[Kartbuilding] Fwd: Free Go-Kart Plans Safety Additions

[Stephen Burke]

Hi Dale,
I have got your emails ok.
I have already used that method for steering the basic wooden kart,
and I found that it is very difficult to get the steering working
effectively.
The steering arm needs to be attached very well to the main central
pivot or bolt. As a result I opted to leave this out of the kart, as
it would only complicate things further. The accelerator and brake
levers would have to be changed to foot pedals and such like.
In saying that it wouldnt be too much work, however I started the
basic wooden kart to be based around a typical push wooden kart.
If you want, you can do a drawing of it, and I will put it on my
website, however I will not change existing plans to suit.
Thanks for your input.
Best of Luck
-steve

>
> Hi Steve,
>
> It has been hard to get the picture through to you because the address I
> have been using has been causing my mailings to be returned as undeliverable
> several times.  I am trying the new address I found on your site.
>
> The drawing with the modifications for the wooden go-kart is in the
> attachment named "SAFETY ADDITIONS."  I hope it is fairly easy to follow the
> meaning and placement of the added parts.  If you have questions for
> clarification please feel free to contact me.  I gave no dimensions as the
> parts might need to be located in different places for taller or shorter
> drivers and these dimensions should be found by measuring with the driver
> seated on the kart.
>
> It also occurs to me that steering could be made easier by using a steering
> lever similar to the one Henry Ford used on his first vehicle "The
> Quadracylce."  To do this the front axle assembly would need to be placed on
> top of the frame instead of on the bottom as in your original drawing.  A
> wooden wedge cut at the proper angle could be used to raise the lever to the
> desired height.  It might be a good idea to reinforce the lever at the wedge
> with wooden pieces of plywood which are cut into triangles matching the
> angle of the wedge and fastened on each side of the place where the wedge
> joins the lever down on the axle.  If you think that warrants use on your
> web siteI can make a drawing for a detail of that as well.  A picture of the
> car I mentioned can be found on the Internet by typing "henry ford's first
> car" or "quadracycle" in the address window of your web browser.
>
> Thank you again for the web site with the free plans and all those great
> links,
> Dale Thomas