Lawn Mower GoKart project

[leofd3s]

Sup guise, I have suddenly become interested in building a GoKart from scratch. Not one of those huge dune-buggy type deals, but a small one like a Mario Kart type deal.
So far I have a Craftsman 6.75 Horsepower engine, it says Hi-Torque on it , so I guess thats a huge step.
Now I need to figure out how to make the output from the propellers to the rear axel. Of course I dont have a body yet, simply an engine, and im thinking of heading on to the local Home Depot for supplies. I need light weight materials and im not sure what kind of metals to use. Ill probably have to buy a steering wheel, or maybe just stick some rubber grips on some metal . I want to keep this as a low cost project. Maybe spend as much as $200-300. So yeah, I just need a little advice on how to get this started.
Many thanks!-leofd3s


OH, and yeah I have heard of the 50hp Rotary Kart :P , but this will just be for starters, thats later

Feel free to message me about anything.

[Quiggs]

Chain drive ftw. If you have nothing at all aside from the engine, you'd better have some hook ups for materials AND know how to weld.

[leofd3s]

Lol welding is cake and materials im pretty sure I can find some scrap metal ;P

[johnnynumfiv]

Portable Generators, Grounds Maintenance, Lawn Mowers, Pressure Washers | Northern Tool + Equipment
They have a ton of build from scratch parts for go-carts. Good luck with the build!

[coolieman1220]

i always wanted to do that. i thought something like an edger motor would be better to use because its shaft is a horizontal one so you wouldn't have to change it over as in a lawn mower. you also need brakes. easiest would be to make it drive one wheen so no need for a diff. hope ur powerband is good for ya! have fun and don't kill yourself! one day i will do the same!

[johnnynumfiv]

Originally Posted by coolieman1220

i always wanted to do that. i thought something like an edger motor would be better to use because its shaft is a horizontal one so you wouldn't have to change it over as in a lawn mower. you also need brakes. easiest would be to make it drive one wheen so no need for a diff. hope ur powerband is good for ya! have fun and don't kill yourself! one day i will do the same!

Good point about the horizontal vs vertical.

What do you have?

[leofd3s]

First of all thanks for the quick posts lol,
and second of all, horizontal and vertical, i've read a couple of articles where that is mentioned and i have trouble understanding it. What exactly is horizontal on the engine? And i know it can't be solved by simply flipping it. I think I have an idea on what it is, is it what the belt is spinning on or what is it?




Twin turbo+Vtec+Quad Rotor=Craftsman

[johnnynumfiv]

The horizontal/ vertical is in relation to the crankshaft.
Vertical:

Shaft is going up and down.
Horizontal:

Shaft is going left to right.

What propellors were you talking about in the first post?

[ScionDriver]

Good luck with the build this is one of those things I think a lot of boys dream of doing (I know I did/do but could never pull it off). As for build materials, I think Home Depot carries carbon fiber now, so that would keep weight down...

Seriously though, I would think that steel tubing would work but I really don't know much about this stuff.

[70cuda88]

garage sales... seriously. look for rusty old go kart frames. ones that you can fix up and modify easily. that might take a little of the scratch part but saving a ton of time and money.

[pimento]

Originally Posted by coolieman1220

i always wanted to do that. i thought something like an edger motor would be better to use because its shaft is a horizontal one so you wouldn't have to change it over as in a lawn mower. you also need brakes. easiest would be to make it drive one wheen so no need for a diff. hope ur powerband is good for ya! have fun and don't kill yourself! one day i will do the same!

Diff shmiff. A solid axle is fine for a go-kart, you just have to go hard enough around the corners to get a drift going. As for vertical/horizontal, if it's a two stroke engine it can be turned on its side easily enough. Just need to move the fuel tank about and it should be ok, as long as the carbie can take it. Certainly worth playing with and seeing what happens.

[johnnynumfiv]

Originally Posted by pimento

Diff shmiff. A solid axle is fine for a go-kart, you just have to go hard enough around the corners to get a drift going. As for vertical/horizontal, if it's a two stroke engine it can be turned on its side easily enough. Just need to move the fuel tank about and it should be ok, as long as the carbie can take it. Certainly worth playing with and seeing what happens.

Just a note for the OP, it won't work with a 4stroke.

[leofd3s]

Duuuude johnnynumfiv, thanks so much for all the info now I know what exactly I have to work with. And carbon fibre at Home Depot?! Holy dumps! that would be great, and if its too expensive ill just find one of the carbon fibre pattern stickers :P

[ScionDriver]

Originally Posted by leofd3s

Duuuude johnnynumfiv, thanks so much for all the info now I know what exactly I have to work with. And carbon fibre at Home Depot?! Holy dumps! that would be great, and if its too expensive ill just find one of the carbon fibre pattern stickers :P

Now those Home Depot WOULD have. Real CF? No.

[Smithy]

A friend of mine just finished his go-kart last week actually... He's got a solid axle and its already got bald tires on the back; so I might put in a recommendation for a diff...

It's a hoot to ride on!