Go-Kart into micro-Buggy

[the_law_man01]

So, my brother has an off-road go-kart for his kids. It's actually a pretty sweet kart. It has knobby kart tires and a 6hp engine. It's kinda like a yard kart style frame with no roll cage.

The throttle on the kart is adjustable to limit the engine for the little tykes, but that didn't help. One of the youngsters goosed it and then took a death grip on the wheel (which is also where the throttle is). He shot across the yard and crashed on the corner post of the neighbor's chain link fence. Little man was buckled in but still required about 15 or so stitches in the chin from the steering wheel and busted his ankle.

Short story long, he asked me to design a roll cage for it. He's also putting in a harness to replace the lap belt to hopefully avoid the chin situation in the future.

Here's a link to the Kart/plans pictures.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10200463455211823&set=a.1146814353447.21909.1320198711&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10200463462131996&set=a.1146814353447.21909.1320198711&type=3&theater

Anywho, what do you think?

Any suggestions?

[xlint89]

Sorry i cannot help you there. So I'll bump this to the top hoping one of the "fabricators" on here will help.

[the_law_man01]

I guess no one else can help me either. :-)

[bear]

I like the design, but I have to ask, how much weight will it add to the kart? and will it affect the performance causing the need for a bigger engine? or are you just looking for more protection, and not really worried about overall performance?. Are you planning on using 1.25 tubing or something lighter, since its a smaller kart?

[the_law_man01]

Probably going with 1" or as small as 3/4" depending on availability. It won't make much difference in performance on this little kart. It has a 6.5hp engine! At the time my brother got this thing I weighed about 295-300lbs. It would haul me around at 30mph. With my wife driving, it would run close to 40mph and throw a 10-15' long rooster tail of gravel. It's pretty stout for a kart.

[bear]

Well then, I think you got a good grasp of what you need to do to it then!