Where to start when it comes to buying parts?

[Krustalien]

Hi.

Well, I'm in an odd situation. I live in Spain, and sourcing parts is ridiculous... I can't find wheels, axles, brakes, clutches, anything. If I had the money, I'd buy straight from America as everything I'd ever need is their, but I don't have enough money to pay for shipping costs. I mean, they don't even sell steel here, it's all iron!

So;

I need to focus on finding each individual thing. Once I find each part, I can move on and try to find the next piece of the puzzle.

Where do I start? I'm guessing I start with an engine? Engine - Clutch - Axle - Sprocket - Wheels - Steering, or something along the lines of that? How do you guys plan out what you're going to buy? Living where I live is a right pain, no one here builds go karts, DIY on a whole is virtually unheard of. I'm having to look for trailer wheels, racing kart axles, bike brakes, clutches have to be other countries as here there is nothing, engines are a similar story, steel, well, there isn't any.

It sucks, putting it bluntly. I'm slowly losing inspiration, and I am extremely jealous of all you folk in America, you have everything!

So, that, I have spent a good 3 days digging around on the internet for anything useful. As of yet, not a single hopeful. Spain is dead... and being 15 (and having only just turned 15), no one is likely to want to employ me so I can deal with the shipping costs. Oh the drama of go kart building! But I'm getting off topic, this is fast turning into a feel sorry for me thread.

What do you generally buy first when the wonderful idea that is building a go kart pops into your head (with no parts to start with)? Thanks for any help or advice!

 

[fowler]

firstly for your engine u shouyld try and find a motorcycle engine as u are likely to find one somwhere and they are better than these industrial engines

also u should double check what the metal outlets sell because i find it hard to beleive they only sell iron

lastly have u always lived in spain or did u move there (just outta intrest)

 

[Krustalien]

I have only ever seen iron sold in large warehouse like buildings, sadly. And a bike engine... may be easier to source, but how would I attach a clutch to a bike engine? I have never seen one that isn't on a bike. They have their own clutch built in to a gearbox of some sort, correct?

As for Spain, I am English, I lived in the UK until I was 7, we moved back in 2003 and I have been here ever since.

Recently, living in a tiny farming community where technology is pretty much unheard of has been grinding at me. I want to do so many things and living in such a area is starting to make me feel extremely uncomfortable. My age stops me from being able to do anything about it, too. And the education system here is just... ugh. My schools "work shop" is a few tables, a couple soldering irons and a hammer or two. No welding tech, lathes, not even a drill press. (Many of the folk here live in a, not necessarily wrong, but small world, let's say).

Mega frustration!

 

[fowler]

bike engines will be cheaper and have there own clutches and gear boxes

i think u will find shipping metal to be too expensive so u will have to source it locally or portugal or france but that will also be very expensive

sorry for going on about it but i find it very hard to beleive they only sell iron, have u asked around the nearest city for a shop for it?

 

[Krustalien]

I doubt you're familiar with the names Bauhaus, Leroy Merlin, Aki, etc, but they're all large warehouse style buildings for DIY. Not one sells steel.

Later this week I'll be going down with my dad to take a look. And potentially ask around for steel.

Apart from steel simply being stronger than iron, is there really enough of a difference on a kart of this level (I'm looking for a 6-7 hp engine, dirt road like kart, not racer nor extreme off road) to cause many problems? Surely iron is a lot easier to weld as it's a softer metal?

Thanks.

 

[fowler]

iron is brittle and harder to weld

 

[Krustalien]

Brittle? I thought it was a softer metal! Well, soft in comparison to steel at least.

 

[CriticalMass]

It's softer and welding iron is much more difficult. its high carbon makes it brittle and you have to keep the temperature just right. I tried once and said f this.

Start with an engine, a small motorcycle engine is ideal. Comes with a clutch and gearbox. That's a good start. Source some steel. or cannibalize some machinery to get what you need.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

an iron kart will weigh 5,000LBS. lol.

how about build it from a quad? motorcycle?

 

[fowler]

i think they might be hard to find but that is the best idea

 

[bighead]

bike frames? Old ten speeds? Bed frames, Pedal bikes.

I to find it hard to fathom no steel in spain. I could be wrong but the places you stated above. Are they like large super stores? Have you tried looking for steel yard? Steel supply? Metal supply? There has got to be steel tubing in spain. Right?

I waas bored as you can see. I dug up this.

Building Material, Hardware & DIY

AKI: For DIY, garden and interior decorating equipment and advice. Customers registering with the store, online, are eligible to win prizes and promotions on products. There are numerous stores located around Spain.
Bauhaus: DIY Superstore for electric tools and machinery, bathrooms, wood flooring, lighting and garden equipment. The Tarjeta Bauhaus is available for regular shoppers and offers a percentage discount on all purchases. Stores are located in Barcelona, Gavá, Girona, Tarragona and Málaga.


Leroy Merlin: Large hardware superstore chain with branches all over mainland Spain, the Balearic and Canary Islands. For tools, electrical equipment, paint, wood, plumbing supplies, bathrooms, kitchens, building equipment and lighting. Many stores also have a café and children's play area.

No steel for sale at this places you say? Forget this large chain stores. Look for a steel yard in your area?

Give us the city you live in?

GO Rudy Fernandez

 

[Krustalien]

I'll look deeper still. The thing is, generally Spanish websites are absolutely terrible. They tell you all about 4 things they sell, there is rarely a search option that is decent, or even at all.

