Home :: Tyler and Dad's GoKart - Update - offroad driving YOUTUBE

Tyler and Dad's GoKart - Update - offroad driving YOUTUBE

http://youtu.be/0MMI5TSKk8Q

My 8 YO son went go-karting on a track in Denmark on a holiday. It was the first time he was allowed to drive a Kart by himself. It looked like a racing kart but was speed limited (and I think they have different rules over there). Anyway it was so awesome that he created a bucket list and added 'build a go-kart' to it.

I worked as an apprentice mechanic a long time ago and used to work on cars a lot. I wanted to teach myself how to weld and see if I could build a go-kart from scratch. A friend of mine has cobbled together a go-kart so we ent to have a look at it and get some ideas. It was an electric one - which is a pretty good idea. I was going to build an electric kart too - except my plans changed. Actually the most common theme of my project has been change. (and my crappy welding).

Tyler has been surprisingly engaged. He was able to chop saw, do a bit of angle grinding and even do some gas arc welding. Don't worry, none of it was solo, but he got a big kick out of being part of it. After cutting up some metal one day he turned around to me and said 'Daddy, the chop saw is a bit scary but it's AWESOME'
:lol:

We started off with a design from the internet - a site in America. The plans were good for a small go-kart. Of course almost when I had almost finished the frame I realised that getting the axle, bearing holders, stub axles etc would be trickier than I thought.
:oops: Stupid me, they would need to come from America. Instead I researched and found a local supplier (CPR). Great kit, but of course the dimensions of the kit I bought didn't fit the frame.

Oh well, it isn't hard to modify the frame, a bit of cutting, a bit more metal and a bit of welding from the minions.

Now onto some more serious work. I built the frame again and spent a month or two researching sprockets, gear ratios etc. to make an electric engine fit. Again with limited time I found out the electric motor that was cost effective and easy to fit had a different standard sprocket from the ones I had. It also had a different spindle. Nightmare scenario - glad I hadn't bought the motor yet, so I gave up and bought a petrol motor with a standard spindle, sprocket etc. I also went for a Torque convertor because I want the gokart to perform well off road. Here is the result so far - just got the steering installed.

Go Kart MK-2

That's it so far. Next steps are:
- Brakes - Disc
- Seat
- Then engine mount, accelerator etc

Wish me luck, I'm likely to need it.

Update 1: Tyler and Dad's GoKart - Off-road Buggy - WIP

OK, here's an update. Got quite a bit further. Did the engine mount, got the brake installed and got to the stage where we could roll it down the street for a test. Great excitement all round !!!

Next step is the accelerator, finishing the seat mount, a few strengthening steel bars and a good run around the kart bolstering up the 'tack' welds into something more solid. I guess I'll then have to get some sheet metal to produce a floor pan or something like that.

During the last welding session I welded my steel ruler accidentally to the Kart. Ooops. I had to admit to my son that it wasn't intentional.

I reckon we are a day or two's work away from a test drive, then we will strip the parts off, grind back our messy welds and paint the frame.

Re: Tyler and Dad's GoKart - Off-road Buggy UPDATE DRIVING

Well after a bit of mucking around, a bit of welding, shortening the chain by removing some links and adjusting the accelerator so it wouldn't stick :-) we got to give it a go. The engine was not too noisy which is good. I was also able to adjust the accelerator so it couldn't go too fast. Perfect for the little bloke.Here's a picture of the driveable kart. Not finished yet but getting there.

Of course it doesn't turn well on bitumen - due to the solid back axle, but then it will mostly be off road. The engine works well and the torque converter is brilliant. It is very smooth and easy to ride. Not too fast but will go fast enough when I let the little fella open up the accelerator a bit.

Going very well and very proud of ourselves now. Thanks for your help along the way Paul. All the parts I bought were great and I can highly recommend the Torque Converter. Now I need to strip the stuff off, tidy up the welds, put in a couple of cross members, paint and then have Tyler re-assemble it.

Get in touch if you want more information on how I built it.

Re: Tyler and Dad's GoKart - Off-road Buggy UPDATE DRIVING

Since the last post I spent a lot of time finishing things off, tuning the engine location, chain etc, adjusting linkages, finishing off all the welding until there was more welds than base metal, and then painting. A lot of work to get it finished - with even more trips to bunnings to get bits and pieces.

Off to Binacrombi - WooHoo!!!

Binacrombi (in between goulbourn and oberon) http://www.binacrombi.com.au/ is an awesome place to ride karts and motorbikes. Friendly people, lots of tracks. It was terrific (just cold!!!). They are in fact probably the only legal place in NSW that you can pay and ride a go kart off road. It is not expensive, it is in a beautiful location and they even have accommodation there.

AT LAST!!! Real Offroad Driving at Binacrombi

The first real test drive has gone amazingly well. We had a bent steering tie rod and got bogged once but nothing else failed in two days of solid riding in the mud. The Kart performed brilliantly so I didn't even need the complete set of parts and tools I brought along (even an ARC welder in case it got really serious).

The Kart performed very well and was very easy to drive due to the Torque convertor. The governor on the engine and speed limiter I crafted with a throttle stop meant that the kart didn't go fast but then kept going up hills without slowing down. AWESOME!!.

Tyler and I had a great time (would have been better if I hadn't chosen a bike that was too big and fallen off it, cracking my shoulder - oh well).

To watch the little fella go from being very careful and a bit scared to the point where he was asking me to remove the speed limiter, doing donuts and going up hills and through the mud was fantastic.

It was a real blokes weekend where he grew up a bit riding the kart made it all worth it. Just as well because it took 8 months to build the damn thing and it is a bit tricky to find places to drive it. I think the next project will be a road Kart as he has a taste for racing now. I think I'll get a pre-made frame this time though :-)

As for stats on speed. In the side street near home I got it up to 34KM/h in 150-200m. I couldn't really open it up in the short space as I had to turn and already it seemed faster than I would like to go crunched up in a small kart that close to the ground. I estimate looking at the gearing ratio sheet it would probably do around 50 top speed.

For a short time I removed the speed limiter for Tyler and on some bumpy ground he got up to 24km/h which is great. Again as fast as he would want to go but not uncontrollable.

Since the weekend I have adjusted the throttle a bit to moderate the speed a bit higher for him. I have also put some decent foam on the seat and made it more easily adjustable between crunched adult and kid size. I think the last real mod will be a roll bar which will be an easy welding job - and if I do it right will give the chassis some extra rigidity between front and back. No streength issues but it does flex on angles with a heavy dad in it.

Watch for next post with a youtube clip of the Kart in action. It really drove well.

Anyone that is contemplating the same journey and want some advice - please get in touch through this forum.

Tyler and Dad's GoKart - Update - offroad driving YOUTUBE