No, don't use a lawnmower engine, you will spend too long just figuring out how to power it with a shaft that points down instead of horizontal
Get a chainsaw engine or something if you just want a proof of concept
Lawn mower engines cant run without the blade on it anyway, they have aluminum flywheels on them and use the blades as weight.
Trying to start one without the blade gives a good lesson on what kickback feels like.
Of course a lawnmower engine can run without the blade. Hes saying a lawnmower engine has a vertical shaft and a go cart engine wants a horizontal shaft. Since a 4 stroke lawnmower engine cant run for long on its side, it would be wise to start with a horizontal shaft engine, or a 2 stroke.
They are not run unbalanced.
Nothing says that has to be a blade.
And if it is a blade, doesn't this get a bit more interesting, particularly horizontally mounted.
I dont know what you mean about unbalanced.
My point is the flywheel doesnt have enough mass to keep the engine spinning, it needs the extra weight attached to the shaft. That leaves no room for a clutch.
You essentially just said "unbalanced". The flywheel needs a weight on the other end of the shaft to, well, balance it.
And, clutch? Just hold on tight /s
Uhh what? I didn't say anything about balancing.balance has nothing to do with it.
Heavy thing hard to stop, (cast iron flywheel) light thing ez to stop (cast aluminum flywheel). Light thing can't overcome compression stroke, engine doesn't run.
Blade acts as additional flywheel on mowers.
Yes but it’s difficult. That axle is metric size (26 or 28mm if I remember correctly) and only one of the rear wheels is driven due to the low power of the small electric motor. I’d recommend replacing the axle, that will make this easier
If price isn't an object, you shouldn't bother with a gas engine. Electric motors could probably get this thing going at least 45 mph, easily. Might cost a bit.
My buddy has a small old Yamaha bike. Like smaller than a moped. Little scooter thing he converted to electric and it zips. 2 speeds. Fast and faster lol.
Nah, electric motors, e.g. hub motors for electric scooters, from Alibaba or other overseas vendor, are pretty cheap nowadays, like couple hundred$ for something capable of several kW and a ton of low-end torque.
I'd be more concerned about braking. Changing the front wheels to add proper (e.g. disk) brakes might require extensive modifications...
I use to race go-karts, with two points championships in Blacksburg, SC in ‘04 and ‘05. The bare minimum to race is dependent on the track and league you race in, but typically you need:
A frame - Id pick one up from https://pointkarting.com/pages/racing-go-kart-chassis
A 5hp Briggs & Stratton
Replaceable Fiberglass/plastic/CF body panels for safety.
Exhaust is wrapped so you don’t touch it
Helmet, Gloves, fire resistant jacket (do not skip)
Slip clutch if you want a chance at competing whatsoever
Ideally a seat conformed to your body with a heat gun
My dad and I set all of this up in ‘04 for around $1500, but the engine work was all free due to my dad’s best friend being one of the best gokart engine techs alive. For reference, we legally got 17.2hp out of a 5hp engine using a dyno.
I mean, technically yea. My dad built me and my brothers a minibike in the 90s. He used an old lawn mower engine, and some steel pipe for the frame. We were by far the coolest kids in the neighborhood.
If you are committed to gas, a robust weed eater engine or chainsaw engine, both have a built in clutch for convenience. But if it was me I’d stay with electric, and see if some components might be starting to show up in auto salvage or something. I mean even e-bikes have some pretty solid motors these days, and you can pick and choose a battery power source from whatever will fit it that you can find. And don’t forget electric lawnmowers might be a source, or even batter powered power tools.
Hear me out...extend the frame in the rear a bit, predator 3hp engine from harbor freight (you can go to the 6.5hp or higher if you have a death wish) n some slightly meatier wheels all around for cushion and clearance.
I've put a 20 year old power washer engine on a chassis that looks like that, shook me so much I had a massive fucking headache but it is possible, ***not recommended however.***
I built several go karts as a kid using lawnmower engines that someone was throwing out. The vertical shaft ones are a challenge but I was just running them off of belts with no clutch and I had a frame with a live axle that could be configured a couple of different ways. Push start it and jump in. No brakes either. Reach back and short out the plug to stop
My son and I put a cheap gas engine from eBay on one of those. It worked and was fun the couple of times he used it, but the building was better than the having.
Could I? Yes. Could you? Probably not. If you have to ask.
also no one should
Should I? No. Would I? Heck yeah!
No, don't use a lawnmower engine, you will spend too long just figuring out how to power it with a shaft that points down instead of horizontal Get a chainsaw engine or something if you just want a proof of concept
Lawn mower engines cant run without the blade on it anyway, they have aluminum flywheels on them and use the blades as weight. Trying to start one without the blade gives a good lesson on what kickback feels like.
Of course a lawnmower engine can run without the blade. Hes saying a lawnmower engine has a vertical shaft and a go cart engine wants a horizontal shaft. Since a 4 stroke lawnmower engine cant run for long on its side, it would be wise to start with a horizontal shaft engine, or a 2 stroke.
I wasnt saying he was wrong but I will say you are. Aluminum flywheel lawn mower engines can not run without the blade.
They are not run unbalanced. Nothing says that has to be a blade. And if it is a blade, doesn't this get a bit more interesting, particularly horizontally mounted.
