[Rob Kozakowski]

Yep, bead breaker and tire tool.

While doing by hand is without a doubt the fastest way when you get the hang of it, any of the tools like the tire wizz, etc, really do make it just as easy as on the videos.  I’ve got the Righetti tire tool and it makes life easy.  Now, the most difficult part of the entire process is getting the bead to set when inflating the new tires.

[Rob Kozakowski]

First, if a club has a strong Board with a lack of self-interest, they need to ensure the class structure works for the market they’re serving.

Second, there is no “perfect” class structure that will make everyone happy.  You add lots of classes, and you end up with classes with 2-3 karts, and no track time.  You narrow it down too much, and someone ends up with obsolete equipment.

Realistically, I’d say that’s probably a pretty decent structure (maybe even a great structure).  But without knowing the market, maybe I’m totally wrong.

The only thing that stands out is ideally you’d combine some of those groups to keep track time to a maximum and/or to keep the day shorter.

Whether it’s Rotax or TAG, I’d say take your pick based on what the local market demands.  For example, I live in Canada where it’s really all Rotax in 2-strokes.  Although I’d rather go TAG to open up my choices a bit, it’s not all about me, so I run Rotax.

Again with the shifters, personally I’d open it up to RWYB rather than strict Stock Honda.  But, I certainly can’t fault a club for going S2/S4 given all the benefits of that structure, provided it fits the local needs.

I agree with David Cole that the LO206 is an awesome package – user-friendly, reliable, and cost effective, and with a few minor changes it can be used from the little guys all the way up to the seniors – it’s exactly what this sport needs.

The one other comment I’d make is that it never helps a club to turn anyone with a safe kart away.  If it were me, I’d have a true RWYB class for anyone else who wants to get on the track (like the KT’s).  Find a group to run them with, no trophies, no points, but don’t turn them away.  Get them on the track, show them you want them by giving them a place to run, then gently “encourage” them to consider moving into the “real” classes.

It appears you’re not ready for the jump to Rotax.  I know it kind of sucks, but If I were you, I’d post an ad for those KT’s on EKN and buy a LO206.  Even if you take a bit of a loss on the KT’s, the odds are very likely you’ll spend less in the long run with the LO206.  They’re cheap to buy, and very cheap to run – run it right out of the box, change oil, add gas, adjust valve lash, inexpensive clutches that don’t need lots of maintenance, etc.

[Rob Kozakowski]

The other thing that cannot be overlooked in all of this is how the kart is setup, how it’s handling, and general grip levels will have a MAJOR impact on the ability to attack a corner vs. “easing” around a corner, and the resulting ability to carry speed into, through, and out of a corner.

As the most extreme example I’ve experienced, (quite) a few years back, I went from a final practice session where I was a full 2 seconds off the pace on well-worn tires, to setting a track record in qualifying an hour later with new tires.  It was also a lesson on how pointless it can be to try to tune a chassis unless you’ve got decent rubber under you.  The only change I made between practice and qualifying was changing old rubber for new because it really was all tires that were slowing me down and giving me no grip whatsoever.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Some good info from Al, however I think his lack of knowledge of the Dellorto and similar carbs is a bit off when he says he doubts the needle clip position has much impact on the low speed.

Ray, do a google search for Rotax carb tuning, and go to rotaxjetting dot com and do some reading – John Savage provides some good info on the Dellorto’s – it’s obvious that the needle clip position is very important for low to mid range performance.  Also, Tom Barth has some good info on his site, greenflagkarting dot com

While a “carb is a carb”, there are some practical differences in how most approach the tuning of a Walbro on a KT vs. a Dellorto on a Rotax.

The beauty of the Walbro is that it can be adjusted on the fly so you can reallly fine-tune your carb to ever-changing conditions.  While I doubt that anyone would ever dispute the value of the EGT for tuning these carbs, there are LOTS of drivers who can tune these carbs just as “effectively”, with experience, by the seat of the pants.  The benefit to this is you focus more on your driving and less on your gauges.  The downside is if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can easily go “too far” or the wrong way and stick the engine.  An air density gauge in this case will help you learn and predict where you might want to set things for different conditions, but you can get by just fine without.

The beauty of the Dellorto and similar carbs is that they can’t be tuned on the fly, so who really cares what your gauges are telling you in real time while you’re driving – especially now with capabilities of the Mychrons, etc to store other data for analysis after you’re off the track.  The downside is they are very complicated to fine-tune to extract maximum performance from them – especially idle to mid-range, which is progressively affected in different ranges by various pilot jets, air screws, selection of needle, needle clip position, emulsion tube, etc.  Fortunately, top end is much more simple because you’re really just talking main jet.   There is almost no disputing that an air density gauge or weather station is critical to getting maximum performance from these carbs.  The trouble is conditions can occasionally change faster than you can adjust for, so while you might be able to tune to a set of conditions before you hit the track, if those conditions change while on the warm up lap, you’re suddenly not getting maximum performance.  The counter argument to this is that it becomes so hard to tune for “maximum” performance, that most people will be happy enough to accept something “close enough”.  One of the articles on Tom Barth’s site summarizes these carbs best when he says something to the effect that these carbs really are meant for serious tuners, otherwise, just run the thing, read the plug and change the main jet.

