JD Go Kart project

[JD in Socal]

Here is a project I've been working on for a while; a go kart for my kids. I put this up on the Hobart site also, so you can save yourself from reading it twice if you've already seen it.

It's powered by a 5-horse Honda engine with an old-school centrifugal clutch and jackshaft. I used belt drive from the engine to the jackshaft to cut down on vibration to the frame. After this photo was taken I changed from belt-drive to chain & sprocket from the jackshaft to the axle, because the first setup was slipping a bit from a standstill. The frame is 1" square tube for the floor pan area, and 1" round for most everything else. The floor is 1/16" aluminum "5-bar" tread plate.

I bought the engine, wheels & tires, brake caliper, sprockets, and a few misc pieces. I fabricated as many of the pieces as I could, so it took quite a few hours.

The kids seem to like it.


JD

[tigman250]

job well done JD! what are you using to bend the tubing? looks very professional!

[Coalsmoke]

JD, way to go, the kids will love it. We got one similar to that, a little longer and 20 something HP (uses and old snowmobile racing engine). Let me suggest you start planning for the next phase of the project, figuring out a suspension system for it, at least if you ride offroad / bushbashing like we do here 30 minutes of riding and you gotta get out of the cart and go find out where on the trail you lost your kidneys

PS: glad to see you put a cage over the belt and pulleys.

[JD in Socal]

job well done JD! what are you using to bend the tubing? looks very professional!

Thanks.

I have a JD2 tube bender that I used for all of the bends on the frame. Its muscle-powered only, but works great.

JD

[JD in Socal]

JD, way to go, the kids will love it. We got one similar to that, a little longer and 20 something HP (uses and old snowmobile racing engine). Let me suggest you start planning for the next phase of the project, figuring out a suspension system for it, at least if you ride offroad / bushbashing like we do here 30 minutes of riding and you gotta get out of the cart and go find out where on the trail you lost your kidneys

PS: glad to see you put a cage over the belt and pulleys.

Coal,
This one is strictly a street cruiser. We live in a place where we can get away with cruising on our street and around the neighborhood, so I decided to save the extra work of building suspension. The reason I went with a jackshaft setup is to get the gearing low enough to keep the top speed down. We would have the neighbors forming a lynch mob if were racing around the streets at whatever speed that motor would push it with tall gears. I'll have to build another one if we want to go fast off road.

JD

[houlibar]

Very cool! I like how you designed the roll bars to look like the window frame of a jeep or dune bug in front!

[Terence638]

looks like the power palnt maybe able to get you 1st place in the race. very well done,
Terence

[wrench3047]

I've been considering starting a project like this. Did you design it or was it something you got online. just curious.

[martymar333]

very nice........i like it.

marty

[fun4now]

really nice job.

[JD in Socal]

I've been considering starting a project like this. Did you design it or was it something you got online. just curious.

I did a lot of homework online, looking at every picture I could find and copying down dimensions and layouts. The actual design is my own, based upon elements of many other karts that I saw and liked.

This is the second round for the parts on this kart. I built an earlier frame, but shortly after completion decided to build another one with a bunch of changes. I moved the engine and other components over to this new frame and here it is.

JD

[arcdawg]

Nice workmanship -

I would suggest that you get one of those orange flags for the back of it though since its sooo low to the road -

[JD in Socal]

Nice workmanship -

I would suggest that you get one of those orange flags for the back of it though since its sooo low to the road -

Thanks, Arc.

The flag is a very good idea, and I happen to have one from an earlier project. I just need to get it mounted on this new car. Oh, well... I guess these projects are never "done".

JD

[JD in Socal]

Here is a pic of the mostly finished frame, showing the design for those that are interested. Its all 1" (square or round) and the wall thickness is either .060 or .095, depending on weather that part needed to be strong or light.

Also, I included one last photo, showing important controls on the dashboard.

JD

[Fishy Jim]

Is it just the pic, or do you have negative caster in the front knuckles?