll definitely get a lot more power than just one engine. Since the rpm wouldn't change, you could then alter your gearing to take advantage of the torque increase and gain speed.

I was thinking a single 11hp for my kart, but a pair of 6.5 clones might be fun...

 

[foster2484]

thats what im thinkin two is always better than one.

 

[zero1dhd]

im putting a second briggs on my carts and had this idea. the one on there know is a single wheel drive on the left side and im thinkin bout using a jackshaft kit for the second motor. will this work?? i want each motor turning its own wheel. any suggestions would be awsome. thanx in advance

ya, the syncing issue would make it not work, if the motors were at even the slightest different rpm, the cart would start to steer in the rear without any sort of control over it, which would equal unwanted "drifting" and flipping.
Now you could go with the dual motor, live axle scenario, but if you wanted to get really creative, put both motors in the back having one power the rear wheels, and the other powering the front wheels via a long chain and some CV axles, then you would have a fun AWD kart. That's what I would do. Well that or use one motor for one kart and the other for some other toy. But either way I would switch to a live rear axle, make the karts waaaay better.

 

[Affair_driven]

the cart would start to steer in the rear without any sort of control over it, which would equal unwanted "drifting" and flipping.

Can you prove it??? Sounds ,and is, bogus.
Kart will simply not reach full power or speed.
By your logic, a one wheel kart will run in circles.
It's not like driving a bulldozer and having the hydraulics fail on one side.

 

[BradenM]

If each engine is powering it's own wheel, each wheel will be spinning at slightly different RPM EVEN IF the carbs are perfectly synced. The best option is to run 2 engines on 1 live axle, both engines having a clutch. This way the kart cannot pull either way; any variation in RPM will be soaked up by the clutch (1 will slip).

 

[doesgo]

I agree that a live axle would be better, but even if each engine powered its own wheel, the front tires being in contact with the ground will keep the kart from drifting or flipping, just like with karts that have the engine driving only one wheel (non-rotating axle).

Take the front wheels off the ground, however, and you'd have big problems!

 

[BradenM]

My kart is single wheel drive (rear left). One day, my friend decided to turn left on a gravel road, accelerating at the same time. The kart continued to move straight forward, although at full left lock. He hit a bank of rocks, became airborne and crashed through a barbed wire fence. Both he and the kart were fine; hopefully my story demonstrates that steering can be ignored.

 

[doesgo]

I agree that in extreme circumstances (loose sand/gravel, unloaded front end), uneven power distribution between the rear wheels could cause a kart to turn more or less than intended.

However, how often does a situation like you described happen? A lack of front-end traction isn't all that rare, but the majority of the time it's not due to uneven rear-wheel power distribution. If it were, all those one-wheel-drive karts out there couldn't be driven. A two-engine system, each driving its own wheel would be infinitely closer to 50/50 power distribution than a one-wheel-drive system.

 

[TerryOlson]

This is a good example of a dual engine live axle kart:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...id=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65:7|39:1|240:1318

Have a look at some of the other karts this guy has for sale (and the '69 Camaro in the backdrop of photos of one of them). I'd like to have that kind of money...

 

[anderkart]

That's a really nice old kart, but many times people that seem to have "that kind of money"... actualy have 40 or $50,000 in credit card debt, and they spend the rest of their lives just paying the interest on it. I'm guessing that dude spent $6000 restoring that kart and he'll probably be lucky to sell it for $2000.

 

[BradenM]

Dual engine, Live axle, you can't go wrong.

 

[Jerryburger]

Wow- the "Live Axle" debate is sort of like the "Great Taste! Less Filling" debate... whatever trait is more important to the person- that'll be their favorite solution.
Personally I think the live axle only works well when the kart has a forward weight bias. My Manco has a "standard" weight bias and handles horribly on pavement and is only at its best when I run the back tires with high tire pressure (slippy) and the front tires low (grippy). The green kart, with it's forward bias is much better. (It's just ugly as h_ll to look at!)
I'd think that based on the fact that 1 wheel drive karts for the most part do fine, that a twin engine kart 1 motor/1 wheel would do fine. The difference in engine power wouldn't be too appreciable unless one motor lost power (died, chain flopped off, throttle cable broke).

What kind of cemented the live axle vs dead axle debate for me was (in addition to personal preference) watching Russ' latest vid on YouTube.. same kart- now has live axle and TWO motors..... has a hard time flipping u- turns in the same parking lot.
If I were to attempt a twin. it'd be one motor to each wheel separate.

 

[ZnsaneRyder]

Yea, two engines and two separate wheels would steer better, because the rear wheels won't fight each other. At low speed, when slipping the clutch, it will track perfectly, and even at higher speeds when clutches are locked, one will be able to go slightly faster than the other in a turn, and both wheels be still pulling the whole time.

IMO better than a differential, because both wheels will turn to get you out of the dirt or mud.

 

[BradenM]

I am corrected; I bow down to you wise man!

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

My kart is single wheel drive (rear left). One day, my friend decided to turn left on a gravel road, accelerating at the same time. The kart continued to move straight forward, although at full left lock. He hit a bank of rocks, became airborne and crashed through a barbed wire fence. Both he and the kart were fine; hopefully my story demonstrates that steering can be ignored.

If you had twin engines he could have pumped the throttle, spun the tires and did a 180.