What thickness should my steel be for making the frame for a go kart that’s going to be carrying me plus a roll cage

[Bansil]

Sleeping turtle...that was a joke. In America the term "boxcar" relates to a train car...there may be a translation gap.

1/8 inch or 3mm should be good

Boxcar see pic

 

[madprofessor]

Really curious now, Turtle............What type of body is what you're calling a "boxcar"? Is that a "boxy" or squared-off kind of thing, all flat panels like the example you show a picture of?
If so, remember this............as long as there's a lot of strong connections (welds or screws) all the way around a sheetmetal panel to the frame, the sheetmetal itself becomes a structural component. Can keep let's say a flat rectangular frame from ever "racking", as in twisting out of square from a rectangle into a parallelogram. Just a few minimal connections to just make the sheetmetal stay on the frame won't do that, requires a solid stitch every few inches.
Good way to increase strength without adding the weight you're concerned about.

 

[Sleepingturtle]

Sleeping turtle...that was a joke. In America the term "boxcar" relates to a train car...there may be a translation gap.

1/8 inch or 3mm should be good

Boxcar see picView attachment 126862

Oh my god, I’m actually an Idiot lol… although that was pretty funny, but thanks for the actual suggestion. I was a bit confused when he said to use steel plates lol

 

[Sleepingturtle]

Really curious now, Turtle............What type of body is what you're calling a "boxcar"? Is that a "boxy" or squared-off kind of thing, all flat panels like the example you show a picture of?
If so, remember this............as long as there's a lot of strong connections (welds or screws) all the way around a sheetmetal panel to the frame, the sheetmetal itself becomes a structural component. Can keep let's say a flat rectangular frame from ever "racking", as in twisting out of square from a rectangle into a parallelogram. Just a few minimal connections to just make the sheetmetal stay on the frame won't do that, requires a solid stitch every few inches.
Good way to increase strength without adding the weight you're concerned about.

A boxcar or soapbox car is usually just a Mini car built off a go kart, if you look up mini cup nascar or the Red Bull soapbox race you can see what I mean… also thanks for the tip!

 

[Sleepingturtle]

Really curious now, Turtle............What type of body is what you're calling a "boxcar"? Is that a "boxy" or squared-off kind of thing, all flat panels like the example you show a picture of?
If so, remember this............as long as there's a lot of strong connections (welds or screws) all the way around a sheetmetal panel to the frame, the sheetmetal itself becomes a structural component. Can keep let's say a flat rectangular frame from ever "racking", as in twisting out of square from a rectangle into a parallelogram. Just a few minimal connections to just make the sheetmetal stay on the frame won't do that, requires a solid stitch every few inches.
Good way to increase strength without adding the weight you're concerned about.

For the stitch do you mean something like this photo?

 

[Bansil]

Pm sent

 

[Bansil]

I actually binge watch the red bull stuff, the 2 eggs in frying pan made me

 

[madprofessor]

That picture is a good example of close stitching. The tacks down the center are smaller than what I would call a solid stitch, but the spacing's great, and that's why we call them just tacks. The long welds around the sides are way longer than needed for a solid stitch, but the spaces between are about the same amount of gap as I would use to get the job done.
You can see how if you tried to knock the frame out of square with a BFH it wouldn't move, because that would require the sheetmetal to wrinkle up. Gaps too big might allow a little wrinkle, but certainly not in that picture.
BTW: Soapbox.............I get it now, a soapbox car, or box car, or boxcar. Excellent candidate for stitching sheets to tubes.

 

[Denny]

I figured there was a translation problem. But I could not pass up a chance to spread my brand of humor across the world. It however was not my intention to make you feel bad. If everyone in the world could learn to laugh at themselves there would be a lot less wars. I under no circumstances take myself seriously, unless it comes to safety. Keep on laughing!


P.S. Here is a real picture of me.

 

[Sleepingturtle]

I figured there was a translation problem. But I could not pass up a chance to spread my brand of humor across the world. It however was not my intention to make you feel bad. If everyone in the world could learn to laugh at themselves there would be a lot less wars. I under no circumstances take myself seriously, unless it comes to safety. Keep on laughing!


