Why aren't there pre-built frames for sale?

[peejster]

I am new to the hobby and have been looking around for only a couple of months. I am interested in building an electric yard cart for my 8 yr old daughter. I am comfortable with my mechanical and electrical skills but I don't weld. So, first things first, I need a frame. The only one I could find for sale is an Azusa one. Why aren't there others out there? I am checking craigslist and the like for used ones but even the couple I found needed some welding still (abandoned projects). Based on my research thus far, it looks like I am not alone - lots of others out there with the skills required to build a kart except for welding. Why don't other companies sell frames?

- Are there no other companies left?
- Would the price of a quality frame be so expensive no one would buy it?
- Is there not a market for yard kart frames?

Any insights the community could shed on this issue would be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[ultralight01]

For some reasons karts have become unpopular, taken over by dirt bikes and quads which are cheap and more dangerous.
Your best option is craigslist, but everyone sells their karts in spring/summer. At least, that's the time frame when you can find the best deals and the most listings are active.

For some reason very few companies make frames. Chinese companies make OK karts that are $500+ that you can find on ebay, but often they're rather small. Better, larger karts that are more like buggies are easy to find wholesale and built in china, but they're about $1300+.

That's why craigslist and local options are the best deals. You can find a similar kart that is used for $500. You just have to be a deal hunter.
Asuza kits make small karts. Best option is to build one if you can't find one on craigslist. Check out Kartfab.com.

Good luck to you.

 

[peejster]

Thanks ultralight01.

The "replacement" of karts by quads and dirt bikes is something that I have noticed as well. I was super surprised at how low cost they are becoming. But, personally, I feel ok putting my daughter in a yard kart but will not even consider a quad or dirt bike for her for many, many, many more years.

I did look at Kartfab and liked his plans. And, then his YouTube videos have pretty much sold me on just building one myself. Pretty sure that's the direction I am headed.

 

[chancer]

Azusa still makes Kart frames for sale pre made and ready to go. and sold as a kit, with all parts but the engine.
This is the easiest to find. May not be the best price:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_22122_22122

Google Azusa Engineering.

I got mine on Ebay. Here is the build:
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28362

GO karts usa Azusa Kit:
http://gokartsusa.com/Go-Kart-Kits.aspx

Affordable Go Karts build up Azusa Kart:
https://www.affordablegokarts.com/azusa_fun_kart.php

Anyway point being the Azusa Kart is not at all bad.
Also
GoPowerSports.com is toying with the idea of remaking the Manco American Express Frames and selling them. Still in the experimental phase. They had Kartfab build one and another member "Orangekrate".

China made minibuggy "Karts" with suspension Suck!

 

[welder74]

I wish I could help with the welding, what I can say is don't get a cheap welder and try to learn how to weld get a Lincoln 180HD and watch YouTube. It really will help to have a welding machine that works for you

 

[peejster]

Thanks for the feedback / suggestions.

Yes, I plan on taking a welding class first. There are several metal fab spaces in town that teach welding. Then, if I think it's for me, I'll get a quality welder. With all my random interests, I am sure I will use my welding skills/equipment beyond this project.

 

[KartFab]

Heres my take on the situation. Go karts are always popular, but have large swings in sales. That in conjunction with consumer demand (more features, less price) you get china involved and you put some serious hurt on USA manufacturers that build high quality yard karts. The final nails in the coffin/secret spice in the toxic death soup to yard kart manufacturers are lawsuits, deaths, and recalls (due to entanglement in axle/clutch, roll overs, ejections-how many 'real' yard karts have roll cages and seatbelts? NONE). In a world of high liability, high risk, high competition, and impossibly small labor and material costs from china, the USA manufacturers lose out. The manufacturers that don't go to china to have their karts made, and don't listen to customers (wheres seat-belt, wheres roll cage? rack and pinion steering? faster? great suspension? cheap cheap cheap cheap cheap!) slowly die off and go out of business thanks to cheap alternatives in china that are looking more and more like mini buggies with all these bells and whistles that dont last long. But hey, the customer wants lights, 5 point harness, racing seat, roll cage, speed, etc... who cares if the engine craps out in 3 years and all the electrical quits within a year or two, and rubber rots within 6 months? You got it from china with a 30-90 day warranty, and your kids don't ride it anymore. Was fun while it lasted.

That was a depressing rant. But its kind of how things are going now. Its hard to find quality when the overwhelming majority of consumers want cheap, regardless of quality.

I have looked pretty hard at the azuza frame and even that is cheaply made/small (nylon wheels?). But it is literally the only new yard kart frame you can get. The only alternative (if buying new) is to get a midsize minibuggy with all those cheap bells and whistles from china, and you have to go off brands to find anything decent.

trailmaster is a decent brand
kandi is not
hammerhead is a decent brand
most others are not.

 

[OldToyotaGuy]

Here's a random aside. I learned how to weld before I could drive, but I really sucked at it until just recently. I weld with a Mastercraft (Canadian Tire brand) mig machine and it works pretty well. The only way to improve your welding skills is to just weld. Taking a course helps immensely but even just welding at home, you can get a pretty decent weld with some practice.

