Building your own go cart sounds very complicated and in all actuality it is. There are many things that can go wrong and test your patience. Your gonna need some mechanical skills because designing is essentially like automobile design, an engineering skill, and it helps to have a good layout prepared before you get down to the nitty-gritty of it. Here’s a checklist for building homemade go karts.
Go Cart Design
Keep a design fixed in your mind or translate it to paper. Decide all the possible variables, such as the number of people riding it, the terrain it will be driven on, engine size, clutch type, materials, drive system and suspension. Do you want gas powered or electric? All calculations of engine torque, weight distribution will be done based on these variables, so choose carefully.
Analysis of Design
Once you design the go carts initial setup it is necessary to make certain calculations about the vehicle layout and chain size, to make sure your go cart moves. Analysis is the most crucial step during the entire process and mistakes here can be costly. A few essential parameters to be calculated here are:
* Center of gravity - this determines the steering of the kart, as a good balanced design has 50% weight distributed on all wheels (the weight includes the driver’s weight as well)
* Engine Drive Line- calculate the engine size to weight ratios, including the chain size and tension, and determine the type of clutch you are going to use
* Strength of Frame- analyze the chassis and decide which material suits it best foe maximum flexibility and stress handling, with out being too heavy
* Component selection- Choose the type of chain, bearings and clutch which would ensure optimum performance, relative to go kart size
Go Cart Parts / Materials
If you’ve mapped out the complete cart on your garage floor or on your computer, you need to pick up the materials that make up the kart which are appropriately named go kart parts. Get all the materials together by size beforehand to save a lot of time. Some parts, such as the engine can be taken off your lawnmower; otherwise there are good go cart engines to be bought either online or at your local ATV stores. Go kart parts are all over the internet (Craigslist, Ebay) new and used and at very affordable rates.
Here are the essential parts to any go kart build:
1. Frame
2. Seats
3. Seat belts (harness)
4. Steering
5. Drive Axle
6. Suspension (optional)
7. Engine
8. Brakes
9. Clutch (sends power to rear wheels)
Welding the Go-Kart Frame
1.Get all steel or aluminum tubing and make sure they are sized and bent right to your correct measurements. Typically, you should tack up the main frame and weld it. Note: (You can purchase all your parts and piece the cart together in a bolt on kit. Go cart kits are available to help you have a leg up on the build itself.)
2.Then mount the seats; A fiberglass or plastic is used to make the seat. Have them upholstered by a professional with sufficient padding so you have a comfortable ride.
Dont forget your seat belts – There are a couple of harnesses you can install for ultimate safety:
1. 3 point harness (most common)
2. 5 point harness (used for racing applications)
Attaching Steering Assembly
You will want to fasten the steering using bolts and steel clips or nuts (preferably stainless). These should be provided with the steering assembly you purchased.
The drive axle is next on you build list. It needs to be attached with the proper size sprocket for your go cart. Note: (Be sure the teeth are not too worn if you use a used sprocket off of a lawnmower or other go kart.)
Choosing a Go Cart Engine
There are 2 types of gas go Kart engines, Water cooled and Air cooled. Both are great but have their pros and cons.
Air Cooled- The temperature is kept down on these by air flow through the motor. So in warmer climates this motor will overheat if run for long periods of time.
Water Cooled- This go cart motor is cooled like a car in that it has fluid running through it to keep the temp down via radiator. This engine will run for a very long time with no overheating issues. It does require proper maintenance and setup for it to work properly.
There are many places to get a go kart engine for your liking:
Lawnmower engines are the number one engine used in most carts.
Motorcycle engines are often used and come in 2 stroke and 4 stroke varieties. Snowmobile engines are often used in the colder northern climate because they are cheap and readily available. They do tend to run poor when the climate warms up.
Brakes Setup
One of the most important aspects of any moving vehicle is the brake system. Let’s face it, without proper braking you are an out of control speeding bullet. There are 4 different kinds of brakes systems you can put on your go cart.
1. Drum – they get larger inside the drum which restricts movement on the wheel. Drum brakes typically don’t get wet making them a better choice than others such as band brakes.
2. Band – This type of braking is relatively cheap but do poorly in wet weather. The band is made of metal and clamps down on the outside of the brake drum slowing down the cart.
3. Scrub – This type uses two metal squared flaps that press against the outside of the back tires causing the go cart to slow down. Again not a great braking system when in wet.
4. Disc – This is the best braking setup of them all and what is used automobiles. They are however much more expensive than the previous 3.
Test Drive With Extreme Caution
You are now ready to test drive your new go kart but only in a safe flat area where no possible pedestrian can be hurt. It will help point out any errors you made during your go cart build. Chances are you have not gotten everything right the first time around. Mistakes will be made but that is part of the learning process.
Possible Errors
1. The brakes may not be adjusted, or worst case, not working.
2. The clutch may smoke.
3. The chain may be loose or too tight
4. The steering may be misaligned.
5. You forgot to put gas in it 
All of these problems require minor readjustments. You should congratulate yourself if it moves. All of this will totally be worth it and bring much pleasure to yourself and you child as opposed to just looking at used go karts.
If you are building a racing kart at home, you can use go kart kits as well as the materials that are available around you. In most cases, you use steel tubing as the chassis. An entire steel base will increase the load and affect the speed of the go cart. If you are building a go cart for yourself I would also look for a do it yourself manual on how to build a go cart, I would advise you to look an iron or steel frame with wood on it. This will give much strength to the go kart and more power to sustain the irregular terrains where go-carts are used mostly. This also provides lesser load on the wheels than the entire base being iron.
Racing Go Karts
If you are looking for racing go carts for sale, you can buy one with a stainless steel frame. This would be the best option as the engine you will be using will have to spend less power towards carrying the excess load of a racing kart. The go cart frame determines the maximum speed you can achieve through the engines you choose to have on your racing go cart. While there are not many options available when you go for the production racing go karts engine. Most of the ready made racing go karts employ the best engines that bring the cost of the overall go-kart up.
On the other hand, if you are building your own fast go cart, you can select not only the chassis but also the engine. You can select one in your budget and use it with your racing go cart. You can also use a refurbished or spare go cart engine lying in used go karts you can find in the newspaper or internet. You get more options when you built your first car yourself.
Building a homemade go cart brings about a certain amount of joy and pride that comes from achieving something you thought was previously impossible. This is an excellent time to bond with your children and teach them and yourself in the process. If you still find yourself asking, “How do I make a go cart?”, then look online for some good reference guides and online manuals. Notherntool.com has the best selection of go cart plans, parts and manuals.
This will provide you with the necessary go kart parts illustrations and detailed lists of tools to use and the calculations required. There are go cart manuals for every kind of cart from metal to even how to build a wooden go cart. Good luck and remember to consult a trained mechanic if you have any issues you cannot figure out.
Here are a few basic “how to make a go kart” videos to help you get your hands dirty courtesy of stormthecastle.com
