Go-karts come in many forms from non-motorized to high-powered racing machines. To build a go-kart, one must plan the design, size it appropriately for the driver, gather materials like tubing and an engine, and obtain welding skills. The process involves building the chassis, installing front and rear axles, adding a seat and floorboards, mounting the engine, and assembling the steering and braking systems. A test drive should only be taken after thoroughly checking the welds, brakes, and engine mounting to ensure safety.

1. GO- KART

2. WHAT IS GO-KART
?
A go-kart (sometimes known as a "go-cart") is a small four-wheeled
vehicle. Go-karts come in all shapes and forms, from motorless
models to high-powered racing machines, some, like Superkarts,
being able to beat racing cars on long circuits.
Gravity racers, usually referred to as Soap Box Derby carts, are
the simplest type of go-karts. They are propelled by gravity, with
some races taking place down a single hill

3. HOW TO BUILD A GO KART ?
?
THREE PARTS
1. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT
2. BUILDING THE CHASSIS AND STEERING
COLUMN
3. MOUNTING THE ENGINE AND STEERING
COLUMN

4. 1. PLANNING YOUR PROJECT
* DRAW UP DETAILED PLANS FOR THE GO-KART YOU WANT TO MAKE

5. - Go karts can be many different sizes, shapes, and designs.
These homemade vehicles are amenable to any design elements
you want to throw into it. The basic essentials are a chassis, a
simple engine, and a steering/braking system.
. Get creative in your planning for the project and produce detailed
diagrams to make sure you get enough materials to complete the
job. Look at other go-karts for inspiration and learn from kart-makers
who've been there before.
. Alternatively, you can find schematics and plans online for many
different types of models, if you'd rather let someone else do the
planning. Use a template and modify it as you see fit.

6. * SIZE THE GO-KART APPROPRIATELY
•The size of the go-kart should depend on the age and size of the
driver. For young drivers, about 30 inches (0.76 m) wide by 50
inches (1.3 m) long will work, while adults will want about 40
inches (1 m) wide by 72 inches (1.8 m) long.
•It's important to plan the go-kart accurately, using specific
measurements, otherwise it'll be difficult to get the right materials
and the right amount of them.

7. * GATHER YOUR
MATERIALS

8. If you're short on cash, visit a scrap yard and see if you can pick up any low-cost
parts. Or, you may be able to salvage parts from an old riding lawnmower
or a junk go kart found at a yard sale. Ask lawn mower repair services for
spare parts or junked out riding lawnmowers and used 4 cycle engines in the
10 to 15 horsepower range, with horizontal shaft and a drive clutch assembly.
Here's what you'll need:
•For the chassis:
• 30 feet (9.2 m) of 1-inch (2.5 cm) square tubing
• 6 feet (1.8 m) of 0.75-inch (2 cm) round steel barstock
• 6 feet (1.8 m) of 0.5-inch (1.5 cm) bar stock
• 3/16-inch (0.5 cm) thick steel plate in a width and length slightly larger
than your engine
• Plywood or metal (for seat and floorboards)
• Seat

9. •For engine:
• Engine (try an old lawnmower engine)
• Chain that fits the sprocket
• Bolts, washers
• Gas tank
•For the drive train:
• Wheels
• Steering wheel
• Gear and handbrake
• Drive shaft
• Bearings
• Steering shaft
• Brake pedal
• Throttle/go pedal

10. * OBTAIN A WELDER

11. • If you've got no experience welding, you will have to hire a
welder for this project. The most essential part of the go-kart is a
solid chassis that'll hold you onto it while driving and house the
engine. If you're going to weld it together out of pieces of
barstock, the welds should all be made with the proper heat, weld
depth/penetration and uniform weld-beads. Otherwise, the welds
may be weak, brittle, bubbly, cracked and/or only surface deep,
making your go-kart a death trap.
•If you don't have experience welding, don't start by putting
together a go-kart. Start with other smaller projects if you want to
learn.

12. * CONSIDER BUYING A GO-KART KIT
• If you're not interested in welding and designing your own go-kart,
purchase a no-weld kit that you can put together with simple
tools, featuring detailed instructions and schematics to make the
job a snap.
• Available widely for about $550 dollars, you can have the
satisfaction of putting together a go-kart yourself without the hassle
of designing it and buying all the materials separately.

