Drive chain too slack under power
 

I have this new TaoTao that I can't keep the chain tight enough. It is like something is flexing under hard acceleration.

When the kart is climbing or under harder than moderate acceleration, the slack side goes too slack and starts to bind.

If I set it up REAL tight, it is more resistant to slacking and binding, but it is definitely tighter than it should be while static.

I saw one post where someone said that they had to reinforce the subframe.

I'm thinking that I might need to connect the bottom part of the two bearing hangers. Maybe I should also connect the large plate on the back to whatever brace I put between the two hangers.

Is there a way to add a bearing in the center of the axle? Looks like the only thing I could do is slide one in on the right of the sprocket.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-TLSXKDc-M.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-FVQ23Bn-M.jpg

Transmision Mount Flexing
 

I blocked the cart and revved it to see what was flexing. Looked like one side of the transmission mount was flexing the most.

Once I pulled out the "T" it looked like bushing in that side of the mount was banged-up.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...68mXmzW-XL.jpg

Drive Shaft not aligned
 

I also noticed that the kart wasn't rolling freely, like it used to. Felt like the brakes where dragging.

This led me to believe that the shaft has been shifting to the right.

I noticed this before, at the sprockets but thought that the drive sprocket was just installed backwards because when I flipped it, the sprockets where aligned.

How do you fine tune the position of the drive shaft?

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-z5FRsKJ-L.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-bSgbQvp-L.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-NBsScVm-L.jpg

Remove Drive Shaft
 

I thought I'd drop the drive shaft and see if I could measure the hangers and see if they where bent.

I figured that I could just drop the shaft through the slot, but I guess not.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-F7WhG4B-L.jpg

Video
 

Here is a link to a video of the engine casing flexing under acceleration, not the tensioner tab.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...6hRwrG-640.mp4