homemade go-kart

[tonyw]

Anyone out there ever built a homemade, wooden go-kart..just the kind for coasting, no motor? I told my son about the one my brother built for me when I was a kid--and of course he wants one too. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[AV8R62]

If you just plan on coasting , A hard rubber tire will roll easier than a pneumatic tire
and a taller tire will roll easier than a short one .
also some type of a brake can be a very good investment
you don't want to roll into the path of a car or truck even if you are only moving 2 mph.

 

[tonyw]

thanks for the input...yep, a brake is on the list. Even though we live away from any public roads, it would be good for him to keep from crashing into a dtitch or tree!

 

[MossRoad]

Try doing a search at google for soap box derby car plans. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[gator]

Tony,
Attached is a crude plan of the way my brother and I made them a bunch of years ago. The axles are held on by thru holes and nails or screws. You want the front axle to be wide so it can have a fairly tight turning radius. We used our feet for brakes on a paved road, mom was always getting mad cause we went through shoes so quick! The wheels are mounted to the axles with thru holes and bent nails and washers.
We used to have neighborhood drag races with these, no-one ever beat me pushing my little brother. We used to take a produce box with the holes in the side of it, and mount it on the front open side down, put a cut out milk carton on top for a blower, and paper towel tubes out the holes on the sides for exhaust pipes.
Man this brings back some memories. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[PineRidge]

Tony that sounds like a story for the Red Rider club. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tonyw]

Thanks a lot, Gator! I haven't been on the computer in a few days--sorry for the late reply, but the plans look great...now, I just need some time off work to build it...cough, cough...I think I feel a cold coming on /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[tonyw]

thanks for the help...I had tried everything else but "soap box derby"!
thanks to everyone else for your ideas!

 

[TheKid]

Those plans look a lot like the go-karts my brother I an used to build. When we got a little older and had a few more bucks we motorized them. Added a motor to a hindged board on the back and bolted a pully to one rear wheel. All it had for a clutch was a loose fan belt. When you wanted to go, you pressed down on a stick which would raise the board and engine which tightened the fan belt.

One thing we did learn the hard way was that we needed some type of stop on the front axle to keep the wheels from jaming against the side frame when making a sharp turn. When it jamed at high speed it would launch you right out of the cart.

 

[tonyw]

"When it jamed at high speed it would launch you right out of the cart." Hmm...sounds like the makings of a good "America's Funniest Home Videos" clip!