Which goes back to John Savage’s advice of setting the idle speed for a smooth idle and focus on mainjet and needle clip position in response to changes in air density.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Paul, not sure if my response is (1) wtf?; or (2) keep going, I’m curious.  And even if it’s (2), I’m not sure if it’s because of (a) I want to learn something; or (b) I want to see if this is ever going to make any sense.

Seriously, I’d like to hear about the magic, but I’m really having trouble following…so far!

 

 

 

[Rob Kozakowski]

I remember the days of having to progress up through different classes before being allowed to race in the “big” classes.  I honestly don’t know that it did much “good”.

Is your son comfortable with racing a shifter?  Are you comfortable with it?  It seems the answer is yes, given he’s tried it and you seem to think he did alright.  In that case, I’d say why not do it?

I understand the argument of getting good at one thing before moving onto another.  That said, most kart racers don’t have the time or resources to get real good at kart racing, which means that most guys running shifters should probably not be doing it if you apply that logic.  The problem is that this sport needs bodies, and if the choice is running a shifter with a smile on your face before you’re really “ready” or getting out of the sport, why not go shifter racing?

Now, I wouldn’t recommend you sign up for the Supernats with no prior experience.  Be sensible, do a bit of practice and testing, run some club races, and if you’re doing alright, then you can consider whether you want to move onto regional or bigger stuff.

And there’s no reason you can’t become good in a shifter if you “bypass” the other karting.  Like anything, if you put in the time and effort, there’s no reason it can’t happen if you have the talent.  The learning curve WILL be steeper and it might take longer, but there’s no reason it can’t happen.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Unfortunately, apart from laying it out on a chassis table, it’s tough to tell unless it is really badly bent.

[Rob Kozakowski]

I wouldn’t necessarily “recommend” this, but one option is to do nothing with it.  I’ve had my transponder since 1998, had it stored in the garage (in Edmonton, Alberta where it gets COLD in the winter) for 10 years when I got out of karting, pulled it out of storage and it’s worked the last 3 years as if it was new.

Honestly, I think it might be more luck of the draw than anything as to why one transponder lasts and another doesn’t.

The one thing I’ve always done is to let it run completely out of charge before re-charging it.

[Rob Kozakowski]

From what I understand, she already has her ticket to the Grand Finals, and by refusing tech, she ensured that a teammate got his ticket.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Don’t worry Matthew, there’s a few fat-asses amongst us, even if you’re not.  In terms of physical demands, kart racing, especially 2-cycle or shifter sprint racing, will require more from you than any car racing that most of us will be able to afford.

I grew up around amateur (club and regional level) car racing (dad and uncle both raced) and while I’ve had the option and opportunity to try cars, I really have no interest because compared to kart racing, it feels slow, it’s less competitive, and it costs more.

There’s nothing wrong with amateur-level car racing – as I said I grew up around it, and I genuinely enjoy being around it because I love cars.  That said, it generally caters to a slightly different person than kart racing does.  The vast majority of them just love cars and want an arena to drive them to their limits.  Some people in cars either don’t know or don’t respect what karting is (i.e. toys for kids, or they think it sounds cooler to tell their friends they race cars than karts).  Others have tried kart racing and found it too competitive for them – they prefer the more laid-back atmosphere of the car racing – I’ve also seen a number of these types who were back-markers in karts, but were stars in amateur-level car racing when they could spend their way to the top, which isn’t as easy to do in karts because you still have to have talent.

For me, the biggest benefits to kart racing are as follows:

1. If you have the talent, there will always be a level (club, regional, or national) you can run competitively at within YOUR budget.  For example, I found a great deal on a lightly used 3-year old Rotax Max kart that I rn at the club level.  Not everyone finds deals like I did, but if you are actively looking, the deals are available to get you into the sport for very reasonable money.  I’m sure I can run this kart for another 2-3 years and still get about what I paid for it.   I have a tiny little utility trailer that was given to me by a friend that easily pulls the kart behind my vehicle.  It’s not pretty, and I’d like something fancier, but I’m operating within MY budget, and it works for me.  My entry fees and club dues (our club has a new track, so they’re higher than most places) were the biggest part of my budget this year at $100/race for 8 races that I ran + $500 club membership.  I spent more on that than I did on fuel to/from the track, and parts and consumables on the kart (tires included).  While I know I could be a bit faster if I spent more on tires, ultimately, the guy who beats me is doing it because he’s a bit better than me.  The point being, you can be competitive and have lots of fun for very little money if you can keep things in perspective.  In my case, that means admitting that I’m in my mid-late 30’s, I have kids, I have no dreams of going to F1, and all I want to do is have fun because I don’t care about a plastic trophy.  Go into cars, and someone else can spend a lot of money to make your 20 year-old car uncompetitive.  If you want to be competitive, your route to the top is spending more money in cars.  In karts, it’s practicing, learning to tune, and becoming a better driver.
2. The racing in karts is close and feels fast.  We try to avoid unnecessary contact, but you will do a bit of bumping just because the racing is so close and competitive and because everything is happening so fast.  Normally the worst case is you might end up with some rubber marks on your sidepods and nosecone.  That close racing doesn’t happen in cars because when you bang up a car, it generally gets expensive to repair it.
3. A kart takes up very little space in my garage (and I don’t need a big tow vehicle and trailer).  This keeps costs down, and it keeps my wife happy.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Go and check it out.  As great as everyone is on here, you’ve got to see it for yourself to know what you’re getting into.

