Go karts need to be maintained and repaired, just like a car. With regular maintenance, your kart will last a long time. Without proper care, it may end up in the trash heap, rotting away in the back yard, or become unsafe.
Below is a list of links to go kart parts that need to be maintained, or repaired when damaged.
- Bearings: Removal and installation of new bearings.
- Brakes
- Brake Band
- Mechanical Disc
- Centrifugal Clutch
- Chain
- Cables
- Engine
- Which go kart engine is best, Plus maintenance tips.
- Predator 212cc Performance Parts.
- Frame
- Tie Rods
- Torque Converter
- 30 Series Torque Converter (TAV2)
- 40 Series Torque Converter: Clutch dis-assembly, maintenance, and reassembly.
- Spindles
- Storage
- Tires: Sizing, removal, and replacement guide.
Hey Kartfab!
Im messaging you after having read your articels, and would really love it if you would please help me and my group with your expert knowledge.
We are a group of enginering students from the university of Aarhus (in Denmark). We are working on a project where we a optimizing a safety frame (also called frame or rolling bar) on a gokart.
Specificially we are trying to lighten the frame, make it cheaper, and change the design, all the while complying with the standarts and safety regulations we have in denmark.
In that, we are messaging you to ask if you have any advice on the matter, or if you could refer to any websites/books/other.
Looking forward too your answer!
Best regards 🙂
– Andreas Amdi Sparvath
I can send you the link to the specific safety frame in a private email 🙂
Sorry in advance if this is a dumb question, I’ve never built a go kart before. I’m planning to use your basic plans to build a rail coaster that will ride on an old abandoned narrow gauge railway. If i use the single axle drive method, does that tend to cause the cart to pull to one side? Or is the pull negligible enough that it won’t create a problem with friction on the wheel flanges?
I just watched your video on the comet 40 series clutch rebuild and liked/subscribed. I have one question. At one point you flashed on a red/yellow spring mirror image configuration of the clutch but didn’t say anything about it. When would you use the yellow spring version? Do you have examples or diagrams of using them both? I’ve seen people using these driven clutches with the springs near the backing plate and the springs away from the backing plate and I’ve seen both yellow and red springs in both configurations and apparently both versions of the clutch…so now I’m confused.
yellow is not ideal, red is. They both work. comet 40 is not the same as a comet 30 series, which uses aftermarket red springs. That might be the source of your confusion.
Just built our Live Axle kit and had a great first run! How can I quiet the engine down more to drive it around the neighborhood? GoPower sports just told me the stock muffler is the best option but I could experiment with car mufflers, but the back pressure caused by a car muffler might hurt the performance. Any ideas?
honda grom muffler works great. very quiet. You will have to figure out how to brace it and weld up a custom header (or use flex exhast tubing. 1″OD tubing works great and mates up to the header.
Finished the go kart. Ran it for about a half hour and noticed the clutch began sticking. The symptoms were the engine stops and makes a racket. Also when pushing the go kart with the engine off, the clutch starts turning the engine over.
Anyway, I took the clutch a part and noticed the bronze bearing was wearing onto the steel clutch shaft. I smoothed it using some very fine sand paper and greased it. It worked well for about another 30 minutes before again having the same issue. Am wondering if anyone has ideas for me? Or does anyone have a recommendation for a better clutch? Thanks!
big difference between a $20 clutch and a $50-$100 clutch. Hillard makes great clutches. remember to oil with 2-3 drops of oil before use.
KartFab if i send you some pictures of my suplies do you think you could walk me throw some of my problems?
I asked a question in your welding section and then realized I was in the wrong section but anyhow I can not figure out how to take apart my 44c magnum tourqe converter it is the aftermarket one that go powersports sells I tried making two tool’s they were a steel shaft with cut off bolts that went in the little holes and the both broke so any tips would help and do you have any experience with the Vegas carts 460 I just built one but have not yet run it I am food at building motors but that Tourqe converter is getting the best of me
Would you know the valve lash for 212cc non hemi with 18lb valve springs?
