Budget Karting Tools....

[Pat Calhoun]

I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on tools that they have found to work instead of the high priced alternatives....?

I have a few and wanted to know what if any input you might have, also if you have a couple of ideas post them.
here are a couple of mine:

Karting Scales: I recently purchased 4 digital bathroom scales that have a pretty good accuracy. Billy Bobs Redneck karting Scales $22.00 Each full system including case under $100

Tire pirometer: I just purchased a digital thermometer with a lead attached, this is used in cooking candy meat etc..... $20

Digital Pressure Gauge: Radio Shack $13.00
This gauge has better accuracy than the cheaper ones made in China.

Wrist Pin Puller: Large C Clamp with a piece of 2" EMT pipe welded on one side of clamp $8.00

Let me know your Budget Karting Tools....


Pat

[Frank Dawley]

Watch out Snap-On!

[Pat Calhoun]

It's amazing how bored one can get shopping with the girlfreind or wife....

Pat

[Gary Kozuma2]

Small square for Axel straightening (hold one side on the chassis and rotate axel to high spot and mark with sharpie) and axel height relative to the chassis. I also use it for measuring rear width when no one else is around.

My last handy tool are Y wrenches that I have from working on Mountain bikes. Very handy to have a 4,5,6 mm in one wrench.

Gary K.

[Patrick Hubbell]

quote:

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Originally posted by Pat Calhoun:
I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on tools that they have found to work instead of the high priced alternatives....?

I have a few and wanted to know what if any input you might have, also if you have a couple of ideas post them.
here are a couple of mine:

Karting Scales: I recently purchased 4 digital bathroom scales that have a pretty good accuracy. Billy Bobs Redneck karting Scales $22.00 Each full system including case under $100

Tire pirometer: I just purchased a digital thermometer with a lead attached, this is used in cooking candy meat etc..... $20

Digital Pressure Gauge: Radio Shack $13.00
This gauge has better accuracy than the cheaper ones made in China.

Wrist Pin Puller: Large C Clamp with a piece of 2" EMT pipe welded on one side of clamp $8.00

Let me know your Budget Karting Tools....


Pat

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Some good ideas Pat. Although I wonder about the Digital scales. I have a digital in my bathroom. Problem with it is you need to first step on it and then release to turn it on and zero it. Then once it has zero'd you stand on it to get the weight. You don't get much time in beteen turning it on and having it read your weight. Maybe yours do not work in this fashion. I was going to use digital but I decided to go with analog instead. Seemed less of a hastle to operate.

Your tire pyrometer is interesting. What temps have you been able to read with this tool? Does it react quickly between probes.

The digital tire gauge, will it read less than one pound increments? The liquid filled large face tire gauges that cost $200 are the most accurate I have ever seen. I don't own one but have used them. You can read a 1/4 PSI! Does this gauge of yours read to the right of the decimal point? just curious.

[ November 14, 2001: Message edited by: Patrick Hubbell ]

[Bob Chiras]

The low cost tools are a great idea. This gentleman has just taught us a valuable lesson. If you take the measurements everytime and if you use the most expensive of the least expensive equipment the party with the historical data is the person who is going to make improvements.

How many of you have every expensive instruments in the toolbox and you do not get the most from your investment?

[Sean Robbins]

Two dollar tire balancer:
- Buy a bulleye level from a hardware or camper supply store. It's about 2 inches square, with a bubble in it.
- Mount the tire on the rim and inflate. Install a valve cap if you normally run one.
- Put enough water in a tub or sink large enough that the tire can float in it without touching the sides or bottom(I find those plastic storage totes work well).
- Place the tire flat in it, valve stem up. Place the bulleye level on the rim's center flange where the lug nut holes are.
- Now, you can balance the tire with only one weight placement. On the side where the bubble is touching or outside of the bullseye on the level, lay one of those self-adhesive weights on the tire bead. Let the waves in the tub settle a bit, and ensure that the bubble is now in the center of the bulleye.
- Note where the weight is, remove the tire from the tub, and stick the weight on.

You can do a set of 4 in under 5 minutes (filling the tub with water is what takes most of the time). I've been doing this on my sprint shifter running long track events (100mph+), and it works great. Much cheaper and quicker than those purpose-built balancing rigs.

Sean Robbins www.kartlift.com

[Oscar Aguilera]

Digital read out tire pyrometer with memory, $300.

Weather station with lap top and satelite connection, $800

Digital scales with leveler, and wieght percentage calcualtion, $1400.

Pitting next to the racer that has all this junk and making friends? PRICELESS

[Joe Klenotich]

After about a dozen years of doing this--this I know: bathroom scales belong in a bathroom--either buy digital/rent/beg--you only scale once a year unless you smack it up regularly. (as an aside put my son's BRM on the scales before the 100 lapper at Norway and after about 10 race weekends--1/2# difference in front-1# in rears).

Buy the best tirechanging stuff you can unless you're into self abuse and frustration.

After using those cheap tire guages for a bit(anything under $50); compare with the guy who's got the big $$ one; then think about how many races you ran with the wrong pressures.

Mychron vs. Stopwatch? you don't even have to answer this one.

Extra wheels and rains mounted--I hate changing tires.

[Pat Calhoun]

Oscars hit the lottery...Hey bud can you spare some change? or at least some tools...

Hey Joe, I appreciate the advice but have you ever tried to borrow these things during the race? Remember the looks you got?

By the way my tire gauge is accurate within tenths.
I know the cooking thermometer has you thinking
But your right about the stopwatch.

Ciao
Pat

[Debbie Kuntze]

My tire balancer is an old spindal welded to a block which can be clamped down in a vice. Slap a front hub on the tire (with a bearing in the hub, put it on the spindal, give a gentle spin. The tire will stop with the side up needing a weight.

I am the family's chief tire balancer, been doing it so much, with one spin I know exactly how much weight a tire needs. Dunlops I find are the trickiest! They can at times require weights in two places.

My father-in-law is always making me handy tools. Due to dislocated thumbs, I have problems getting leverage to open my fuel cap. He took a steel washer and welded it to an old screw driver that is the right lenght to give me good leverage to open the cap on one try.

Debbie K

[Sam Cooper]

quote:

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Originally posted by Oscar Aguilera:
Digital read out tire pyrometer with memory, $300.

Weather station with lap top and satelite connection, $800

Digital scales with leveler, and wieght percentage calcualtion, $1400.

Pitting next to the racer that has all this junk and making friends? PRICELESS

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You forgot to add what the racer pitting next to you, thinks of you... WORTHLESS!

[Marshall Martin]

Joe,
We think alike, have the right tool for the job. The agrevation of making do is not worth it. As far as having the good tools and not using them, I have some special tools I may use only once a year or when a problem devopes that I need them for. As for loaning stuff, a lot of my tools get used by other racers more than me. At the same time I have had to borrow tools and gears for one reason or another and I can not remember the last time I was told no.

[John Denman]

We have a local outlet mall that has been closed down for a few years and has no residences nearby (maybe a clue why it closed). It is a perfect test track with over a mile of pavement. Saved us about $200,000.

Now for small potatoes, use an accelerometer on acceleration runs say 0-80, and for save another $9000 over a dyno.

But if your really being frugal, forget the hand cleaner, just squeeze out a little Toothpaste on those grubby paws and use it like waterless, then rinse them off with a wet rag dipped in the cooler.

[Drew Cleaver]

quote:

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Originally posted by Sam Cooper:


You forgot to add what the racer pitting next to you, thinks of you... WORTHLESS!

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And make sure the guy your loaning your stuff to doesn't leave it out in the rain!

Drew Cleaver www.vmaxracing.cjb.net