will a lawn mower axxel work??

[bigfootrules31]

ive been wanting to make a gokart for a while, but not spend much money. at our dump there are several ride on mower axxles there, im assuming for about $20-$50 with the wheels.
and would the turning things the wheels go on for the front off a ride on be better than the ones, ive seen everyone making on here with the bolts...
im aiming to get as bigg motorbike engine as i can find to power it.

 

[freakboy]

no they will not work why mostlikly will fail and fail epicly

 

[Pellethuntr2]

Probably painfully also...especially if u use a dirtbike motor

 

[bigfootrules31]

why would that be? are they weak?

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Yup, transaxles have like 1/8" thick cast aluminum cases, and sometimes cast gears that break easily.

 

[bigfootrules31]

i was thinking of the ones with out a diff, just with the plain rod axel thing. like on the older ones

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Those are pretty weak too, a bike engine will most likely destroy the diff housing.

 

[bigfootrules31]

i found some inch and a bit, im pretty sure its hightensile rod. i believe its a tortion bar or something like that out of a 4wd or truck. i tried fileing it and it hardly makes a mark. will that work for an axxel? it has no keyways or anything, so id probly have to weld the wheels and sprocket to it.

and i started making some spindles for it today, with some steel plate i "found" in my schools metalwork cabinet. its about 2inchs wide and about ..i dunno imperial... 6mm thick. the brackets are perty sturdy. except the holes i drilled didnt line up verry good so the bolts that goes through its crooked, so ill have to "liberate" some more steel at scho

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Never weld to an axle, you could try to cut keyways in it though. Or you could just buy the $20 one from bmikarts.

 

[bigfootrules31]

$20 thats way over my budget

 

[Rotore]

bigg engine+big power=beefy axel

 

[bigfootrules31]

well, i just bought a datsun 260z for my first car. so not im going to make a gokart that can fit in the back of it
i started making the spindle brackets, and got some metal for the frame. and ill use my honda 144cc enigne from my pos minibike.
i still havent found an axxel yet, so im making the frame (casue im bored) and once i find one ill make it fit.
i was thinking of having the frame pivot in the middle, so it had kind of suspention, then i could take the shoks off, and fold it to make ti a bit smaller. has anyone done anyhting like thsi before:?

 

[Rotore]

no and lucky u found a datsun

 

[porsche930dude]

front and rear axles would work from a lawn tractor if its the old kind with just a diff and sprocket but they wont hold up over 7hp or so.

 

[bigfootrules31]

no and lucky u found a datsun [/QUOTE
it needs a bit of work to get it on the road, its had a dodgy paint job in the past. so its got some rust that needs fixing, and some suspention work. cant wait to get it finished

 

[wannakart]

I have been using a differential rear end on my bar stool for a little over 3 1/2 years now and have had no problems, but I am only using a Tecumseh 6.5hp. The guy I bought the differential from said it might or might not hold up. When I saw that I wasn't having any problems I bought 2 more and one of them I put on a go kart for the kids, also with a Tecumseh 6.5 engine and have been running it on there for almost 2 years now. I attached pics, the one of the kart was when I was starting to put it together. Was checking fit of everything and alignment of sprocket and brake disk while waiting on a couple 1" axle bearings that I had ordered for the inbd hangers to come in.
I don't imagine that they would stand up to much higher hp applications but these differentials have worked fine for me though!

 

[porsche930dude]

yup iv only had one blow up because i had a 2 stroke 175cc yamaha powering it plus the spider gears were welded up so it was a solid axle and the case couldnt take it but if it were open it would have probrobly been ok atleast for a while longer. with alot of power though you really dont want or need a diff

 

[bigfootrules31]

that looks cool, with all my projects. i plan as i go along. so ill see if i can find somehing similar to that

 

[frederic]

Never weld to an axle, you could try to cut keyways in it though. Or you could just buy the $20 one from bmikarts.

Well, $20 for an already made axle will be cheaper than paying a machine shop to cut keyways for the wheels. Like KK said, you do not want to weld a hardened torsion rod as you'll destroy it's strength very quickly.

To machine a keyway, you need a carbide bit and a milling machine to cut the keyway. The bit is more expensive than the bmikart axle ;-)

Though, if you have a really steady hand, you can cut the keyway with an angle grinder with a 1/4" wide cutting/grinding wheel. But, that costs money too though it's a tool you'll use often if you're into metal working.

 

[bigfootrules31]

hmmm hmmmm, ill see what i can find