[Kartbuilding] Do you have any lightweight, afforable frame recommendations for a simple fun / yard / gokart?

[Stephen Burke]

Hi Norm,

Im glad that you found the www.kartbuilding.net website and are finding it 
useful.
Firstly, that engine sounds ok. Engines with a horizontal drive shaft are 
much easier to work with. I think I found the parts listing for that 
engine at:
http://shop.briggsandstratton.com/BShopProductPage.asp?CatalogID=656F8AC4-B611-4BB3-95BF-A9C915B1275A&MECID=100&CategoryID=&lrid=&ProductID=56B2BBE4-283C-11D4-8886-00B0D0203414#
You will definately need a torque converter for that engine. This will get 
the maximum speed over a range of terrains.
www.northerntool.com is the best place to get Go-Kart parts and 
accessories. Various torque converters can be found here:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_6970_291701+93+544611

Now, onto your chassis and lightweight assembly. There are lots and lots 
of places on the internet where you can buy go-kart assembly kits.
Northerntool.com do actually have a Go-Kart assembly kit at:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_1039461_1039461
which looks pretty nice, however does cost around $650. The wheels and 
seat comes with this package. If you want to trim down the weight as much 
as possible, I think this kit has too much in it. Ideall you would be able 
to attach a lightweight plastic seat onto an assembled chassis as per: 
http://www.kartbuilding.net/Freeplans/seat.htm
I have also heard of www.ubuilditplans.com
http://www.ubuilditplans.com/NEWUBUILDITKITS.HTML has various stages, i.e. 
just the chassis, or the chassis and wheels or the chassis + wheels + 
engine. Again as when buying parts etc. you are paying quite a bit of 
money. Also the karts on ubuilditplans look heavy and a bit much for your 
small engine.

If you can navigate http://www.mxk.com/  there are lightweight kits 
available. See:
http://www.tres-angle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=GFOM&Category_Code=YKAP
and
http://www.tres-angle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=GFOM&Product_Code=YK020WX
which is a pre-welded kit and chassis.

The torque converter will make things much easier and should be able to 
cope with whatever weight the kart is.

I hope this provided you with what you were looking for.
Best of Luck,
-steve

On Sat, 7 Jul 2007, Norm Chambers wrote:

> My 11-year old Brandon and I are going to build a gokart this summer (not
> for racing at all), and your site has lots of great information.  Thanks for
> all the tips and details.
>
> We are writing in hopes of getting pointers for lightweight and affordable
> frames and complete kits that we can basically assemble.  I don't have any
> experience welding, and I'm not a big handyman either, so I am hoping to
> make this basically an Assembly project, instead of a Fabrication & Design
> project.
>
> We have to keep things light and because of our engine size - - we'll be
> using a dinky 4-stroke B&S 110 cu engine (horizontal shaft, model 60101,
> type 1016-02, code 8206 3003 - the only owner's manual I found said 7 cubic
> inches, which is about 110 cc's)
>
> We do have some pretty good hills around our house (10% grade), so with this
> little engine, I'd love pointers on how to gear it right, and what torque
> converters you like in this case.
>
> Keeping in mind that Brandon and his brothers and sisters weigh 60 to 125
> lbs.
>
> Thanks in advance for any pointers you have on simple lightweight frames and
> kits, and any ideas you have for nice torque converters and good sprocket
> ratios.
>
> -Norm Chambers