What about the go-karts, the whistle of the wind in your helmet, the adrenaline rush when you take a corner? It feels like a sports car – a high performance one!
The problem is getting a cheap kart.
We have heard the mantra
Buy second hand
Don’t make them abuse one
Think smart
Don’t buy from Kmart
But there’s more than that
You can build your own cheap Go Kart out of everyday materials using junk that can be found in lawn mowers.
The wheels, steering gear, motor, belts, pulleys, pedals, and even the seat can all be used to make a fantastic head-turning go-kart.
As a side note, some would say take the full rider and convert it, but I would avoid that thought, first because the center of gravity (CG) of the ride-on mower is too high, making it prone to tipping and rolling . very easily. Second, the transmission is heavy and not wide enough.
However, you can use the tractor parts combined with wood or metal pipes (or angle iron) to make an exceptional gokart.
There are three hard-to-reach parts of the kart and they are:
– The propulsion system
– The steering system
– The braking system.
Most of its cost comes from the powertrain, and in the case of the cheap kart, it doesn’t have to be.
When I say cheap, I don’t mean: “It works great for now, but it will break anyway.” You can build a powertrain that lasts for years, not days, but it won’t cost an arm and a leg like conventional go-karts.
Management system
The drive system I’m talking about is the wooden belt / pulley drive system. It doesn’t matter if you have a vertical motor or a horizontal motor, as long as you have some kind of motor and a belt and a wheel.
As a side note too, a good understanding of the drive systems helps the belts not burn out. But once you get over it, you have a reliable and inexpensive powertrain.
Direction system
The steering system tends to be the trickiest part of the kart because of what the steering mechanism tries to do. The steering system is trying to follow a curved arc that will steer the kart around a corner, however the relationship between the turning wheels and the arc can lead to an understeer or oversteer situation. Additionally, unpredictable steering response and adverse tire wear can occur if the steering is not set correctly.
The steering setup is usually an Ackermann system or a phantom system (found on small carts and wagons). The Ackermann system requires expensive components, while the bogey system (if configured properly and safely) can be combined with everyday “cheap” materials.
Break system
The final trickiest part of a kart is the braking system. Expensive go-karts typically use disc brakes, but a cheap go-kart can use a friction-style brake. If configured correctly, a scrubber-style brake can last for years, rather than days. Most do not realize the immense loads that are required to apply a brake. The braking force exerted on the mechanisms can run into the thousands of pounds, so a good brake connection is required. A simple stick does not cut it.
So to recap, a cheap go-kart can be made from everyday materials such as wood and angle iron. No need to weld a frame, a sturdy wooden kart can be developed at almost no cost to you.
First, using a simple belt drive system is more than adequate for a cheap go kart. Remember that when set up correctly (belts don’t burn out), this is a kart that will last for years, not days.
Second, a simple steering system can be developed using the bogey style system. If you want to spend more money, an Ackermann system can be developed. The Ackermann is the most widely used system in karts today.
In third place, a simple but effective braking system can be developed that rubs against the tire. Keep in mind that the braking forces of the kart can reach thousands of pounds, so it is necessary to develop a friction system with the corresponding links.
In general, a cheap go-kart, under fifty dollars in most cases, can be built with wood, old tractor tires, an old snowblower motor, tractor motor, lawnmower motor … etc.