The good and bad of karting is the choices you have… fortunately, it sounds like you’ll be able to find something to fit your budget if you focus on club racing and maybe the occasional regional race.

I noticed you said you’re not into physical sports.  Not sure what you mean by that, but trust me, karting’s much more physical than you think.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Nothing against the Stock Moto, but I found it funny when you said “sell the relic engines” – I thought you were talking about the Honda’s!

It’s just interesting how one person’s vision of joining the 21st century means using an engine from the 20th century.

[Rob Kozakowski]

IMO, from experience, a kart that “needs work” is generally more trouble than it’s worth.

As easy as it is to work on these karts, the reality is most of the “work” involved consists of pulling out your wallet and buying the replacement parts – and while not necessarily “expensive”, a lot of the time, you’ll find it would be just as cost effective to have spent a few hundred more up-front on a kart that doesn’t “need work”.

The other benefit is that rather than getting a well-used frame with that kart that “needs work”, you’ll likely be getting a lightly used frame by going with a kart that doesn’t need work.  And the kart that doesn’t need work will likely be much more competitive.

The only possible exception might be the case where the kart that needs work is coming with a lot of extras that are transferable to other karts or just generally needed to race (kart stand, rims, hubs, Mychron, transponder, sprockets, tire tools, etc), where you’re really just paying for those extras  and the seller is throwing in the kart just to get it out of his garage.  But you’d better realize in that case that you’ll still need to spend more to get that older kart on the track, and it still likely won’t be competitive.

[Rob Kozakowski]

Ray, would you care to share what Al told you?  And what engine / carb are you asking about?

The problem with your question is that it seems to be asking one question, half of which relates more to 1 style carb and the other half relating more to a different style carb.

Al has extensive knowledge of the Walbro, Tilly, etc carbs where you have needles that you can use to tune while you are driving.  In this case, you can definitely use the EGT to help tune the low speed needle “on the fly”.

When it comes to tuning an idle jet in a Dellorto or similar carb with jets that can be changed, like a Dellorto, John Savage has a lot of knowledge, and I’d agree with him.  Find a smooth idle (EGT not very important here), and focus mostly on needle/clip/atomizer and mainjet, and adjust to changes in air density.

[Rob Kozakowski]

When most frames get bent, generally, one front corner ends up sitting higher than the other.  That can normally be straightened pretty effectively.

It’s really hard to tell from the pictures, but in this case, it almost looks like the entire corner “buckled” where the big issue is that one front corner is now sitting further back than the other.  From what I can see in the pictures, I’d probably say this frame is done.  But that’s just what I can guess from some pictures.

Being that it’s an older chassis, some would argue that the frame should be “done” anyways.

[Rob Kozakowski]

A lot of us are at a significant competitive disadvantage before the race even starts because of our level of talent (or lack thereof).  Like Andy says, it gives you choices – make yours and have fun!

[Rob Kozakowski]

Or just click on the link… the joys of learning a new forum…

[Rob Kozakowski]

http://eknclassic.com/viewtopic.php?t=84715&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=proper+power+valve+operation&start=15

Sorry, I tried to add a link, but something didn’t work. Just copy and paste the link above.

[Rob Kozakowski]

If it’s opening at 10,000 +/-, you can turn it in/out all the clicks you want, that won’t change things by more than a few hundred rpm (fine-tuning, not big adjustment).

Check this out… might give you some answers…

[Rob Kozakowski]

I’m ok with fines. This past weekend, they were handing out $10 fines for failing to signal when entering or exiting the track at our club race – people in every class were getting them, from young to old. That price point seemed pretty appropriate for club racing. It shouldn’t stop anyone from racing, but it’s a signal to smarten up.

For bigger level events, I’m ok with bigger fines.

At some point, safety has to be taken seriously.

[Rob Kozakowski]

I think the odd one was still made in 2008… They lost popularity quickly when the “real” kart manufacturers came out with DD2 frames – not that they were ever hugely popular to start with. Personally, I’d avoid it, but if the deal is good enough and you just want to get on a track, or you’re only racing against other RM1’s (don’t know where that might be the case), then why not?

[Author]

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