weight of spider cart arachnid

redflash

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does anyone have a clue as to how much the spidercart "arachnid" weighs...with or without the motor..double wishbone front suspension.
I've built one but I have no way to weigh it.......anybody know....even approx would do ?


Da Flash
 

madprofessor

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Hopefully it weighs a little less than my custom kart, which is also a 2-seater (but switches to center-single), 520 lbs. and rising. Did I mention..........Mine's got a 8' wheelbase, 9' overall, and is built with 1.5" steel 11-gauge square tubing?
Seriously though, do what I did about the weighing of it. Borrow the step-on scale from your bathroom (from my kitchen) to weigh each of the 4 wheels one at a time. It's important to block up all 3 corners not being weighed to the same height as the scale does on the 1 corner you are weighing at the time, and move the blocks around as you weigh each corner for a total weight.
I used a scissor jack in the front-center to lift my front end up/down for weighing so the IFS would sit back down equally for both sides. Not really necessary for the rear since it's a swingarm straight axle.
Center each tire down on the middle of your scale, add up the 4 weights, and you'll be fairly accurate. An important thing is to write down each weight for each corner. It may reveal a serious imbalance issue (I accidentally was very even) and/or an improper shocks/spring rating choice.
Please post the results of all 4 corners here. Many folks ask, and would like to know.
 

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redflash

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since no one is able to share a definitive answer, I went to wally world and bought 3 ea. Eight dollar bath scales....one under each rear tire and one under front center. 140 on motor side rear.....110 on brake side rear....and 180 on front......If I passed 4th grade that gives me a weight of
about 430......which is probably close. Kart has double wishbone front suspension, Mazda miata diff,, and 212 motor.
 

WillMatrix

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since no one is able to share a definitive answer, I went to wally world and bought 3 ea. Eight dollar bath scales....one under each rear tire and one under front center. 140 on motor side rear.....110 on brake side rear....and 180 on front......If I passed 4th grade that gives me a weight of
about 430......which is probably close. Kart has double wishbone front suspension, Mazda miata diff,, and 212 motor.
Any pics?
 

EpsilonZero

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since no one is able to share a definitive answer, I went to wally world and bought 3 ea. Eight dollar bath scales....one under each rear tire and one under front center. 140 on motor side rear.....110 on brake side rear....and 180 on front......If I passed 4th grade that gives me a weight of
about 430......which is probably close. Kart has double wishbone front suspension, Mazda miata diff,, and 212 motor.
You only need one scale... just switch between tires.
 

madprofessor

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I would say to put all 3 scales on a known perfectly flat surface and step on them one at a time to check accuracy range, but................
at a 430 lbs. range, a few frosted doughnuts worth of inaccuracy is too little to care about. Good job. How'd it get so heavy???
My new free talking scale just landed at my door, paid the extra $5 ($45) for the extra 150 lbs. range. Never trusted that old scale, it acted a bit erratic Will try new one, post here if notably different.
This time (y'all listening?) I'll bridge across right/left with a 2 x 6 board, only weigh twice (front and rear). This will be easier due to jacking up the whole swingarm this time, and jacking up the front like before but the IFS weight will be dead accurate no matter how much/little the air shocks compress on either side when the weight is lowered back on. Total of the 2, minus the 2 x 6 twice.
Note that the bridging will prevent finding any imbalance right/left, but I already know it's accidentally very close to a match.
Redflash, why is your Arachnid's rear end right/left so imbalanced (140/110)? Is the motor mounted offset? Would love to see a pic.
 
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