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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:02:55 PM EDT
[#1]
OST
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:05:21 PM EDT
[#2]
Tag as this is relevant to my interests. My 12yo has brought up the subject. Def not building one of those small carts with the tiny rubber wheels and liter motorcycle engine, but dont want to do a weak Briggs and Stratton build either.
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:10:48 PM EDT
[#3]
but dont want to do a weak Briggs and Stratton build either. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:14:20 PM EDT
[#4]
Whatever you do don't buy one of those cheap Chicom no names. They change every five minutes, so you can never find parts, so once something breaks (think the first month), they are dead.
MAYBE you can find one that is somewhat universal, and fab up/adapt a way to fix it, but I've seen piles of them thrown away by folks who aren't real handy. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:18:18 PM EDT
[#5]
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:22:55 PM EDT
[#6]
Here are a couple I've found somewhat local..
 Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:24:36 PM EDT
[#7]
Just finished rebuilding the gokart my uncle bought for my cousins, brother and I when we were kids. The thing has been sitting in a barn at the family farm for the last 25 years
So everything minus the frame is now brand new, but even the frame got a fresh sandblast and powder coat. My sons are 11, 7, and 6 and my house backs up to a neighborbood park so we have a couple of acres of open flat field to learn in. Threw a harbor freight predator engine on it while we tear apart the old briggs and learn about how an engine functions doing a complete rebuild. We have a 2nd gokart rotting away in the barn thats gonna get brought back home and given the same treatment. Highly recommend! |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:25:45 PM EDT
[#8]
You need to pick a budget. The motor is the cheapest part of it since you can get a NEW running 6.5HP Predator Honda Clone from HarborFreight. 5hp is plenty fast enough for a cart with no suspension. I picked up a used 2 seater for $350, put a new seat in it, a carb kit, and a $35 centrifugal clutch. So about $500 for a 1 wheel peel that could use some new tires. It will do almost 30mph on the flat with me in it with a Tecumseh 5hp.
You can get a China Clone TAV (belt drive torque converter) for under $100 which will really improve the drivability. Picking up a "complete" older used model will be tons cheaper than starting from scratch. I've got another frame I need to get going, TAV and a Predator sitting in the box. I want to do a live axle swap and some meatier tires for the 12yr old. There are tons of aftermarket support for the 6.5HP Predator, race pipes, carbs, etc. I think here is even a race league based off of them. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:26:15 PM EDT
[#9]
Better idea…buy a non-running 2-stroke dirt bike and teach him how to fix it and ride it
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:28:23 PM EDT
[#10]
It used to be worth it to build basic go-karts, buy the little no suspension flat bottoms are so cheap anymore you can't even scrounge the parts to build one for less. Around the yard a plain old 5 HP flathead or a 5.5 OHV is plenty of motor, and they both respond to mods well.
I built a motor for one about 12 years ago that geared right would run 50mph - and 50mph is squirrely as hell on 6" riding lawnmower tires and a little band brake. But as you go faster you need better tires, better brakes, stiffer frame, all more $$$ - unless you have a pile of old ATVs laying around 
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:28:44 PM EDT
[#11]
We have a 2nd gokart rotting away in the barn thats gonna get brought back home and given the same treatment. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:30:27 PM EDT
[#12]
Old school, 2 seater bench, no seat belts, no roll cage yellow jacket go kart.
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:33:03 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Old school, 2 seater bench, no seat belts, no roll cage yellow jacket go kart. https://i.pinimg.com/474x/7b/be/dd/7bbedd15530b94f488563a370d52088c.jpg Crazy thing is, I have 2 or 3 of those little 50cc Chinese 4 wheelers...and they look like they have a lot of parts that could be retrofitted into a cart build. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:36:17 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Here are a couple I've found somewhat local.. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/16213077208801948546375_jpg-1946430.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/1621307691868-388038532_jpg-1946431.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/1621307648658-2021651826_jpg-1946432.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/1621307621975-352773417_jpg-1946434.JPG Heh, those are kinda weird looking at them. I was going to say the first one looks like fun, but I'd rather have a cage for a 12YO - then I realized #1 has seatbelt and no cage and #2 has a cage, but no seatbelt.  In yard karts the old "rule" used to be no cage, no seatbelt. Cage, have a seatbelt. No cage and a belt if you roll it, you're rolling with it especially on a sidehill roll, and you're smacking the ground every time it flops. But with a cage and no belt you get thrown from the seat, but caught in the cage as it rolls. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:38:06 PM EDT
[#15]
Seat belts should be easy enough to add....even a small harness shouldn't be too difficult to fit.
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:40:06 PM EDT
[#16]
https://www.gopowersports.com/go-kart-kits/
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:44:38 PM EDT
[#17]
 Best of kartcross [16.000 rpm] | Asturacing |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:45:20 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:...but dont want to do a weak Briggs and Stratton build either. The OP wants what we call a "Yard Kart". My racing Briggs powered kart goes 75mph, a bit too much for a yard kart. |
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:50:49 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You'd be surprised how fast some of the 5hp models are...I had one of those cheap flat bottom two seaters with a 5hp years ago, and it would run close to 24 mph with an adult. That would be plenty fast enough for right now, at least while he's learning how to handle one. Shoot, my first go cart my dad bought for me from my neighbor. It was really basic one seat, flat bottom, small tires, the "brakes" were these little flat pieces of metal that would push up against (what was left of) the tread of the tire... It was pretty sketchy. It had a 2.5hp motor on it and I swear that thing would do every bit of 45mph. After dad saw how fast that thing would go I ended up with a brand new one... One with a roll cage, a disk brake, bigger off road tires and twice the horsepower. That one was considerably slower though 
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:51:08 PM EDT
[#20]
Relevent to my interests, even if my CC quakes in fear.
