[Daniel White]

[quote quote=72695]Broken wrist pin? like it broke in half? That motor must have been a box full of twisted shrapnel. Gif [/quote]

Crap. I mis-remembered. It was the circlip holding the wrist pin. It scraped the heck out of my cylinder wall, but my builder saved the motor.

[Daniel White]

[quote quote=71976]No insult was intended in any way, sorry you took it that way. One question though, you say it was $2500 then you say it wasn’t $2500. I guess my reading comprehension is lacking somewhere. [/quote]

In my first post in this thread, I stated that I have had my Yamaha rebuilt 3 times since 2012. I then stated that one rebuild was $700. I also stated that I had another rebuild, but it included extras, and came to $1000. I never mentioned the price of the 3rd (but my memory recalls a broken wrist pin which came loose and scraped the heck out of the cylinder wall, and the resulting damage caused my rebuild price to increase).

Then, in my second post, I mentioned that my rebuilds (plural) came to about $2500.

In my view, this wasn’t too difficult to follow.

 

[Daniel White]

Maybe. But it wasn’t $2500. And Walt mentioned that he’s done some asking around, and found that my figure was “about right.”

Unfortunately, I’m neither a builder nor a mechanic, so my options are limited.

I may take a chance someday on a motor by a less well-known builder (who charges less)–I’m not against it. However, when I first got into the KT class, I was referred to a builder by a competitor who is well known and respected, so I went with his suggestion. Because I have been satisfied with the performance of my engine, I gave that builder my business again and again.

Your particular insult was uncalled for, since we’ve never met.

 

[Daniel White]

Read the entire thread. The $2500 was an approximate figure for 3 rebuilds– including an additional carburetor and a new half-crank–over 3 years.

[Daniel White]

I raced Rotax from 2008-2012–and had the motor rebuilt once (after 33-ish hours) for about $1100. I’m guessing the motor was about $2600 (I bought it as part of a package, and it had just had a complete rebuild)

I’ve spent $2500 for my Yamaha rebuilds, and am due for another rebuild at the end of the season. I’d say that I have about the same time on my KT as I did my Rotax.

My point is that I think the Yamaha is more expensive than the Rotax.

Now, having said that, I never spent the resources in Rotax to make sure I was jetted correctly, and was never competitive–not even close. But I was immediately fast (enough) in Yamaha (the first race I was within a tenth of pole), and am extremely happy with my engine builder.

[Daniel White]

I’ve been racing KT since late 2012, and have had just 3 rebuilds, usually after 7-8 hours. I don’t think I have ever paid less than $700. One time I had to have a new crank half, and added a can carb (I already had a SR-Y pipe-prepared carb), along with my rebuild, and it came to $1000.

[Daniel White]

If you are off the throttle for any length of time in a Rotax, it will take a bit to get going. It stands to reason that if a Rotax spools up at 7K, and takes all day to get there, it’s better if you can keep the rpms up. And, as Tony suggested, you could be overstuck (especially with a 32mm kart on D2s), which will bog you down even more.

Everything else Tony said was spot on. If you are new, your fellow racers will be happy to help (until you start beating them).

[Daniel White]

I haven’t flipped, but I will say that my local track has a hairpin-ish turn, and I swapped ends three times this past weekend. The kart didn’t swap ends on initial braking, but late in the zone, just before turn in.

Now, perhaps this was because I may have started the turn before my kart had slowed enough, but I’ve driven this track for eight years and have rarely had this much trouble.

Maybe the middle bearing, even just zip tied, provides a bit more stability under braking, no?

[Daniel White]

Thanks for the replies.

So if it were you (or me), a 5-11, 162-ish driver racing Yamaha spec pipe / can, would you take out the middle bearing or leave it in?

When I got the kart, I took it out, but my racing friends tell me to put it back in. Their argument is that having it in gives me more tuning options. My counter to that is if I want to tighten up the rear, I can

1. narrow the rear track
2. tighten the bolts to my rear bumper
3. install my rear torsion bar

 

[Daniel White]

Good info, Tony. Thanks.

