Karting is a sports microcar without suspension, very popular among young people who are fond of motorsport. Often in such competitions (especially in Russia) racers take part in karts made by themselves. Indeed, why pay someone money if you can design your own motor vehicle, especially since the costs are minimal (and not only from a financial point of view).
How to assemble kart with your own hands? Learn the answer to this question in this article.
How to do karting with your own hands? Selection of technical characteristics for the vehicle
First, you should have an idea of what size your future little car will be. To properly assemble the kart with your own hands, you should draw a plan diagram on paper. Only on it you can correctly assemble the kart with your own hands. Drawings of this vehicle are shown in the photo below.
This is what your circuit should look like. It is necessary to note the most important thing here - the length of the wheelbase and overall dimensions. By the way, the longitudinal distance between the axles on the go-karts should be at least 101 and no more than 122 centimeters with a total length of 132 cm. The diameter of the go-cart wheels should not exceed 35 centimeters. It is these characteristics that will contribute to a stable and safe ride on this type of transport.
How to do karting with your own hands? A little bit about the frame
It’s best to start collecting karts with your own hands from the frame. It is more convenient to draw in full size on graph paper glued to sheet A1 or thick cardboard. Such a scheme will serve as a plan according to which individual nodes and elements will be customized in draft. Draw a frame diagram in several projections - side view and top view. In this case, the front spar is depicted separately.
Now we begin to manufacture a slipway for assembling the frame. This element is required if the machine will be produced in a small series (that is, as in our case). As the basis for the slipway, you should use a duralumin steel sheet measuring 170x90 centimeters. The thickness of the material used should be about 15 centimeters. A longitudinal line is drawn along the axis of the element (this will be the trace of the plane of symmetry of the transport frame), and perpendicular to it is the base line (for mounting the pivot bushings retainers).
The holes in the bushings are cut on a special boring machine. On the slipway, metal corners are mounted that fix the longitudinal side members. The frame itself is assembled from several elements:
1. Two spars.
2. Front bump stop.
3. Front, rear and middle crossbars.
4. Brackets for fastening the steering column.
About the motor and chassis
As for the engine, air-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder gasoline units are often mounted on karts. You should also think about a special protective device that will protect the pilot from possible burns about the internal combustion engine. A do-it-yourself braking system is also installed on karting. At least two wheels must be involved in it.
However, for safety reasons, it is recommended to install the
brake discs on four at once. The control system will be traditional, like on any other car, with a round wheel.
Proportions
Pay attention to the size ratio of all the leading components and assemblies in the car. The width of the go-kart platform must correspond to the dimensions of the frame, and its length to the distance from the seat to the pedals.
Other important details
In the design of this vehicle, it is also necessary to provide special fences that will not allow the feet to slide off the pedals. The same applies to the seat - it should not be such that the driver flies from one side of the kart to the other on the corners. Ideally, the pilot sits tight in the seat and does not shift to the side at sharp turns and at high speeds (with the exception of the possible overload of internal organs).
Separate gearbox parts should be covered with a special shield on ½ part of the gear wheel. Pay special attention to the fuel tank. Remember that its volume should not exceed five liters, and the tank itself is securely fixed in order to completely eliminate the unauthorized release of fuel to the outside. Do not make an excessively large tank - five liters is enough for a single-cylinder two-stroke engine, the working volume of which is only a few tens of cubic centimeters.
All parts of the steering system and the chassis are without fail splintered. It is also allowed to use the ignition system, shockproof means, carburetors of any type (foreign or domestic production).
What parts cannot be used during assembly?
According to experts, it is forbidden to use the following elements in the design of this vehicle:
1. The body.
2. Fairings.
3. Steering with worm, cable, chain or gear drive.
4. Differentials.
5. Various superchargers and fuel injection.
6. Pedals that, when pressed, go beyond the frame.
Follow these rules, you will assemble the most safe unit in a minimum period of time!
So, we found out how to build a go-kart with your own hands, what details you should pay attention to when assembling. Good luck!