Yet another go-kart builder

[treegeek]

hello all
As the tittle suggests i'm planning to build an off road go kart some thing along the lines of a sand rail using a bike engine for power.
Whilst "surfing the web" for ideas have found lots of info on this forum site.
At this moment in time i need to start buying equipment list so far is welder, pillar drill, tube bender of some form, disk grinder i have a large amount of tools as i worked as a carpenter up until two years ago now i climb trees for a living.
I have found it hard to find decent tools at good prices keep getting out bid on ebay for kit and getting bit feed up of that site.
Wound like to chat with some one how has done some thing similair for advice.
Thanks Mike

 

[madkayaker]

hello and welcome. Have a look at some of sam's work for inspiration! A professional 14 year old!

 

[Sam]

hello and welcome. Have a look at some of sam's work for inspiration! A professional 14 year old!

Hello! I am only eight!

 

[Sam]

http://www.rorty-design.com/content/rorty_design_home.htm comprahensive plans

http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_piranha.htm nice looking buggies bit cheaper to make.

http://www.mcgillmotorsports.co.uk/ best deals on rose joints you will need a few

http://www.minibuggy.net/forum/index.php one of the friendliest buggie sites massive amount of info and help available here.

http://www.berrisford.co.uk/index.php?sectiontype=1?osCsid=5lcnjlaih7efird3vr11c6gh43 handy for hubs and stubs bits and bobs

http://www.drdracing.co.uk/index.php as above

Get yourself to an autocross or autograss event see some buggies there look at the simple drive set ups as well. If you are going for a bike engine dont go for the likes of hyabusa they all want them so can command a high price look at the say a 1200 suzuki bandit they fetch around the £200 mark and are bullit proof (untill they go bang) remember to get all the ancillaries( the bits that make them go) better getting a crashed bike that way you get everything. There is a 600 class in the autocross a 600 will still make one of these things fly. Feel free to email if you want any more info but have a look first get a better feel on what you want to do. Can assure you it will be the best fun you have had fully clothed. Unless you have a batman suit that is! If you have contacts in the states you can get parts a lot cheeper there than here import duty sucks.

 

[madkayaker]

 

[treegeek]

Sam your kart Looks great thanks for the info lots of reading.

Few quick questions

1 was thinking of using fwd hubs for the rear and is running the exsisting disk brake ok

2 Using the fwd hubs and cv drive shafts how do you go about mount ting the cv joint at the inboard end (bearing race that has a flange to bolt to kart frame)

3 steering rack what rack is best seen some other karts that are realy narrow, are these modified to suit

Sorry got loads to ask suspension travel so should make a start on reading up those sites shame you so far away could quiz you over a couple of pints in the local.

Many thanks Mike

 

[eltis]

hi treegeek,

i also want to make an off road buggy/gokart........

i used to work as a carpentor/joiner until this credit crunch kicked a few of us out of a job,

nice links sam...... intresting reading..........

 

[Sam]

Keep in mind as less weight as poss on unsprung weight car hubs are heavy.
http://www2.cip1.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=731 steering racks here or from the edge 1.5 turns lock to lock. Picture of the simplest drive setup I have seen and seems to be bulit proof can be purchased from one of the uk chassis builders I posted.

 

[Sam]

Link to the kids cart I was telling you about http://www.git.com.au/~theedge/buggies_trax2.htm Forgot to mention the morris minor steering rack is a quick action rack it was not designed to be but at 1 1/2 - 2 turns lock to lock it will do a lot of guys are using them in F2 stockcar setups.Think if you can get a hold of one the morris minor car clubs used to do an exchange for £30/£35 for a recon. unit.

 

[A-mac]

A,mac

[i have just built an off road buggy as a project with my son it goes very well,i used a stick welder and 9inch grinder ,pistol drill and a lot of time sourcing parts.it helps if you have most of the parts and equipment before you start .

 

[jaykay]

the trick with ebay is to not bid until inside the last min. then no one has time to over bid on you.you can only be beaten by a auto bid then.