[Brian Degulis]

Make sure your tech guy isn’t the type of person that enjoys telling someone things they don’t want to hear.

Open tires. We all have prefrences for one reason or another. Any mass produced tire should be allowed.

Have class for karts that do not fit into other classes like Aixro and non spec shifters. Tech for safty only. (Brian Wilson’s “Run What You Brung” )

Adjust your track configuration if you can. Some events fast and easy others tight and tough.

The most important thing is to be carefull with who’s running things. You can never please everyone but the right personalities and attitudes by those in charge can make all the diffrence.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

X1   I’ve replaced european brake systems with MCP  I did it because the MCP is readily available and a huge diffrence in cost. The performance was always a big improvement over the european stuff.

 

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

Are you kidding?  Tech Talk 4 days 16 hours since last post  Chassis and Handling 6 days 10 hours  Shifter 11 hours 38 minutes. This thing has been dying a slow death since the switch.

 

 

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

[quote quote=16981]I have to agree. I suppose just as you suggest Facebook and other Social media might be taking some of that from these forums. Also since the change to this forum I wonder how many users where lost. Threads in general seem slower then before.

Also during the Supernats week everyone that is part of karting is there and not posting here.

I will agree that the wramp up and post supernats where more quiet then usual but as stated above maybe its just harder to gauge.

I went to watch and I know as a spectator the rain sucked and I’m sure the racers and Teams where worn down by three days of it. Its one of those races that you will remember because you just got through it.
[/quote]

Threads in general seem Slower. That’s like saying a kid kart is a little slower than a shifter. Threads that used to get a new post every hour or so now go days or just die. That’s contagious and just gets worse. Unfortunately it was also predictable but apparently ignored when the forum was changed.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

The Veno 5 will stop it just fine. Mine is on a DR (same as CRG) with Veno 5. If you lower the conection point on the brake pedal you’ll get more pedal throw and more pressure on the pads and it will stop as quickly or better than most shifters.

It takes some experimenting to make the whole kart work with that engine but it’s a hell of a ride. No 2 stroke can match the power band and torque of a CRF 450. With sprint track gearing if I’m not carfull I can pull the front wheels off the ground.

My times on a tight sprint track are better with the CRF than they are with a good stock Honda. You have to drive it diffrently. With the stock honda you can accelerate hard at the apex. With the CRF you need to accelerate moderatly at the apex then hard coming out so you don’t break the rear free. On a big track no 125 anything will touch it.

I drove a CR 250 one time. There’s a lot more vibration the power band is much shorter and It’s harder to control. I didn’t have time to really learn it but I think the CRF is faster on a sprint track because it’s so much easier to control.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

The CRF250 is slightly narrower and just a few pounds lighter. HPD makes a kit for the 250. They use an offset mount to clear the seat.

Marc it’s not as difficult as it looks at first. If you want to take a ride one day and look at mine your welcome.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

It’s big but it’s not to big. I’ve done 2 karts with CRF 450’s Same engine I think? one the first one I centered it on the frame rails so the seat had to come way over. After trying a few times I realized that the best way was to move the seat left and angle the seat slightly toward center in the front. The seat also had to be a little higher than normal.

On the second kart I made up a mount to move the engine further to the right off center on the rails. I moved the sprocket in between the right and center bearing. This allowed the seat to be in the normal position but it throws the side to side weight distribution off. So now you have to much weight on the right rear which I thought would really screw up handling. It effected it but not near as much as I thought it would. The kart turned left nicely but pushed just a little turning right because the weight of the engine didn’t allow it to jack as well. Widening the front on the right side only and adding a notch of castor took care of it. Now it turns the same in both directions and handles well.

Another thing you want to do is mount your throttle cable close to the pivot point on the pedal. You want lots of throw on the pedal for more precise throttle control. My engine is around 60 HP. That kind of power with the torque of a 4 stroke can lighten even lift the front end on hard acceleration and you need to be able to control it.

Big radiator they make a lot of heat. If it’s available for your engine the Rekluse Core EXP auto clutch is money well spent. With that you won’t stall if you spin and you don’t risk turning the engine backward.

I’ll post some pics if I can figure out how to do it on this new improved forum format.

Have fun with that thing but be carefull it’s bruttaly fast and really more power than a sprint kart should have.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

If it were leaning out it would likely pop and bog when you accelerated through the turn. It really sounds like the slide is not coming down when vacum is present. Is there a spring on the pedal? Any sharp bends in the cable?

If you cant see anything wrong I would go down the straight working the throttle cable by hand and confirm that the slide is closing.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

When you tried a new carb did you use your slide cap and spring? I ask because if the spring on the slide is broken or collapsed it may work when you check it without the engine running but when the engine is running and under load the vacum being pulled through the carb can hold it open. Any bind in the cable or anyplace will do the same thing.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

Local support is nice but not essential as long as it’s a major brand you’ll be able to get whatever you need from the internet suppliers. I’ve found Tony Kart to be the most forgiving if your not familiar with chassis tuning. Works well with my 13 year old because it’s hard for him to figure out what the kart is doing and wihout good input tuning is tough. I like DR / CRG same chassis with diffrent clors and graphics but DR costs less. I like them because they’re common plenty of support no matter where you are and I like the sniper front end adjustments.

