[Kartbuilding] Go Kart - Breaks and Bumpers

[Stephen Burke]

Hi,

Thanks for your email. I'm glad you find the www.kartbuilding.net website 
useful.
As for bumpers on a go-kart, there is a section on the above website for 
bumpers ( http://www.kartbuilding.net/Freeplans/bumpers.htm ) but this is 
moreso for metal bumpers for the off-road kart. You could adapt the above 
design and attach rubber (from old tyres) around them.
The following link shows how the professional karts do it. They have 
"pods" on either side of the kart and a strip of tough plastic all around. 
See: 
http://www.kartbuilding.net/gallery/v/Commercial_Karts-Photos_and_Details/DSC02143.JPG.html

As for brakes, it all depends on how heavy the kart and driver is.
If its a small wooden kart, take a read of: 
http://www.kartbuilding.net/woodenkart/brakes.htm
If its for a racing/off-road kart see: 
http://www.kartbuilding.net/Freeplans/brakeandsprocket.htm

As for providing power to a kart without a motor, there is no method I'm 
aware of. I know what you mean with the toy car, where a spring is wound 
up, and then released providing forward thrust. You would need a heavy 
duty spring and a mechanism to wind it up. Interesting, but I don't know 
how feasible it would be!

Best of luck with the build.
-steve


On Sat, 16 May 2009, cstrub wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Your web-site is great! I would like to build this for my 10 year old son.
>
> Do you have any suggestions as to breaks and bumpers of some sort? The bumper part may be workable with tire material. But the breaks will be a challenge.
>
> One other thing -Is there a way to give it some forward motion without a motor, like what little toy cars do when you pull them back and let them go forward? Probably not. I thought I'd ask. A good old fashioned push from the back of the kart is probably enough speed.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Catharyn