13. 2. BUILDING THE CHASSIS AND STEERING
COLUMN
* CUT THE METAL TUBING

14. •Cut your lengths of tubing to the appropriate lengths, given your
design or schematics.
•For most designs, the front end will feature a camber angle,
narrower than the rear, which will allow the wheels room to turn,
allowing the chassis to twist slightly. To do this, mount a King Pin at
the front corners where the wheels will be, to allow for easy twist.
•For an easy eye-guide, consider marking up the floor of the garage
or the area you're working with sidewalk chalk of the appropriate
measurement, to keep you from having to remeasure repeatedly.
You could even draw out the whole design on the ground and start
laying it on top.

15. * WELD THE FRAME TOGETHER ACCORDING TO YOUR DESIGN

16. Use concrete blocks to keep the frame elevated while you work,
making sure all your connection points are solid and the chassis
is secure. It needs to be strong enough to hold your weight and
the weight of the engine, so it's not the time for a shoddy weld
job. For more strength, use gussets at all corners.

17. * ASSEMBLE THE FRONT STUB AXLES
• Build your axle with a straight piece of 0.75-inch (2 cm) steel rod,
and two bushings attached to your frame. Use washers and cotter
pins drilled through the axle to keep the assembly in position.
•Install the front stubs that'll allow you to turn easily before messing
with the steering column and attach your King Pin, to the steering
arm. You'll need to have at least 110 degrees of angle on the front
wheels, so plan accordingly.

18. * INSTALL YOUR REAR AXLE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY
• You'll likely need to assemble a axle carrier with a bearing
bracket for the rear axle, meaning that the axle itself can be
welded to the frame while also spinning freely and snugly. Weld a
steel plate onto the chassis, securing the pressure plate outside
with high-tensile bolts and lock nuts, to squeeze the bearing.
•Rather than making your own, you can also purchase these
assemblies, sometimes called "Pillar Bearing Units."

19. * BUILD YOUR SEAT AND FLOOR BOARDS OUT OF PLYWOOD LUMBER OR METAL

20. You can try and salvage an old go-kart seat or an appropriately-sized
car seat from the junk yard to save money, or just build a
simple bucket with a cushion for support. Leave enough room
for the steering and other controls.

21. 3. MOUNTING THE ENGINE AND STEERING
COLUMN
* INSTALL THE ENGINE MOUNT

22. • Weld a flat piece of 3/16-inch (0.5 cm) thick steel plate to the
rear frame to mount your engine. Place the engine on the plate,
and mark the holes for the mounting bolts so that the engine
pulley lines up with the drive pulley on your axle.
• Attach the drive pulley on the axle prior to mounting the axle in
the bushings. You can either use a set screw to hold it in
position, or weld it directly to the axle, but it should be aligned
with the pulley on your engine.

23. * ASSEMBLE YOUR STEERING LINKAGE

24. . Use the 0.5-inch (1.5 cm) steel rod for linkages, and the 0.75-
inch (2 cm) for your axles. To make the 90-degree bends in the
0.75-inch rod, you may have to use a torch to heat the steel.
• Provide adjustable links for aligning steering, because it is very
important to have the proper caster and camber: front-wheel
vertical and steering tilt.

25. * INSTALL THE WHEELS AND BRAKES
• Get some small racing wheels to give your kart the optimum
acceleration and control. Fix them onto the axles with hubs and
start working on the brakes, so the go-kart will be safe.
• For the brakes, fix a disc onto the rear axle and a caliper
assembly onto the chassis for the most professional system
possible. Often, you can acquire these assemblies in relatively
good shape from junked motorbikes. They're the appropriate size
and will be easy to work with.
• Install a brake pedal to operate with your foot, regardless of
what kind of acceleration you have. Don't leave too much to do
with your hands other than steering.

26. * ATTACH THE THROTTLE CABLE TO THE HAND THROTTLE

27. Depending upon your experience and the kind of engine you're
working with, you may be able to put together a foot pedal, or
you may just need to make it easy and throttle-up like you
would a lawnmower.

28. * DOUBLE CHECK YOUR BRAKES AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM BEFORE
TEST-DRIVING
Even if you're going at relatively slow speeds, it's important to
make sure you're not going to slip an axle on your first go-around.
Double check your welds, your brakes, and the engine's
mounting. Then take 'er for a spin!

29. NOW YOUR GO-KART IS READY FOR RACE