P.S. Here is a real picture of me.

Haha yeah, I don’t think there was a translation problem because Its an American term and i live in America, I think I just forgot that the term could be used for a car on a train

 

[Sleepingturtle]

I actually binge watch the red bull stuff, the 2 eggs in frying pan made me

Haha yeah there are lots of people who just make ones that are funny and dont try to win, those are my favorite imo

 

[Sleepingturtle]

That picture is a good example of close stitching. The tacks down the center are smaller than what I would call a solid stitch, but the spacing's great, and that's why we call them just tacks. The long welds around the sides are way longer than needed for a solid stitch, but the spaces between are about the same amount of gap as I would use to get the job done.
You can see how if you tried to knock the frame out of square with a BFH it wouldn't move, because that would require the sheetmetal to wrinkle up. Gaps too big might allow a little wrinkle, but certainly not in that picture.
BTW: Soapbox.............I get it now, a soapbox car, or box car, or boxcar. Excellent candidate for stitching sheets to tubes.

do you think that you could use a cheap flux core welder to weld the whole frame or would the welder have to be very premium? I was gonna make another post but figured that because there was already something going i would ask here

 

[Denny]

Many people on here have built some nice karts with those cheap flux core mig welders.

 

[Sleepingturtle]

The smaller the number the thicker the steel. 10ga=1/8”. 16ga=1/16”. 22ga=car bodies. That’s all I know.

You seem knowledgeable, so I have a question. Do go karts need to have caster because 90 percent of the plans I find have no caster, but people say you basically need caster, so I’m a bit confused

 

[Sleepingturtle]

Many people on here have built some nice karts with those cheap flux core mig welders.

Ok cool

 

[Denny]

Caster helps you go strait. Ackerman principal helps you turn. Do some research and look up caster, camber and Ackerman principal. Interesting stuff with pictures.

 

[Sleepingturtle]

Caster helps you go strait. Ackerman principal helps you turn. Do some research and look up caster, camber and Ackerman principal. Interesting stuff with pictures.

That’s what I’ve done, I’m just not sure if I need caster for my kart to be any good

 

[madprofessor]

You do need caster for sure if you plan to drive faster than you can run. Not having any caster will cause kart to wander and twitch while you try to keep it straight at speed. Caster let's it straighten its own self out at speed if you let go of the steering.
Confession: I built my current monster without caster accidentally due to experimenting with some really innovative A-arm connections. Would be way too much destruction to fix it now. Can tell you that on last test run I felt the lack of caster dramatically.
Spindle note: My spindles were ordered from BMI (3/4" x 4.5" axles) without my realizing they come at 90 degrees, no Ackermann at all, you have to make your own for that. Hugely important for a live axle (no differential) kart, so I found a way to get perfect Ackermann into it without relocating axles.

 

[Denny]

Caster, camber and Ackerman are only important if you want to go straight or turn while moving. If you want it to just sit in the garage only then can they be ignored.
I’ll let you in on a little secret but you got to promise not to tell anyone else. The taller or wider or both the tire is the more critical they are. SSHhhhh! Now don’t tell anyone.
It’ll be our little secret!

 

[Sleepingturtle]

You do need caster for sure if you plan to drive faster than you can run. Not having any caster will cause kart to wander and twitch while you try to keep it straight at speed. Caster let's it straighten its own self out at speed if you let go of the steering.
Confession: I built my current monster without caster accidentally due to experimenting with some really innovative A-arm connections. Would be way too much destruction to fix it now. Can tell you that on last test run I felt the lack of caster dramatically.
Spindle note: My spindles were ordered from BMI (3/4" x 4.5" axles) without my realizing they come at 90 degrees, no Ackermann at all, you have to make your own for that. Hugely important for a live axle (no differential) kart, so I found a way to get perfect Ackermann into it without relocating axles.

can you suggest some spindles that have a good amount of caster and Ackerman on them?