Long shot, but you lot seem to know everything 
As part of a charity/work related thing, I have to build a soapbox racer for a gravity race later in the year. I've got the wheels, axles and
steering sorted but I need a longish steering column so I can recline myself.
Lots of Kart steering columns on ebay, but which is longest? or are they all the same size?
help gratefully received!
Aha - I've built some gravity racer soap box carts.
On mine I fabricated the steering column using some thin wall round tube from B&Q so made it the length I needed to get reclined. It was tricky
to weld being thin walled it tended to blow holes quite easily, but gave me what I needed for very little money. I made the steering links using
threaded rod and female rod ends with lock nuts - that allowed me to fiddle around with the tracking to get it working right.
Here's a photo to show you...
ETA...the MTB handle bars were drilled and plug welded to the steering column and also provided brake levers to the rear wheel V brakes - sketchy to
stop on grass, but fun to be in.
[Edited on 19/1/16 by nick205]
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Aha - I've built some gravity racer soap box carts.
On mine I fabricated the steering column using some thin wall round tube from B&Q so made it the length I needed to get reclined. It was tricky to weld being thin walled it tended to blow holes quite easily, but gave me what I needed for very little money. I made the steering links using threaded rod and female rod ends with lock nuts - that allowed me to fiddle around with the tracking to get it working right.
You will have fun!
Proper steering rather than what I call swing beam steering is a bonus and faster too.
The hardest part for me was fabricating the steering uprights to suit the wheel chair wheels I obtained from ebay. A fellow LCBer helped immensley by collecting them and posting them to me as well.
Where are you racing the car ?
I have just posted on here about building a car
Jacko
My company supports an event at Penn House, Bucks in July.
It's a charity event where we encourage our clients (estate agents) to race against us!
A shame you're not closer to me as I'd happily donate some time to help if it was of benefit.
With 3 kids to cater for, the oldest has his own go kart to race and I have to build one for no.2 son to race this June. I'm always up for a
challenge and will enjoy doing it. I must admit I'd hoped to be building a ferret run and getting a couple of ferrets this summer though. Used
to go rabbiting with ferrets some years ago and would like to get back into it as well.
No.1 son's go-kart...
Thats cool. Needs a little V twin engine in the front.
Hoping to start the build later this week, pics to follow.
It was modeled on a hot rod we saw some time ago!
I did look at plastic engines to stick on the front, but they were too dear for the sparse budget we had available.
ETA...
[Edited on 20/1/16 by nick205]