it started out as an old ridding lawnmower but I made it longer heavier and safer only a few problems

It was belt driven to a gearbox that was just a straight shaft because it got jammed and I wanted more speed. It was fine until I put a 5h.p. in it. Then it burned through every belt I bought due to the fact no clutch, heavy, low acceleration due to the straight shaft gearing. Someone had to push me for me to ride it it was to fast to run with I clocked it 40 mph. After I burned through a 14 dollar belt i decided to chain drive it to the axle seeing as the gearbox did nothing anyways. To do this properly I had to switch around the axle cut a hole shorten the chain and weld the old chain hole up. It worked only if it was pushed down a hill to start and if it was slowed down to much it couldn't gain back the speed.

So now I am thinking I will get a centrifugal clutch for it but it aint cheap because my shaft size is 1 in cheapest price I saw was 49.99 if my shaft size were 3/4 in it would be 25.99 is there any easy way to make the shaft smaller like welding a fitting that would reduce 1 in to 3/4. The next problem and this only is a problem with a clutch if I slow down the engine the cart wont slow down or stop because the clutch disengages and dosent use the engine to stop. so I need brakes that is where I am lost I want to hook up brakes that dont cost alot of money any Ideas.

 

The difference in price for the clutches are just a little more than the cost of a belt. You can hook up a band brake on the rear axle.

 

I've got a project Go-Go-cart I'm working on. I scavenged the brakes off of a wrecked CBR. 1 wrecked bike will net you 3 calipers. Then your task is to find 3 little rotors.

 

When I was young my dad built me a dune buggy with an old snowmobile engine and he used the clutches and brakes off the sled. That thing used to fly, only problem was getting it to run properly in the warm weather. Just a 340cc air cooled engine and a frame that weighed about 100 lbs

 

Freejay

Sounds a bit like mine. I'm using my recently 'totalled' CBR600 for motive power.

 

Yowza. Be safe.

 

At the fair this year there were several people that were using a single front 4-wheeler disc brake on the rear axle shaft. With the rotor welded onto the axle shaft as close to center as possible and then some sort of structure to hold the caliper.

 

Lectrocuted

Yeah, it may be a future toipc in the "Dumbest ways you've hurt yourself" thread.

AdamTn's sighting was helpful for the rear brake. It's those front ones that are going to be difficult. Especially on a freebie, zip, nada budget.

 

Go to a junkyard and look for early three or four wheelers that had cable operated brakes and I bet they would good possibility for a low price.

 

this go kart to me is dead after its preformance today

determined the problem the engine is centered over the axle with a chain that is too tight when it was belt driven to the shaft in the gearbox it took more force to move it probably because the belt was mounted to a box and shaft which reduced downward stress on the crank shaft to make the engine fire properly

what do you guys think

anyways if I put the gearbox (its not really a gearbox just a housing of one with a shaft in it) back on the go cart and chain drive the engine to the gear box it will eliminate slipping and also the stress on the crankshaft

If I do this I wont need brakes or a clutch but it would be nice to ride it without having someone to push me but you know if I do this I still can put a clutch on it if I want I dont want to put too much money into this go cart because I got it out of the trash so if It doesn't work out im only out many wasted days