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Setting up Go kart steering
sonic - 10/4/13 at 05:15 PM

Hello all

My son has snapped a trackrod rose joint on his kart,i have just bought a new one to fit and need to set up the toe in / out.

Anybody got any niffty home developed way of doing this without having to buy expensive tools etc

Thank you in advance

Barkalarr - 10/4/13 at 05:27 PM

I think my brother has got tracking gear for his karts (his son is a budding Lewis Hamilton) and they race.
PM me and ill give you his number

david_hornet27 - 10/4/13 at 06:02 PM

Not sure I can explain this properly but will have a go...


A quick and easy method of getting the front wheels running true is to place a straight edge (I use some left over box tube) across the front of the kart (resting on the king pin bolts) then adjust tie-rod length so the axle part of each stub is parallel with the straight edge. Don't worry if one tie-rod ends up longer than the other. Most karts have the steering column located off centre which calls for uneven length tie-rods.

You ideally need some toe out...

Using a pen or tape mark on each front tyre is a pretty good method to set toe in/out. Simply mark the tyre tread (or put a fine pen mark on some race tape and stick this to the tyre tread) and use a tape measure between the two reference points. Simply revolve the wheel 180 degrees to take the front and rear measurements.

2mm toe out is a pretty good setting (the front measurement 2mm wider than the back measurement).

Hope this helps. Not as accurate as a laser but around £200 cheaper.

[Edited on 10/4/13 by david_hornet27]

Fred W B - 10/4/13 at 06:33 PM

Why get complicated? I just used to tape two 12" long straight flat bits of materail (bit of aluminium flat or narrow steel rules) across the outsides of the front tyres (they will rest on the rims) and measure over them in front and behind the tyres.

You do have to clamp the steering in the straight ahead condition and so it can't move if you are doing this on your own but thats true of any method.

Cheers

Fred W B



[Edited on 10/4/13 by Fred W B]

david_hornet27 - 10/4/13 at 06:59 PM

Err, how is that less complicated than laying a straight bar across the kingpins and then making a mark on each tyre??

tank81 - 10/4/13 at 07:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Fred W B
Why get complicated? I just used to tape two 12" long straight flat bits of materail (bit of aluminium flat or narrow steel rules) across the outsides of the front tyres (they will rest on the rims) and measure over them in front and behind the tyres.

You do have to clamp the steering in the straight ahead condition and so it can't move if you are doing this on your own but thats true of any method.

Cheers

Fred W B



[Edited on 10/4/13 by Fred W B]


Fully agree with Fred, we've done this in times of desperation on everything from karts to Sportscars and never had a problem.
You can even check four wheel alignment by the double string line method (one each side front to rear and measure a 3,4,5 triangle to check strings parralell and at 90degrees to chassis...... based on pythagoras principle....as you were shown at school!)...... Even seen BTCC teams do this as quick check.

sonic - 10/4/13 at 07:40 PM

Thanks for your advice guy's, I will try your suggested ideas at the weekend.

Thanks again

Mick

Fred W B - 10/4/13 at 08:00 PM

quote:

how is that less complicated than making a mark on each tyre??


- Because you can do it on your own. You can't accurately hold a tape up to a mark on one tyre and also read it on the other tyre, unless it's a very small kart. Even if you have 2 people, asking someone else to help with measuring can introduce errors.

Cheers

Fred W B

[Edited on 10/4/13 by Fred W B]

Fred W B - 10/4/13 at 08:06 PM

PS, Mick

quote:

My son has snapped a trackrod rose joint on his kart


If he did this by driving into something you might also want to check the camber (use a spirit level held vertically against the outside of the wheels, best done with the toe set dead parallel), castor (bit more difficult to check) and the wheelbase, comparing them side to side, to see that the frame is not tweaked.

Cheers

Fred W B