Kart set-up advise needed

Chassis Setup, Tires & Handling Forum
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Hello everyone, I’m a new driver at karting. In fact my first outing was yesterday. I have a 2012-ish CRG chassis and a LO206 engine.

The tires I have on are not super grippy but I’m not overpowering the grip 99% of the time.

I run a 17mm spindle front setup and a 40mm rear set up with medium axle. I looked at the tire wear at the front and decided not to change this straight away. I assumed the young fellow who used to drive the kart with a K100 in it had it set up.

The rear is running 1390 (54 1/2") track. I’m not sure what the front track is but it has 2 x 5mm spacers inside. I also don’t know the weight balance front to back. It’s just a stock kart with LO206. Not added weights anywhere.

As I said I’m a novice at this, but what I’m experiencing is the following. I turn in fine, no under steer or over steer as I can tell. But then say mid corner the kart oversteers and dives to the inside. If I’m close to rear tire adhesion the back will slide.

I watch Canadian and US LO206 races on youtube and you’all make it look like you’re just driving a car. Very neutral and flowing.

What I’m experiencing may just be normal karting but for me starting this mid corner grip / oversteer is quite disconcerting. Not that the track I was on is tight and twisty. It’s 800 meters long and it all fits in about 3/4 a football field. Lap times are 40-ish seconds I guess.

Please ask any questions you would like me to provide more info for.

Appreciate any advice.

Thank you all.

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Got video? That would help.

3

Don’t touch the setup for now. If it was your first time out driving, there is a ton more to work on in driving and you are likely going to feel no difference in tuning the kart yet since you are so fresh.

Focus on making smooth and consistent inputs, following the correct racing line, and building up speed.

Karts can feel a bit twitchy and reactive at first because of the way the chassis works. The frame is acting like a spring as it loads up, so it can feel like it wants to snap sometimes as the kart approaches max load in a corner.

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4

First, change the tires. It may not look like they are worn out, but you don’t know how old they are and whether they are overheated. They probably are because it was used with 2-stroke engine. Also, rubber vulcanizes over time and becomes harder every week even if you dont use it.
Practice with new tires and focus on smooth driving.
Slow down a bit because you can’t expect to be close to the leaders right away. You have to gain experience and muscle memory, to instinctively react in a fraction of a second. You will achieve that only with laps (lots of…) and time on the track.

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