In the last post I'd got to the stage where the kart was close to moving under it's own steam. The chain wasn't on though - I had to wait to get a decent chain tool sent from a kart bits supplier on ebay. So I sorted the chain out and actually had it's maiden voyage, although I didn't write about it.
Because no pedals, I had a little go on it sort of reaching behind me to open the throttle on the engine directly . It moved along OK, but in the end it threw the chain off. Even though the axle is 30mm solid steel, the little engine still pulls hard enough to create whip in the axle (this is where the axle bends between the two supports and twangs back). So I needed a central bearing for the axle. I needed some steel plate, but I hadn't got any, so I cut up some large angle steel that I had stored safely at the bottom of the garden(!). I used this to make up a bearing mount and then welded that onto the frame. It was pretty simple - I bolted the bearing to the mount, put the axle on, and then welded it where it sat.
Here's some pics to show what I mean. The first shows the plate/bearing in position:
This is after welding the plate to the chassis and slapping some more orange paint on:
And here it is with the sprocket and chain back on:
In that last picture, you can also see the brake line and caliper - yes, this means the pedals are complete!
It might be a bit hard to make out, but the pedals are in, and the linkages are complete. I probably should have taken a picture of the engine end to see how the throttle is arranged that end, so I'll try to remember that next time. The brakes lines are done. I got a load of brake line components from Car Builder Solutions, and made up the system with them. In the above pic, you can see the caliper is not fitted, but that's just two bolts. Then it's bleeding the system, and that's the kart done!
Because no pedals, I had a little go on it sort of reaching behind me to open the throttle on the engine directly . It moved along OK, but in the end it threw the chain off. Even though the axle is 30mm solid steel, the little engine still pulls hard enough to create whip in the axle (this is where the axle bends between the two supports and twangs back). So I needed a central bearing for the axle. I needed some steel plate, but I hadn't got any, so I cut up some large angle steel that I had stored safely at the bottom of the garden(!). I used this to make up a bearing mount and then welded that onto the frame. It was pretty simple - I bolted the bearing to the mount, put the axle on, and then welded it where it sat.
Here's some pics to show what I mean. The first shows the plate/bearing in position:
This is after welding the plate to the chassis and slapping some more orange paint on:
And here it is with the sprocket and chain back on:
It might be a bit hard to make out, but the pedals are in, and the linkages are complete. I probably should have taken a picture of the engine end to see how the throttle is arranged that end, so I'll try to remember that next time. The brakes lines are done. I got a load of brake line components from Car Builder Solutions, and made up the system with them. In the above pic, you can see the caliper is not fitted, but that's just two bolts. Then it's bleeding the system, and that's the kart done!