[Daniel White]

Thanks for the info Gary.

[Daniel White]

Unfortunately, I don’t have it–sold it along with the kart a few years ago.

CRG also makes one, or I know they used to. Check Comet’s website.

[Daniel White]

I used to own that very chassis. I bought a new AX-9 at a nice discount  because the X-1 had been in the market for a couple of years. It was better than my Sodikart SR-5 (all-32 chassis but without the narrow waist, had an archaic frame design, and was very stiff), but I struggled to match the pace of the drivers who had a 30mm chassis for the newly-spec D2 tire. I wish I had known that before I bought it.

Your AX-9 is all-32mm kart, and as such is stiff and produces a lot of grip. It was very good for a hard tire like the D1.

The X-1 that replaced the AX-9 is an all 30mm kart, developed because Mojo introduced the D2 tire, which was grippier.

My point in telling you this is to suggest that tightening a kart that already produces a great deal of grip is going to make the kart less flexible–perhaps unflexible–hence the sliding. I’m assuming, of course, that the kart isn’t worn out from years of use.

To me, everything you’ve done to the kart is making a stiff kart even more stiff.

Having said all that, T.J. is a lot smarter than me.

 

[Daniel White]

A few years ago I bought one from Russell karting, specifically for OTK karts (and at the time I had a Sodikart).  It was about $240.

[Daniel White]

[quote quote=57434]There is a local track in Atlanta but we have a .75 mile track at work at our facility. And then we have a 7 acre asphalt flat pad we use to test and tune the trans am series car and the drift cars we assemble for various racers. We have been setting up cones in our own layout and making that our course. It’s much easier to stay around the house than fight with Atlanta traffic. Lol How much did you pay for your karts Hans? [/quote]

Where is this local Atlanta track? I race in Barnesville (an hour south of Atlanta) and Dawsonville (about an hour north of Atlanta).

[Daniel White]

I bought the new Rapido. ;o)

Joe was helpful, and great to deal with.

[Daniel White]

Acceleration eventually got a shipment, and they CALLED ME to let me know. Of course, I ordered what I needed right away.

Great people at Acceleration Karting!

[Daniel White]

I’m imagine no reason was provided, but does anyone know why the change? The guys at my club like the pipe. All the clubs near me (Barnesville, AMP, Go Pro) use the SR-Y, primarily because the racers wanted the pipe.

For someone to revert their current engine to be optimum for can, they’d have to have their carburetor rebuilt.

[Daniel White]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[Daniel White]

Thanks Steven. I will reach out to Sven.

Curtis, I called Acceleration after I found out that Comet didn’t have the part I needed. They didn’t have it either.

I’m looking for a set of Douglas cast aluminum wheels for a rain set-up. Comet had the rears (180), which I purchased, but not the fronts (130). Both Comet and Acceleration said they are on back order.

[Daniel White]

Thanks for the reply, Steven. I called again and left a detailed message.

The site shows their merchandise, and they carry an extensive inventory, but since no one I know has used them, I want to get some feedback before I place an order.

Since I live in the eastern US, I use Comet for 90% of my needs, and they are phenomenal. Over the years I have also ordered a bit from Acceleration, Fastech, J3, and Franklin, the first two of which have great webstores. Every time I need to call either of these, someone answers and helps me out–it puts me at ease knowing someone is manning the phones.

[Daniel White]

TS Racing has their entire line of new full-size 2014 and 2015 DR karts on sale for between $3200-3700 (the shifter is $4349). Those are good prices. If I replaced just my Tonykart frame it would cost me $2850!

[Daniel White]

I’ve heard using WD-40 on the pods before you go out will keep tire marks from sticking, but I always forget to do that.

I’ve used Goof Off to clean marks, and it works extremely well. It may take a while–and you should use cover your nose if you are working with it for extended periods–but I have been able to get my stickers looking practically brand new.

[Daniel White]

A used OTK would be my advice, but from what I remember, you could be fast in any chassis.

[Daniel White]

The Speedvision show is a very distant memory for me, but from what I recall it had neither the production nor drama (howsoever manufactured) of Kart Life.

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