whippersnipper go cart challenge

[weisyboy]

gday

this has probebly been asked a million times but here i go anyway.

i have been challengfed by a mate that i cant make a gocart or scooter that runs of a whipper snippper engine.

i have been given a 25cc mcculloch engine (i would like a bigger one but its free) that i am going to use,

how would you go about doing this?
i have some ideas tht will be coming soon as i get some more info on the engine.

 

[born loser]

building it wouldnt be that hard, its getting it to move w/ a tiny 25cc motor that will be the challenge.

 

[Affair_driven]

1/4 scale kart would work.

 

[weisyboy]

well obviously it has to move.

 

[Affair_driven]

Most, if not all, gokarts in this forum are 100cc's or better. A Briggs 2hp is about 109cc's.
Considering time, labor, materials, and $$$---25cc's isn't gonna cut it.
Weedie shafts are notorious for snapping because or their inability to handle the loads encountered.
They are great at knocking down weeds, but not at pushing around 200lb. (+) loads.

 

[oscaryu1]

Will work. Go find a nice .500-.600 GoPed spindle, weld or bolt it on, a third bearing support to help NOT snap the crankshaft when putting alot of pressure on the crank end...

And then finally bolt it on the "adjustable" mount and make it friction driven with either a spring, or a turnbuckle to tension it to the wheel.

 

[oscaryu1]

Oh if it matters, plenty of people use 22.5cc 2 stroke engines (heck, they're STOCK on gasoline powered GoPeds, aka, gas scooters).

Anywhere from 22.5cc to 41cc's or so.

They make anywhere from 2-7HP stock.

Just bought a seized 26cc or so G260RC motor. Makes 3HP stock, but it was $200 new.

And plenty of modifications.

Stick a WT-813 carburetor on it, a Sikk or S2 low end pipe to get those starts, and a 2 or 3mm stroke crank and a Trevor Simpsons headkit (if it fits) haha.

Plenty of mods, I dunno if they fit your weedwhacker though.

www.davesmotors.com

DDM win.

 

[THE HUNTER]

if the challenge is just to make one, you could do it free like i did with my Ghetto Scooter. unless the challenge is to make one that doesn't use duct tape and/or bailing wire to hold it together.... lol

but i would go with making a scooter over a gokart. most line-trimmer engines for home use are no more than 1 hp

 

[freakboy]

u should gear it high so you need to really push the damb thing then hit the throtal so u have way higher speeds cause higher gearing. so its just like a sprint car getin push started.

 

[Affair_driven]

Hmm....smell that?
Money tree is on fire.
Anything will work if you throw enough money at it.
He's talking about a weedie engine. Not goped engines or any other. Major differences between the two designs.
Both are purpose built for what they do.

 

[brendonv]

Wouldnt really power u. If u still want to do it get another one. Go to the tip or wait for a bulk collection and u will find tuns of whipper snippers. U will find many ryobis. Actually if u look in the paper there will be one in there for 5 bucks guaranteed. Make it friction drive coz chain is way to expensive and not as ifficent on whipper snippers ive found. Then make it dual friction drive, one on each tire. It will make u go about 30km/h maybe. If u can get chainsaw engines. They got more torque and will be better for this sort of thing.

I bet once u make this if u do that u will build another one with a briggs or something. U can get horizontal shafts in australia everywhere really, just gotta ask around and look. Once u get into engines a lot u will notice the most popular engines u will find for free in aus are:
Ryobi whipper snippers
Victa lawnmowers
Briggs and stratton verticals and horizontals

Speaking of victas, there 2 stroke which means, u guessed it, it can run on its side. There everywhere in aus so get one of them or even better, dual victas. They will make u go pretty fast and will make ya sound like a racing kart. All u need is a new carb like a mikuni which u can buy of ebay then just make up an adaptor. Then u need an adaptor for the shaft if u want a clutch on there or u can weld a sprocket on there if ya dodgy.

Hope that helps ya out.

 

[weisyboy]

yer i know its only a small motor but i haven't met anything i couldn't build yet,

that was the reason i got this challenge every time i say im gunna build something he always say i wont do it.

i got the motor going today.

it is a McCulloch pro-mac (250 i think) i also found an old 30-40cc husky saw in the shed today so may use that if i can get it going witch would be much easier.

 

[THE HUNTER]

its doable for sure. it being a challenge makes it even more possible! lol

like Freakboy said, gear it a little on the high side so you have to push it to start moving. especially if you use the super-wussy clutch already on the line trimmers.

i used a 26.2cc Craftsman (Poulan/WeedEater) in what is prob the most ghetto way ever, and it still got me goin to a decent speed (for a scooter) after i pushed the scooter myself to start out.

 

[drscope]

Forget about that little motor and get in touch with these guys! It'll be more fun!

http://aigrf.blogspot.com/

 

[motor_head]

chain is way better no slippage in rain less tire wear more efficient chain is MORE efficient than friction

 

[THE HUNTER]

chain is way better no slippage in rain less tire wear more efficient chain is MORE efficient than friction

true, the only advantage to friction drive is that its cheaper and easier to set up.

 

[Rotore]

how about getting a couple more of those engines lets say 3 more and have them work together on your cart shouldnt be so hard

 

[brendonv]

nah frictions better for whipper snippers. TheY just dont have enough torque and dont go well with chain drives no matter what jackshaft setup u do. The clutches on em are rubbish so the chain drives suck. Go friction!

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

nah frictions better for whipper snippers. TheY just dont have enough torque and dont go well with chain drives no matter what jackshaft setup u do. The clutches on em are rubbish so the chain drives suck. Go friction!

Not true, if you set it up properly with direct chain drive, it would be fine as long as you have proper gear reduction. The friction and pressure needed in a friction drive setup robs power, and with a weed wacker you don't have much to begin with.

If you did want to run a clutch, you could just run the engine to a 1", 3/4", or 5/8" jack shaft, where you could mount a normal centrifugal clutch, like a Hillard or Max Torque.

 

[motor_head]

Not true, if you set it up properly with direct chain drive, it would be fine as long as you have proper gear reduction. The friction and pressure needed in a friction drive setup robs power, and with a weed wacker you don't have much to begin with.

kaptain is right even the name says power loss FRICTION is a huge loss of power

what you want to use (friction/chain) all depends on the purpose of the prodject if you want a reliable smooth operating vehicle use chain if you just want to build it cheap and easily and not for the long run go friction