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Posted: 5/17/2021 11:59:26 PM EDT
[#21]
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Posted: 5/18/2021 12:07:41 AM EDT
[#22]
Mine from the 80s looked similar to this one:
 No seat belt No helmet You just floored it and held on Fun times |
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Posted: 5/18/2021 12:15:51 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Mine from the 80s looked similar to this one: https://img.5milesapp.com/image/upload/f_auto,t_i800/v1477427910/rf3tnfmsx1a5cbzzvrar.jpg No seat belt No helmet You just floored it and held on Fun times I think that is the exact one I had as a kid but with the roll cage removed. Mine was the “Red Talon” and had some kind of bird decal on the floor. You can see in that picture there was something removed from the floor. |
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Posted: 5/18/2021 12:32:21 AM EDT
[#24]
You just floored it and held on 
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Posted: 5/18/2021 11:00:08 AM EDT
[#25]
Yerf Dog
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Posted: 5/18/2021 7:57:48 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The OP wants what we call a "Yard Kart". My racing Briggs powered kart goes 75mph, a bit too much for a yard kart. Details....we need details! |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 4:20:43 PM EDT
[#27]
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Posted: 5/19/2021 4:29:04 PM EDT
[#28]
Hammerhead if you want well built, complete carts that don't break much and are easy to find parts for.
https://www.hammerheadoffroad.com/ One of ours.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 4:31:36 PM EDT
[#29]
bmi carts
Has a good selection of parts, lots of old school stuff. I don't think suspension is worth it until you start making decent power. Solid axle, basic chassis carts are easy and fun to build and a blast to tear around on. I did the same thing 7 or 8 years ago with the youngest, still have the cart, it comes out once or twice a summer. Cool thing is you can keep it as simple as you like or you can get pretty intricate, it's a frickin rabbit hole. Do some googleing and tubeing, there are still quite a few resources out there. |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 5:28:10 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Hammerhead if you want well built, complete carts that don't break much and are easy to find parts for. https://www.hammerheadoffroad.com/ One of ours. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61196/20191029_102452_jpg-1948322.JPG I doubt that one has a 7hp Kohler in the back... 
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Posted: 5/19/2021 5:35:18 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Mine from the 80s looked similar to this one: https://img.5milesapp.com/image/upload/f_auto,t_i800/v1477427910/rf3tnfmsx1a5cbzzvrar.jpg No seat belt No helmet You just floored it and held on Fun times NOICE!! yup, no safety gear, how we rolled. Miss going to the track where tires were the guard rails. We would push others into them then the owner would throw you out and then have to go restack the tires. Owner would tell us we were banned for a year…we would just get back in line he would forget who you are 
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Posted: 5/19/2021 5:56:37 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I doubt that one has a 7hp Kohler in the back... Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Hammerhead if you want well built, complete carts that don't break much and are easy to find parts for. https://www.hammerheadoffroad.com/ One of ours. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61196/20191029_102452_jpg-1948322.JPG I doubt that one has a 7hp Kohler in the back... Not far from it, actually. That's a full size, it uses a 150cc GY6 engine, which is the same type of engine a lot of road scooters use. I think it's rated at 9-10 hp. But it has a CVT, which you can adjust by changing the rollers. So you can improve acceleration or top end depending on the weight of the rollers you install. It moves pretty well for what it is, the kids love it, and it didn't cost a ton of money. You can put a CVT kit on any home built kart and gain a ton of range. |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 5:58:55 PM EDT
[#33]
 Attached FileNotice the red flashing light, front headlamp, side mirror, seatbelt, and milk crate tool box. There’s no reason that shouldn’t be streetable, right? |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 6:39:03 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Heh, those are kinda weird looking at them. I was going to say the first one looks like fun, but I'd rather have a cage for a 12YO - then I realized #1 has seatbelt and no cage and #2 has a cage, but no seatbelt. In yard karts the old "rule" used to be no cage, no seatbelt. Cage, have a seatbelt. No cage and a belt if you roll it, you're rolling with it especially on a sidehill roll, and you're smacking the ground every time it flops. But with a cage and no belt you get thrown from the seat, but caught in the cage as it rolls. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Here are a couple I've found somewhat local.. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/16213077208801948546375_jpg-1946430.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/1621307691868-388038532_jpg-1946431.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/1621307648658-2021651826_jpg-1946432.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15608/1621307621975-352773417_jpg-1946434.JPG Heh, those are kinda weird looking at them. I was going to say the first one looks like fun, but I'd rather have a cage for a 12YO - then I realized #1 has seatbelt and no cage and #2 has a cage, but no seatbelt. In yard karts the old "rule" used to be no cage, no seatbelt. Cage, have a seatbelt. No cage and a belt if you roll it, you're rolling with it especially on a sidehill roll, and you're smacking the ground every time it flops. But with a cage and no belt you get thrown from the seat, but caught in the cage as it rolls. When I was a kid one of the older kids had a no belt go kart with a roll cage that sat right about shoulder level on him. So his head stuck above the cage. I have no idea what madman thought that was a good design. Thing was fast as hell too. The 80s ruled, but I have no idea how we survived. |
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Posted: 5/19/2021 6:41:10 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Mine from the 80s looked similar to this one: https://img.5milesapp.com/image/upload/f_auto,t_i800/v1477427910/rf3tnfmsx1a5cbzzvrar.jpg No seat belt No helmet You just floored it and held on Fun times My neighbor across the back had one of those. From Sears. Fucker had the whole Sears catalog, it seemed. They had like a half acre lot, not huge, but plenty of room for a go kart track. They just drove in circles until they wore a big bare oval in the grass then all Summer they'd just race around in circles, yelling, crashing, and flipping. Somehow everyone still has all their limbs. |
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