Go Kart Conversion

[mikebikerad]

Just finished this project up. Hope this is the right section?!? And almost ready for new tires after the first run!!

65 volts 40 ah 20c LiPoly
D&D ES-15
Alltrax 450 amp turned to 100%

[TylerDurden]

That's nice.

Top speed?

[mikebikerad]

Current gearing it does ~40mph but I'm changing it this week to drag race a Tesla! looking for ~60mph top speed the brakes are not the best so I dont want to push it without regen

[HumboldtRc]

With the stock little 100cc 4 stroke motor that go kart would go at least 60mph, with maybe 8-10hp. You should order up gears so it will go over 100mph. Get a 30 tooth sprocket for the rear and a 19 or 20 tooth for the front. Then that thing will be fun!! I want to take it to Samoa drag strip and smoke some cars with it!!! I think they opened up for the season last week. Also you should get front breaks for it, then it would stop on a dime.

[hillzofvalp]

Our club just finished first in a EV grand prix purdue hosts every year. We ran an AC-9 with a curtis controller. 18650s (free.99 test cells from Tesla sponsor) were packaged in all cell phase change material... fun race! we were .1 seconds from beating the best gas lap and we were only taking it easy. 15/56 gearing. next time may be running 13 or 14 tooth cause we weren't even topping out

[hillzofvalp]

We're not allowed to take the kart in a parking lot for testing. Track only since it's a university affiliated club.---looks like it would be fun!

A member has the curtis controller that is twice the size of this one (600+A?) (Which he uses in his motorcycle).. we may throw it on and try it sometime at the track to see what kind of time we can get.

[mikebikerad]

That thing looks sweet! are those roll cages required? I have gears in the mail for more speed.

[hillzofvalp]

Roll cages, safety harness, and head rest all required as its a university run event. Roll cage weighs nothing though. Battery pack is about 1/3 of kart weight at 95lbs. It was the most overkill kart I think a team could build from bare frame starting only 8 days prior. Magnesium wheels and a semi-pro driver were nice inclusions

[mikebikerad]

Lets see some video of that thing on the track. Is the roll cage bolt on?

[hillzofvalp]

it is a bolt on aluminum cage. On the straights (which I don't have video of) we triple passed people consistently. I'll try to up tomorrow. We're trying to increase our ratio at the moment... May try 13/56 at 7000-8000 rpm

[hillzofvalp]

the british team actually had an onboard camera.. check it out! you won't see my kart in this video because we're about to pass this guy.

[mikebikerad]

New video posted of it in action. That track driving looks fun!

[Arlo1]

Very cool stuff. But the roll cages make me want to cry... They are added unnecessary weight and not likely to make anything any more safe. A performance pavement kart is to be treated like a motorcycle you fall off you roll or slide and you are ok but when you are trapped inside you will likely smash knees and elbows and possibly other parts. And with the added weight you are more likely to roll!

[mikebikerad]

The only reason I added the cage was because I have this fear that the kart will go speeding underneaths a car or truck leaving my torso behind BUT i agree with you 100% The cage is also inhibiting the frame from flexing which has effected the handling/steering quite badly. You can see in the video when my front tire lifts off the ground considerably.... is that normal? I am no kart expert.

The cage saved me one time so far from hitting my shoulder/head hard but other than that just extra weight and nonsense.

[Hillhater]

The cage is also inhibiting the frame from flexing which has effected the handling/steering quite badly. You can see in the video when my front tire lifts off the ground considerably.... is that normal? .

Yes, the front wheel lifting is normal, and deliberately designed into the front geometry by inclining the steering "king pins" .
This is termed "Weight Jacking",.. and it will actually result in the inside REAR wheel lifting slightly when cornering fast.
This helps to eliminate the "push" or "understeer" that would otherwise result due to the lack of differential on the rear axle.

But also , yes ..that cage will also affect the handling, ( unless you mount it flexibly ) but you probably wont notice until you get your tyres warmed up and "working" normally on a clean race track.