And no, no steel in those places, all iron. Everything here is iron. Sign posts, window bars, bed frames (yes, bed frames), everything. In fact, no one here says "we're making it out of metal", they simply use the word "iron". "Acero" (the word for steel) is rarely used. It's used in large building skeletons, yes, but on a smaller scale I have yet to find anywhere that sells. I'll keep looking though, I too struggle to believe steel isn't readily available somewhere. Iron is cheaper, I suppose, that's why it's so abundant.

I live in the province of Málaga, the "Costa del Sol", down in the south of the peninsula. I know of one or two scrapyard-like companies, but they're largely cars stacked into piles.

Also, I would use ebay.es (Spanish ebay), but no one uses it to any extent. I type in "kart" and I get Mario Karts, I type in "go kart clutch/centrifugal clutch" and I get very few results (none of which are usable), I search for engines and get either car engines or RC level. Also, these large stores do sell engines but with other attachments; generators, compressors, lawn mowers, water pumps etc.

Having a mega hard time sourcing stuff, day 4 now of searching, will look for Briggs and Stratton in Spain (I believe they have a source here) next.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[bighead]

do you have snow sleds in spain?

 

[Krustalien]

Haha, unless I go to a ski mountain, no. And even then, it's often fake snow/generated. Lol.

 

[Krustalien]

Hi again, sorry for the double post, but I am looking at wheels like these as they're sold in Spain. They're crazy expensive but look really nice.

http://www.aaa-racing.com/home.php?cat=132

Opinions?

Also, Spanish distributor of Briggs and Stratton; http://www.industriasfita.es/industriasfita_es/empresa.htm

Interesting... boy am I having to dig deep.

 

[fowler]

by the way u are talking about finding parts i think u should go big

out of intrest how good is your manufactureing skills?
do u have all the tools needed?
lastly what is your budget (if u dont mind)?

i think u are going to find briggs and straton more expensive and not as useful as a bike engine
bike engines will make a faster kart
if i am right in assuming motor bikes are common transport so there is plenty for sale or scrap

if u have good fabricating skills i think u should make a buggy because the parts will be easyer to find as they are car parts.

 

[Krustalien]

Frankly, no. I don't have access to many precision tools. I have a cheap arc welder, a simple mounted drill, angle grinder or two, and plenty small tools. I am only posting links to those things because that is all I can find. I mean, in local small shops there are wheels but they're largely plastic rims. If not, they're thin things with little tread of about 10" diameter.

They have bearings but I fear they're low speed bearings, would this be a problem? I'd go with them but they're so thin, about 3" wide, with pretty flimsy (be them metal of some sort) looking rims. I'd also have to screw through the rims and make a hole in the back axle to lock them to the axle.

They also have this kind http://www.karting1.co.uk/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/trolley-wheelsjuniorrotax-015-300x199.jpg (about 10€, which is cheap, but plastic rims with no way I can think of of attaching to an axle).

The wheels I mentioned earlier are somewhat like these: http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v1/349640145/10_hand_trolley_pneumatic_wheel_with_metal.jpg

I want a single seat kart for dirt tracks (not road, nor full on off road). I'm aiming for good torque with about a top speed of 30-35mph would be fine, as I think nice acceleration and a longer surviving clutch is better than 50mph, a weeks acceleration and a wasted clutch.

This will be a simple first kart, a project to take my mind off how crappy school is, and to occupy me until I can do something about living where I do.

My budget isn't huge, I have 150€ to hand. I have various things I can sell plus I'd be doing this with a friend who will put forward some money too. My parents may help here and there also. I think about a budget of about 250-300€ give or take a hundred or two. (about 375 or so U.S $).

You are right in saying there are many bikes around, but they're largely 49cc moped style things. Rarely do you see anything bigger than a 125. I'll see though.

Sorry for the slightly confused and long post, haha. Thanks.

 

[fowler]

if the 125 is 4 stroke then that is an ok engine, if this is 2 stroke then that is exactly what u are looking for
those steel rimed wheels look ok
as for a drive wheel id either go with the quad bike wheels or just remove the bearings of the steel rimed ones and put a bolt though them
as for sprockets and chains then they should all come with the bike

 

[Krustalien]

So, do you think it's worth spending more on a bike which gives me more things in one? Engine, gearbox, clutch, chain and sprockets (for something that runs with all of those parts intact I think I'm going to be looking at the majority of my budget, to be honest. I still need to source steel, too.

Or;

6.5 engine for around 100€, clutch for probably about 40€, sprockets and chains and whatnot for probably around another 30-40€, wheels will be extremely pricey if I go for the atv ones (about 70€ each), and if not those cheapy ones from local shops for about 12€ each x4.

I'm looking at the 300€ mark for the second option or more, or probably more for the apparently better bike setup.

Gears sure would be nice, I just have quite little knowledge of engines, I feel that an industrial 4 stroke which is ready to run straight from the go and is new would be a safer bet than potentially gambling a bike engine I'll be more nervous around.

I'll look into both options, the bike option is more likely to be available here.

Thanks.

PS. why is a bike engine actually better? Surely if an industrial engine puts out 6hp at the shaft, and a bike engine the same, they're equal, right? (forgetting the extra bits you get with the bike engine).

 

[fowler]

just had a good idea

what u want is a reverse trike these are good on road and hard dirt

basicly u cut the motor bike infront of the engine and join it onto a two wheeled steering /seating section

this would mean u only have to fab the steering and controls as the engine and drive remains the same, u also get the rear suspension of the bike

iv attached buyable plans and pics of 2 trikes, i think u dont want that big awsome looking thing but the scorpion is about right u can buy the plans and mod them to the bike engine

personally id design the thing your self with our help because as R97 will say the steering (the only bit u want) is a bit dodgy

http://www.spidercarts.com/scorpion.html