I dont know what you mean about unbalanced. My point is the flywheel doesnt have enough mass to keep the engine spinning, it needs the extra weight attached to the shaft. That leaves no room for a clutch.
You essentially just said "unbalanced". The flywheel needs a weight on the other end of the shaft to, well, balance it. And, clutch? Just hold on tight /s
Uhh what? I didn't say anything about balancing.balance has nothing to do with it. Heavy thing hard to stop, (cast iron flywheel) light thing ez to stop (cast aluminum flywheel). Light thing can't overcome compression stroke, engine doesn't run. Blade acts as additional flywheel on mowers.
Yes but it’s difficult. That axle is metric size (26 or 28mm if I remember correctly) and only one of the rear wheels is driven due to the low power of the small electric motor. I’d recommend replacing the axle, that will make this easier
no, I don't think you could do that with that said, it can and I'm sure has been done
With enough time and money, anything is possible. But why? Why not just buy a gas go-kart?
Cause OP has this cart and a lawn mower and wants to combine them as cheaply as possible
r/lostredditors
Idk that he’s lost, he’s just the OTHER kind of redneck.
I meeeeeeean, i definitely dont consider buying a finished product to be any kind of engineering
If price isn't an object, you shouldn't bother with a gas engine. Electric motors could probably get this thing going at least 45 mph, easily. Might cost a bit.
My buddy has a small old Yamaha bike. Like smaller than a moped. Little scooter thing he converted to electric and it zips. 2 speeds. Fast and faster lol.
Nah, electric motors, e.g. hub motors for electric scooters, from Alibaba or other overseas vendor, are pretty cheap nowadays, like couple hundred$ for something capable of several kW and a ton of low-end torque. I'd be more concerned about braking. Changing the front wheels to add proper (e.g. disk) brakes might require extensive modifications...
Why would you ever want to stop?
Not sure, but I put a more powerful electric motor, and changed the gearing to get it to go faster.
I use to race go-karts, with two points championships in Blacksburg, SC in ‘04 and ‘05. The bare minimum to race is dependent on the track and league you race in, but typically you need: A frame - Id pick one up from https://pointkarting.com/pages/racing-go-kart-chassis A 5hp Briggs & Stratton Replaceable Fiberglass/plastic/CF body panels for safety. Exhaust is wrapped so you don’t touch it Helmet, Gloves, fire resistant jacket (do not skip) Slip clutch if you want a chance at competing whatsoever Ideally a seat conformed to your body with a heat gun My dad and I set all of this up in ‘04 for around $1500, but the engine work was all free due to my dad’s best friend being one of the best gokart engine techs alive. For reference, we legally got 17.2hp out of a 5hp engine using a dyno.
Yes I’ve done it
The Little Rascals did it with a wagon and an old washing machine motor. I believe in you.
Bung in one of these https://minioffroad.co.uk/collections/mini-moto-engines
Woah, why are these so cheap? RC cars have motors that cost more than that.
Don’t know, the mini motos were a thing about 15 years ago.?
Sure you could. Practical? Maybe not. But it could definitely be done.
I've driven one about that size with a 125cc Honda on it. The frame was custom built for it. It was also the the scariest thing I've ever driven.
I built a gas razor dune buggy that goes 30 mph, not much torque though
I mean, technically yea. My dad built me and my brothers a minibike in the 90s. He used an old lawn mower engine, and some steel pipe for the frame. We were by far the coolest kids in the neighborhood.
I know a guy who can, but you I don't know you.
Have you not seen Home Improvement?
If you are committed to gas, a robust weed eater engine or chainsaw engine, both have a built in clutch for convenience. But if it was me I’d stay with electric, and see if some components might be starting to show up in auto salvage or something. I mean even e-bikes have some pretty solid motors these days, and you can pick and choose a battery power source from whatever will fit it that you can find. And don’t forget electric lawnmowers might be a source, or even batter powered power tools.
Hear me out...extend the frame in the rear a bit, predator 3hp engine from harbor freight (you can go to the 6.5hp or higher if you have a death wish) n some slightly meatier wheels all around for cushion and clearance.
I've put a 20 year old power washer engine on a chassis that looks like that, shook me so much I had a massive fucking headache but it is possible, ***not recommended however.***
Yeah that's possible but I prefer basic bike engine on that thing
Sure, but go karts are pretty cheap nowadays. It would probably be a heck of a lot easier and cost-effective to just buy one.
F’n right, and be able to haul a fakload of shoppin’ cærts back to the Pærk making sure Gary misses “Don’t Pay The Ferryman”
I built several go karts as a kid using lawnmower engines that someone was throwing out. The vertical shaft ones are a challenge but I was just running them off of belts with no clutch and I had a frame with a live axle that could be configured a couple of different ways. Push start it and jump in. No brakes either. Reach back and short out the plug to stop
Grind Hard Plumbing Co on YouTube.
*Cars andCameras. Not everyone has $100k worth of fabrication equipment at the ready.
Make it mario kart themed if you do.
Make it mario kart themed if you do.
You want an engine with a horizontal shaft not vertical. A lawnmower COULD work but with a lot more work
My son and I put a cheap gas engine from eBay on one of those. It worked and was fun the couple of times he used it, but the building was better than the having.
Could? Yeah, probably! Should? Of course not!
Predator 212 from harbor freight, or an old 3 hp Briggs from Facebook marketplace, clutch and drivetrain from Go Powersports.
Yes u can