Hey i was sitting around not listening in class thinking of my truck when it hit me that i wanted to build a go kart.

So, my buddy & I tried to draw up some plans but they all sucked pretty bad.
I then checked the internet but i couldn't find any half decent websites. So if anyone here has built a go kart before I'd really appreciate it if you could post up some designs or a link to a website.

Also if you have any good go-karting stories post them up to.

 

"Hey i was sitting around not listening in class thinking of my truck "

Hey, that sounds like something I do !!
What grade ya in ? I'm at my senior year of high school, and I always tend to doze off in class, either thinking of my truck, or thinking of MORE things I can do to my truck lol
As for any cool Go-cart stories, well, its funny because last night, some friends of mine were over my house, when I decided to fire up my tractor to pop wheelies around the house with,Well, and 20 seconds after startup, the engine's Rpm's go sky-rocketing, white smoke EVERYWHERE (literally, you could not even see my house) and then she stalled. I was thinking oil got into the muffler, because I just refilled the oil in it.
Oh well, either way, she's sitting at the local Scag dealer waiting to be fixed lol
"And another one bites the dust"

 

what kind of go-kart do you want to build?? the off-road cruisin through the alley go kart, or a racing go kart, I presume it is the first one. I will try to take pics of my old kart some time (I raced karts when I was younger) and that will give you some ideas about axle and mounts, and steering and front hubs. Do you know what kind of motor that you want to use?? The limitations need to be set, and the requirments made.

 

I know a guy who built a go kart out of an old Ford Courier, he cut the cab and put in a roll bar, put a road closed sign under has a undercarage guard, it is kindo cool, but he wishes he left the cab for when it rains.

 

this year in shop class me and a buddie tryed puttin an old 428 irrigation motor in a 74 toyota pickup. By the time we got it far enough back so we could steer it, AND have a radiator it was half in the cab with no firewall. So we totally scrapped the cab and hauled it home to finish another day, it will eventually be mid engined. I forgot about that kind of go-kart, lol.

 

Type in "go kart plans" on your search engine. I got over 8,000 hits.
There's gotta be one you'd like.

 

Try here

 

My dad just finished building a cart with a 180cc Yamaha dirt bike engine. He started with a naked frame and stretched it, added front suspension and put good brakes on it.
It SCREAMS! It has the 6-speed trans that came with the engine; I managed to get into 6th once, on my street, and I was going so fast I was frightened...if a car had turned onto the street or pulled out of a driveway, I would have been a grease spot.
You could try to find a dirt bike motor, then fabricate a frame. Or find a small frame and stretch it. Either way, I recommend the 2 stroke dirt bike engine. Those stupid 5hp Briggs and Stratton go-karts are for little kids!
BDV

 

You sissy, atleast get a V-8!

 

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...&categoryId=93

Look around there. They have all manner of Go Kart stuff.

 

First you need a frame. -Think about the seat.
The engine can be anything. The biggy is finding clutches and pulleys.

Check out a local small engine shop!

The steering will be up to you, but it's pretty simple. A tie rod, pivots, and wheels....

Don't go overboard, keep it simple.

And belt drives can be twisted through 90 degrees, so they are easy to work with.

It's your imagination - how far do you want to go????

 

I have to agree with Greywolf. You'll find it's much more fun to keep it simple. Easily replaced parts at reasonable prices.

BrianA is right about Northern. I've purchased throttle cables, brakes, clutches, etc. They have a great many parts and reasonable prices.

If it's about fun, then simple is best.

BTW, I've modified my B&S 5 hp extensively, and it goes quite fast enough to be VERY dangerous. Maybe not as fast as a two stroke for sure, but fast enough that at 3" off the ground life seems fragile.

My son and I , along with my brother-in-law and his sons, race each other on the weekends and have a ball! Just simple karts, but modified with two-wheel drive, engine mods, roll bars, etc.

It's no longer fun when you're constantly hunting parts due to breakage and odd combinations.

Like drag-racing, you build the engine until the tranny breaks. build the trans, up the HP, then repair the rear-end, now you're tranny won't take the extra HP....and so on and so forth.

Simple= maximum fun time, least monetary investment =smart.

Just my .02

Chuck

 

What could be simpler or more fun than a few old boards a rope and 4 assorted wheels? No engine - no problem. Take turns with your buddy pushing the thing around until those doll carriage wheels collapse. Add a cardboard cab and lookout, you have the hottest ride in the neighborhood.

At your age, you may be too old to appreciate this.

The trill of a pile of boards on wheels going down the biggest hill in town is memory that lives forever.

 

Ah HA! I knew I could not possibly be the only go-kart nut in here!

I have done a LOT of research on karts. (More than any grown man should). See I have a 2 yr old son...and the wife said NO, so now I have to build them in my head...you get the picture. Besides, he has one of those little electric jeeps...anyone know where to get bigger motors for those things? 3MPH plahhhh!

Ok, back on target. Here is a link to a site with parts and FREE plans.

http://www.mxk.com/1ykplans/

A few words on materials...

The steel shop in my town has a $100.00 min order, which comes out to a lot of extra tubing!

Do not buy steel from Hbomb-Depot or Not so Lowes. You will go broke.

Best place I have found is fabrication shops. Some times you can get a good deal on their droppings (metal ones).

Do you have a scrap yard close by... they sell by the pound. How much does a kart frame weigh? Not that much.

Don't ever pass on a free bicycle. I cut em up for the short runs of tubing. Hey free tube is like free concrete...(ah a little easer to store) see the appropriate thread for more on that one.

If you want me to send you all my Kart links let me know. I also have a bunch of photos I "stole" from E-bay, so I cant exactly put em here, but I would e-mail them to you.

Also, forget about using conduit for a go-kart frame. If you want to see why follow this link to a site I have set up for my ole man. He builds replicas of Cushman Motor Scooters and in the photo album there are a few photos of CONDO KART. This story has a very sad ending (see for yourself)

www.nottacushman.com

 

Used Wally World Kart at yard sale $35.00

Used/wrecked 77Kawasaki 900ZXB $ 140.00

Borrowed cutting torch to remove 900cc motor and attached frame tubes $0.00

Borrowed wire welder to attach engine mount tubes to B&S motor plate $0.00


90+ mph with butt 2.5 inches from asphalt.......PRICELESS