Kart stand?

Just wondering about a kart stand. I’m new to this. I planned on leaving my kart on its trailer, ready to go. But also being into RC cars, where it’s not a good idea to leave the cars sitting on their tires, I’m wondering if that is not a good idea? I know RC tires are not true pneumatic like kart tires, but it just got me to thinking. What would be a good lightweight kart stand if I needed one? (Trying to keep trailer weight low as possible)

A basic scissor stand is pretty lightweight, I transport my son’s kart on the stand, some guys put the kart on the floor and strap the stand to the wall.

A kart stand is something you’re going to want. Nothing to do with sitting on the tires, but a kart is almost impossible to work on when it’s on the ground. Plus it’s a literal pain in the back to push the thing around the grid or paddock all day without it being on the stand. When you go to the track, you’ll notice everyone has their kart on a stand. It’s basically a required tool.

99% of people will find a basic scissor stand like Jim posted to be perfect for whatever you need. That’s sort of the standard. And they can be found cheap used.

Also, @Jim_Johnstone I would be careful of transporting on the scissor stand. Over time on the road, scissor stands could bend or buckle, or the stops could break off if the kart is bouncing up and down on that all the time. If you want to transport on the stand, some people get a 2x4 and notch both ends and stick it between the cross members of the stand to keep it from collapsing.

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Interesting seat position :sweat_smile:

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Thanks for the tip, I’ve added a brace to it since then, and am having a new stand built to my specs.

So if wheels aren’t that good of an idea for a folding stand, would this work?
https://www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-7811-Work-Stand/dp/B000Q8Z6QO/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=racing+go+kart+stand+with+wheels&qid=1627052723&sr=8-15

@Richard_Jacques haha yeah I guess I took that pic right after I bought the seat and just tossed it on the kart. Don’t worry, it’s much more securely installed now! :wink:

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Why do you not want wheels on your folding stand?

When you take your kart down to the grid, you’re going to want to roll it down there on the stand.

Might be a good idea to go to your local track and see how karters use their stands. A rolling stand is almost a “must have” at this point in karting. Some tracks with small, paved pits would keep you from needing them, but 95% of the tracks I’ve been to would require them to get from my trailer to the grid.

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Thats a Streeter Big Foot stand, Streeter recommends not transporting the kart on the stand.

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Well, I got the impression that rolling your kart on the stand was kind of dangerous? (Although I HAVE seen guys rolling them around on stands in the pit area…but all the way from my trailer to the paddock?) Why wouldn’t I just drive the kart to the paddock? The only reason I see needing a stand is to work on it. Otherwise, the kart has wheels…
No?

Depends on your track. Our home track EVERYONE rolls the kart to the grid on the stand, we even have designated kart stand parking lot by the weigh scale. But our parking lot is gravel, so you really wouldn’t want to roll the kart to the grid from your pit area, and track rules prohibit driving karts up to grid either.

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A stand is really important. Its how you get your vehicle around which there is a lot of. Going to and from Pits. The basic scissor stand is fine if you get one with inflatable wheels. You can go all the way up to fancy electric jobs.

Mine always is on a stand unless it’s on the track.

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Most places don’t let you drive around in the paddock. Far more dangerous to be putting around a foot off the ground where people are walking and trailers and trucks (which are at your head height if you’re sitting in the kart). Nothing dangerous really about moving the kart around on the stand. It’s also hard on your clutch to scoot around slowly in the pits.

Plus I think you’ll find that karts are not that maneuverable at crawling speeds in a tight paddock.

Also as mentioned above, some pit areas are not even paved nicely, so it’s not even an option for many people to not have a stand. I can think of a few pit areas (Springfield) where it would be physically impossible to get your kart up to the grid without a stand because of the terrain.

Cool. Got it. I appreciate everyone’s input. I’ll have to pay a little more attention to how folks are using their stands. All points well taken. :+1:

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Most stands will have swivel wheels to make moving & maneuvering a kart significantly easier than just rolling & steering it on the ground. It’s really no contest in comparison. Note that swivel jacks - a variant of kart stands - are used in F1 to make it easier to move the cars about/in/out of the pit garage.

I’ll add that an electric or manual 1-person winch stand that enables you to load/unload your kart solo is highly preferred (& your back will thank you in the long run). There are several good brands available.

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What would I expect to pay for a good used one with a manual winch?

Not sure as the majority I see around tend to be of the electric variety. IM-USA sells their own manual winch stand & also a solo manual tilt-to-lift style stand.

I think those stands are a little harder to come by. Most everyone starts with a manual stand like the Streeter. They have been around a long time and copied too. Anyone with some square tubing and a welder can easily duplicate the scissor design. Those looking to not lift their karts anymore “graduate” to a lifting type stand, so they don’t come up for sale as often. The other drawbacks are kart stands, especially lifting types are big, bulky and heavy, all of which make shipping expensive. Keep your eyes open at the local track and you might find one.

My track hosts a vintage race every year and it appears in the old days no one used a stand, they would wheel the kart to the grid. Some even fashioned an extension for the steering wheel so they could push and steer. Karts today are heavier and lower to the ground which makes pushing or even driving to the grid almost impossible. I think you have the point, but You mention you are an RC racer…do you drive your car through the pits to the track? I am going to guess not, you carry the car to the side of the track. Think of karts the same way.

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