[Kartbuilding] Fwd: [Fwd: Re: ]

[Stephen Burke]

Hi,
I will do my best to answer your questions:
1. There is no steering wheel in the wooden kart. Steering is conventional
using a rope or using the drivers feet to move and turn the front wheels
as on a normal soap box/ wooden kart.

2. The Engine is bolted or screwed onto the back of the wooden kart. There
is a small V-belt pulley on the engine. For the rear wheels, they do not
spin on their own, but are fixed to an axle (steel bar) which can rotate
inside pieces of piping. In the middle of this axle, a large V-belt pulley
is used. A V-belt is then used to transmit the power from the engine to
the rear axle. As it is a lawnmower engine, the belt will have to twist 90
degrees. Because it is a v groove, the belt will not come off. The kart
can then be push started or started and once the engine fires, the kart
propells itself.

3. It is driveable, however above speeds of 25mph are dangerous due to the
speeds and the steering.

4. Brakes should be taken directly off a bike. If necessary cut a piece of
the bike away completly with the bike frame and bolt to the chassis over
the kart wheels. Obviously you will have to use small bycycle wheels for
the rear wheels of the kart.

5. As a persons feet can be used for steering, or turning the front axle,
hand levers are used for accelerator and brake. Levers straight off a
lawnmower can be used and bolted to the sides of the kart. These simple
levers will provide acceleration and braking similiar to a bike and on a
lawnmower.

6. There's no ignition in the cockpit - unless the engine has an electric
start. In which case, take the switch off the lawnmower and bolt to the
kart.

This type of wooden kart is not as fancy as a properly made metal one, and
should only be taken as a begineers kart, to get involved into
kartbuilding. Wooden karts only get the ball rolling. You ideally should
make better and better karts afterwards.

Best of Luck
-steve

>
>
> hello
> I have a few questions on building a go kart and I'd appreciate it if
> you'd answer them.I am interested in building a wooden go cart with a lawn
> mower engine. I went through your web site and I still need help. (you
> have the best go kart website)
> How to make the steering wheel and how to attach it?
> How to transfer the engine's power to the rear wheels with a pulley?
> Is it drivable?
> How to install braking from scratch?
> How to install brakes from scrath and with a bycicle?
> How to install an accelerator from scrath? (I have no clue how to)
> and Can you put an ignition in the cockpit?
>
> Thank you and you have the most usefull go kart website
> Thank you Share a single photo or an entire slide show right inside your
> e-mail with  MSN Premium:  Join now and get the first two months FREE*
>

Subject: Re: Thank you for putting my work onto your site!
Hi Frank,

Thats a promising website and club on robotics you have put togethor. You
should look at connecting robotics to computers and programming them.
There's far more interest in the educational scene on programming robots
using computers etc. Lego mindstorm have a system of controlling robots
through the USB on a computer.
There are academic programs such as "Lab View" that assists programming
all sorts of motors and robots on computers.
Best of Luck
-steve

> Mr. Burke,
>
>   Hello...  How are you?  Thanks for all the help with
> my Personal Project, it wouldn't have been as much of
> the sucess it was without you help.  Anyways, I found
> the uploaded pdf file today, and I really like it.
> I'm glad I can return a little bit of the knowledge
> that you have shared with me.
>
>   Anyways, I'm pursuing my love for engineering by
> starting a robotics club at my school.  The original
> medium was "combat robotics", but I'm splitting it up
> to incorporate some programming challenges as well.
> Check out the site...  www.geocities.com/nitro_nist  I
> mean, even though it's not kart-related, it's still
> interesting.  We mad-scientist types need to stay
> together...  lol.
>
> Yours Sincerely,
> Frank Lin


Subject: Re: my kart pics
>
Hi,
Cheers for them pictures, I will compress them down and put them on my
site for you in the next week or so. I am a tad busy these days.
Hope the kart is going ok, and the brakes etc.
Best of Luck
-steve