If I were you I would definetly want a front porch extension. Your height and weight might make it difficult to move the seat forward enough to get good balance and enough leg room. A 32MM DR J90 with a front porch extension would be my choice.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

OK thanks for the info.  Free Track!!!!  Kinda makes me want to move to Jacksonville!!!

 

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

X2 That article represents around 5% of karters and ignores the other 95%

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

The Clutch/side gear up grade was the biggest around $500 in parts. So try to find one that has the new style clutch and steel side gears.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

No 32:1 which I think is 4 ounces per gallon That’s what Swedetech recomends.I’m 16/24 gearing which is 1.50 Maybe I’ll try 25 or 26. I think your right about it being to rich. I ran it today and stepped down to a 182/58. Saturday was the first time I ran it and I really didn’t want to stick it. When I went richer I may not have run enough laps for the plug to read. It was a little warmer and more humid today but not by much. Today I was low 47’s on Mojo D3’s Low 46,s on Hoosier 60A’s. I try to run the D3’s over there because that track eats tires.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

Wade My kids and I got into karting and somehow we ended up with a bunch of karts. We have 2 moto shifters, 1 4 stroke shifter, 3 clones, 1 Briggs World Formula 1 Aixro Rotary. and 3 Rotax.

I like to work on my own stuff but reliabilty is more important. I’ve found the Rotax to be the most reliable and overall the cheapest to run. Ours are in the 30-40 hour range and I’ve never done anything other than routine maintenance and that you can do yourself. You just can’t pull the head or split the case. I’m told that around 50 hours or so they need a top end and the bottom checked which seems to run $500 – $700. They’re so popular around here I’ve got lots of choices to get the work done plus parts are everywhere and the knowledge base is huge. They run a balance shaft so they’re smooth. They only require 93 octane we use non ethanol pump 93 @ $4.00 per gallon. The jetting can be a little tricky but no big deal. All and all they’re a good ride and IMO the best choice for a first kart.

Good Luck!!!!!

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

Hi Marc You may have heard it when I was still playing with it. I’m going by performance and the plug. At 180 my plug was lean and it was still bogging a little. I gained power as I got richer 185/58 was probably the best performance but it was still reading on the lean side.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

There are lots of DD2’s around here but for some reason you never see them show up to race. That’s a shame because it’s a great ride. It’s the perfect middle ground between TAG and a shifter for performance plus no chain or chain maintenance and electric start with the typical Rotax 50 hour rebuild interval’s.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

That article annoys me. It’s a complete miss representation of the sport. It’s almost as bad as that goofy movie. For every kid or adult that races at the top level there are thousands racing on a local level. They’re learning how to compete, the physics of driving and the mechanical side of a kart. Thanks to karting my kids know how a combustion engine works. They know how to handle tools and they know how important it is to take proper care of something and it’s done without spending a fortune.

For every psycho dad there are thousands of good dads that use karting as a learning tool and an opportunity to spend time with they’re kids doing something that they enjoy themselves.

For every kid that gets hurt in a kart there are millions of kids getting hurt on skate boards or school sports and all the other things kids do.

Just ounce I’d like to see an article or film that explains what this sport is really about.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

That is the reservoir. The top piece (cap) should have a bellows in it to allow for expansion and contraction.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

Sam I all you’ve done is rentals a TAG kart will knock your socks off It’s a good ride. You can start in shifter. I did but it will take much more seat time to be competitve and safe in a racing format. It’s OK for me because I have a local track to practice that’s available 5 days a week plus I’m in FL so the season never ends. Definetly try to rent or borrow a TAG Kart. After that the decision will probably be easy. If you ever get down this way I can set you up.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

If the reservoir is not connected to the system how did you add fluid for bleeding?

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

I’d stay away from brake cleaner it can damage the paint. Any commercial de greaser like Krud Cutter or Purple stuff will work. For a solvent mineral spirts (paint thinner) works great leaves no residue and won’t hurt paint or plastics.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

With the exception of the DD2 Rotax has the radiator mounted on the engine so the engine can be removed without draining the cooling system or messing with hoses. TAG is any engine with an on board electric starter (Touch And Go ) so Rotax is TAG. Probably an hour to switch engine set ups. I don’t know anything about Yamaha’s

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

You would be looking at removing the Animal then partially removing the axle to get the sprocket hub outside the right rear bearing switching the sprocket and hub. Then if your 2 stroke is anything but Rotax putting on a radiator hooking up the hoses putting on the exhaust system hooking up the throttle cable and switching out the mychron connections changing fuel adding water getting everything purged of air.

Not a ton of work but I bet you’d do it a few times and decide you need another chassis. It also seems like the fast guys in 4 stroke are using American made chassis and the 2 stroke guys are European chassis.

Brian

[Brian Degulis]

Sounds like you got it resolved Pete and that’s good. I’ve dealt with tom a few times and always got good advice along with what I needed when promised at a fair price. Sometimes emotions temporarily cloud judgment happens to all of us.

Brian

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