 

[chancer]

There are many guys here and in the past that really like by their harbor Freight welder. $100 bucks
But they all suggest using Quality Wire from Lincoln or Miller.
I have a Lincoln Weld pak 125HD. 400 bucks.

If you do not have good Fab skills and experience, I would start with the Azuza Frame.
Actually... I DID.
If nothing else it is good experience and leaves you with a Good Model.
Then take on the Fun Task of Building your own using the Kartfab plans.

 

[welder74]

I can build you a frame very reasonable and maintenance very low. Racing frame or off road?

 

[chancer]

It has been done many many times by guys on this Forum over the years.

The HP 90 amp Welder is Perfectly fine for building and repairing a Go Kart.

 

[welder74]

I've used HF welders I just prefer Lincoln and always want a machine capable of welding more than you need. It's aways better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

 

[chancer]

Definitely. But for a garage hobbyist. 89 bucks at harbor freight, Will get you alot Further than nothing.
Its just that... for that price, there is no excuse for a man not to have a welder.

 

[Poboy kartman]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=03KQNRbuo60

I guess if the end weld is strong and a test proves that the base metal fails before the weld, you're golden. If someone can prove they can do that, on suitable thickness for a frame, with a HF 90amp machine, I will stand corrected.

If a guy spends more time grinding a weld to make it look presentable than they spent fitting and welding. Thats an indication they shouldn't be doing anything more than metal art. Let alone welding on the frame of any motorized vehicle.

Homemade headers, a bracket to hold a water bottle, yard art. Those are examples of reasonable use for a cheap ac wire machine.

Ummmmmm...WHAT FORUM ARE YOU LOOKING AT?????

You were "proven wrong" 100 times BEFORE you posted......

Try and keep up.....SHEESH!

 

[Hellion]

...The only one I could find for sale is an Azusa one. Why aren't there others out there? I am checking craigslist and the like for used ones but even the couple I found needed some welding still (abandoned projects). Based on my research thus far, it looks like I am not alone - lots of others out there with the skills required to build a kart except for welding. Why don't other companies sell frames?

- Are there no other companies left?
- Would the price of a quality frame be so expensive no one would buy it?
- Is there not a market for yard kart frames?

You're several decades too late. The heyday of go karts and mini bikes is long gone, never to return.
Maybe "what's old is new again" will return to the go kart arena but I doubt it.

Sure, there's a market for race karts and the like but the simple yard karts, what I would call hobby-grade, no longer exist save for Azusa.

The companies, most of them, died out one by one.

http://www.reliablegokarts.net/kartbrands.htm

Supposedly, GoPoSpo is trying to revive a Manco style single seater kart based on the American Express. Kit form or a complete welded chassis, who can tell?

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=33336

 

[Kartorbust]

The part that really counts in welding is penetration of the weld. Some beveling can help, but so does fitment. Videos from Miller or Lincoln can help a ton. So can a college course class, if you have that kind of money laying around.

I'd rather buy a frame or build one myself. Or if you want, get the plans and parts you want and have a college student or the instructor to weld it up for ya. Students have to learn somehow, however the schools may not allow it, due to liability issues. Long as you don't sue if it breaks, then it'll be fine.

But yeah, even having a great insurance policy stop can't keep companies around. Far as I know, Azusa parts are made in California. I'm hoping GoPower Sports gets kits put together for people. Lack of choices sucks.

 

[Functional Artist]

I'll give my input, although I'm not very popular here.

Don't get a 90amp harbor freight welder and build your own frame. Get something premade from a legit manufacturer. Take at least one class at a community college if you want to fab your own frame. I've seen stuff bolted together that was fairly legit. But cast iron tees for steering components is a bad idea.

If your starting out with real slow speeds, then I guess safety is less important. You can slag stuff together.

Quality frames aren't cheap. Decent wire machines aren't either. The skills to perform a quality weld can't be taught in a forum. Nor the knowledge to tell the difference between
a quality weld and 90amp flux core junk.

Wow! Thanks for the pep talk.

(must of learned to ride on a brand new bike & learned to drive in a brand new car)


NEVER let anyone tell you, you can't!

You can't, until you can!

After the fact, if you choose not to that's your choice.

I taught myself to weld with a HF welder & a few library books.

I have designed & built several karts.

Each one gets a little better.

Practice makes perfect.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Is this an example of the high quality welds?

Hey...they work chump. You want pretty....or functional?

Haven't seen yours...running your mouth is easier than a wire welder in tight quarters with thin metal.

BTW....What does this have to do with structural welding? I was basically tacking those in place anyway...I knew it was cold...but BOLTS have to go through those tubes and trust me...before I was done...I ruined a couple of drill bits redrilling them ...so..eventually..I got plenty of penetration.

The thinner the metal...the harder it is to weld...if you knew anything...you'd know that....I'm a begginer and never claimed to be anything else...

 

[Functional Artist]

Hey...they work chump. You want pretty....or functional?

....I'm a begginer and never claimed to be anything else...

Huh, huh ...he said functional.


Don't let haters get you shook!


Practice makes perfect!

...not a class or a degree!

DIY rules!

Keep up the good work!

 

[Kartorbust]

We were always told in school, your best looking welds are in areas, no one would ever see.