I just finished painting and clear coating my go kart. I used rustoleum 2x paint and primer orange. I didnt use an enamel base paint and after i let it dry for 48 hrs it use scratch off to the touch, so i sprayed the clear coat thinking it would leave a protected coat and nice shine but it was very humid outside and dried with this milky almost powder style on top. I have no idea what to do. I feel like the only way to have a strong paint job that wont scratch off and looks good is to break the kart down again to frame and wire brush it all down to metal and restart with new correct paint. ITs been a 4 month process since day 1. Is there any other suggestions to have a good looking finished paint job.
take frame to powder coat and spend ~100 to get it powder coated. There is now way you can get a scratch resistant or scratch proof finish with spray paint.
Well better than how im doing i found my suplies in a junk yard and im trying to make a go kart with two of my freinds
Hey! finally getting around to building and almost done…been a long time since my son and I purchased the plans.
For the Disc Brake Caliper…the one from GoPowerSports seems to be reversed from what you have on your plans. did you reverse the configuration?
The caliper is universal. Just remove the pin that the lever pivots on and insert it into the other hole.
I just put together the KartFab live axle upgrade kit with predator 212. Problem is the master link on the chain is nipping the rivets on inside of torque converter. There seems to be no position of motor or chain tension that solves the problem. Any ideas on a fix?
use a spacer (washer(s)) to space the jackshaft sprocket from the torque converter driven unit. Also, consider flipping the master link so the bulky side is opposite to the position it faces currently.
Hello, I just purchased a 2005 Carter Brothers Talon mini buggy. I’m in the process of troubleshooting the engine. It won’t run. I found lots of old thick oil in the air filter box and all over bottom of 150cc gy6 engine. It’s a hot mess! I want to just get a new engine at this point. What engine can I mount without having to put in new chain or other parts? Thanks for your time.
a 150cc gy6 engine 🙂
I have a go kart I just got and have started working on. It will need a motor, and I will probably end up with the Predator 212. I have a comet 20 torque converter with a 10 tooth sprocket, and the axle has a 30 tooth sprocket. The kart is going to see more light off road use than road use. I have read up on gear ratios some, and 3:1 seems like a ratio that won’t work. Does the torque converter effect the 3:1 ratio, or do I need to consider a new axle sprocket? Thanks!
you need about 60 teeth on the rear sprocket, and that is for a light kart up to 18″ in rear tire. If it has 20 or 22″ rear tires, you would need to make the jackshaft sprocket an 8t and the axle sprocket a 72t
I’ve got a predator 420 and I got a 30 series torque converter and with in 5 mins the belt rolled over and burnt up…is this torque converter to small or did I install wrong…I’m having some trouble with this… obviously something is wrong but not to sure I want to keep buying belts every time I ride it. Any advice would be great
TJ, the 420 predator is about 13-15 hp. The 30 series is only rated up to 8 hp. That is why you are burning up belts. Go ahead and get a 40 series torque converter and your belt problems will go away.
Did you put the belt on right one side has a slight angle for the clutch to slide into the flat side goes against the engine hope this helps
Thanks for the list of parts to maintain. I am getting a new go-kart, and I want to make sure I know how to care for it. I didn’t realize that you need to remove and install new bearings regularly. I will make sure I learn a little bit about the bearings and stay on top of the process.
Hello Kartfab,
Great site & info for a newbie. I bought a used kart, it runs ok for a couple of passes and then bogs down, no low end torque. I cleaned the carb thoroughly and found out the main jet is .040, is this too big? The engine is a 6.5 clone, after market air filter, header, no governer, 18 lb springs, supposedly a gx160 head. The head, valves had a lot of carbon build up, which I cleaned. I put in a .036 main jet, it runs better but still no low end torque. Any ideas other than buying a predatorengine.
no low end torque could be due to a number of reasons. Since the kart is heavily modified ill just give you a few possibilities 1)excessive porting reduced intake and exhaust velocity. High air velocity is extremely important for torque 2) camshaft is built for high rpms (which ruins torque). 3) timing is too far advanced (advancing the timing shifts the torque curve up to higher rpms, which ruins torque at the low end 3) valve sealing may be poor 4) cylinder sealing my be poor 5) exhaust header may be too large (may also be compounded by porting the ehxuast port too large 6) improper gearing: this one has nothing to do with your engine, rather your gear ratio, and tire size. An ideal gear ratio would put your go kart at 25 mph at 3600 rpms for a centrifugal clutch, and up to 35 mph at 3600 rpm with a torque converter. 7) carb venturi size could be too large (bored out too large) which also reduces low end torque due to the low intake velocity. If the carb jet was really bored out that high, it could be because the carb venturi was too big, and an excessively large jet would have to compensate for the lower flow to get a good fuel signal. Hope that helps. Also, the jetting on a 6.5 clone with aftermarket modifications like that should be between a .033 to .038 typically.
can we use iron for frame making
If by iron you mean steel, then yes. Cast iron, no.
