Preliminary updates to kart

After having a few runs around out garden on our new kart we were able to assess what needed repair or replacing. After all, for £160 we knew we were going to replace or upgrade some parts!

First thing was the brakes needed bleeding. With the appropiate brake fluid we were able to bleed the brakes. These were simple caliper design. There were no bleed nipples on caliper but 2 hex head bolts on each cylinder. With a quick open on these bolts and a pump on brakes to expel the fluid and tighten back up we had some good locking brakes.

Our next task was to renew the cable from the brake pedal to the master cylinder. After a search on ebay we were able to locate a connecting rod with clips and that seemed a better solution than a cable. So one was ordered and within 2 days were were refitting the new connecting bar between brake pedal and brake master cylinder.

The kart had standard wheels and tyres which were Ok but did not give much clearance between chassis and floor.

Search on google and came across grass kart clubs in Linconshire in UK. Viewed their websites and could see they were using larger diameter tyres with tread to give more ground clearance.

A phone call to a club member was made and yes they do use larger tyres as used on lawn mowers and could supply a set of 4 tyres, 4 rims and front and rear wheel hubs as hole centres were different to standard wheels for £200! 

This was over our budget so more research was needed to try and obtain tyres and hubs on ebay to help reduce costs.

We were able to locate new front and rear wheel hubs on ebay from UK Kart Store. These have a stud fixing centre of 80mm and another search on ebay located 4 quad bike rims and tyres. The tyres are slighly larger in diameter than what the grass karters use. They are 145/70 x 6 which make them just under 13" dia. These were purchased from ebay and within a few days we had all the part ready to fit.

The old wheel hubs needed some WD40 to get them off as they slightly rusted onto axel.

The rear axel was given a good clean to remove surface rust.

The front hubs need the 17mm wheel bearings tapped in and new spacers and soon they were on the axels.

The rear axel is 30mm dia and the rear wheel hubs were soon fitted. 

Uk Kart Store supply the front and rear hubs and are good quality. 

The rims/tyres were fitted to hubs and it certainly lifted the kart chassis of the ground by about 2" so plenty of clearance.

So thats the brakes and wheels sorted.

If you are not part of a kart club there is very little information to go on as to what fits and what does not work.

There are so many different karts on the market it difficult without guidance to now what to do which is why I am writing this blog to give anyone some idea of what can be done.

More to follow on new bearings, rear sprocket and new brake disc.