My son races jr jr class predator motor. The rules are factory condition red restrict or plate and restricted to 3800 rpm and 4.5 gear ratio. What can I do to increase the top end. He is steady 3rd and two other carts just seam to walk away from him.
not sure about the rest of the rules, but you could look into modifying bore, stroke, compression, and headwork. There are a lot of tricks, but id say stick with the rules, and work on the stuff you can modify.
Gg, thanks kartfab for the list now I can make a go kart (even I’m 9yrs. old)
🙂
Okay guys I have a tomberlin foxfire 620, That I bought from friend to help him out. I’m relatively new to go karts , so I don’t know too much. My problem is somewhere along the karts lifespan changed the driver side front spindle to some crazy one lol. I need to know if anyone can point me towards the size I need or a good price on the replacement the cheapest I’ve found after searching for hours is $144 for one so way too steep. I need help! Please!
I have a go kart like MIDAS but with a 212 predator, it has a 9T jack shaft sprocket and a 54 tooth sprocket that needs to be replaced, which size sprocket would be good with the 9T speed-wise?
I have a 3.5 hp briggs, can i put a preditor 212 carb. On it, and if so do i need to remove the govenor
put a carb used on a smaller engine with similiar displacement on it. Yes governor works with carb so obviously it needs to go. Understand there are risks associated with governor removal as well.
I have a kart with a 99 cc predator engine. I bought a new 212 cc to replace it. The new one doesn’t seem to fit. The fly wheel seems like it’s in the way. What do I need to do? Shouldn’t it fit? And will I need any other parts to make it hook up?
hmmmm im not sure what you are putting it on, but id ask some people at diygokarts.com just click on the forum there and post pictures.
I built a Predator 212 for performance and i need a 12v charging sys for efi. Im using an Arc billet flywheel #6625 and the stock coil right now. The efi will be added soon, so i need to figure out how to charge the battery but i dont know what will work. Can you help?
You need to know how many amps your efi system needs. Mist charge could only provide 3, so you may be sol. Try a pulley/alternator instead, but that creates more drag too.
What kind of grease or oil should you use on the crankshaft of a predator 212cc. Or more so onto the bearing around the shaft?
you dont need to grease or oil the crank, it is oiled when the engine runs, so just whatever the manual says (e.g. 5w30 or 10w30 oil)
we want to start to make a gokart of 209cc engine from which part have to we start
http://kartfab.com/go-kart-plans
can i get this
i want to make a go kart but the go kart parts kit is very expensive what should i do?
Earn more money?
I’m restoring a kart for my son, and your site was very helpful. Great work. Thanks!
I was wondering how to remove king pin bearings out of spindles
see if you can catch the edge of the bearing with the bolt edge, then hammer out.
I’m using a 212cc motor is that good for power
yes, that is perfect.
I’m useing your plans to build my go kart thanks for the free plans
no problem
Hi Is it possible to mount a predator 670cc on the deluxe go cart?
Possible, but NOT SAFE. Please don’t die. So if you end up doing this, I don’t want to see you in the obituary. Just so you know, the deluxe go kart kit motor mount will accept the 670 with no modifications, and the website that sells the go kart kit even sells the 40 series bolt on torque converter so good luck. I am in no way responsible for what you do with this information so please please just don’t do it if at all possible. Why not try the predator 420cc? That will be loads of fun and you are less likely to get hurt. I drive a go kart with a honda GX390, which is a little less powerful than the predator 420, and it has all the power I need.
Would aluminum work for the frame??
It’s possible, but aluminum dents, bends, and is a pain to weld. Stick with steel.
Ok,thank you so much
Hi,
I am rebuilding an old Manco 2 seat go kart. I only got a rusty frame an had to get all the parts for it and figure out how to put it together. Your website helped me a great deal figuring out how it all goes together. I am in the process of painting it and then we will see how it turns out.
Thanks a lot for all the great pictures, instructions and videos!
Chris
No problem! It’s great to hear that you were able to get it all straightened out!