So bought a used 2024 OTK for my son to advance from Swift to KA Jr. Part of the thought process for choosing OTK (previously on a Parolin derivative) was all the comments I read on KartPulse saying something along the lines of “…I never have to deviate far from OTK baseline”.
My question for you experts… what exactly is the baseline??? I have tried using many different search terms and I only seem to find:
discussion of one specific parameter/setting (for example, eccentric position or axle type)
a setup guide that has an outdated/pre-current-version of chassis baseline (like the Remo Racing Kosmic download from 2008 generation, or Tony Kart Australia from last generation prior to current
a setup guide that doesn’t include a baseline but rather gives advice on how to adjust setup to suit handling needs.
None of these offer what I am specifically looking for… an actual, documented, generally-accepted, current-generation OTK baseline.
Any idea where I can find something that outlines the full OTK baseline setup so I can compare how the kart currently sits from previous owner to the actual, standard baseline? Ride heights, front-end geometry settings, hubs/bars/stays, track widths, seat position…
From memory, ride height in the middle both ends, one wide spacer on the front hubs, 1390mm rear width, front of middle of seat somewhere between the middle and back of the chassis cross bar viewed from above, seat even with bottom of chassis, 2mm tow out, both arrows forward on the caster pills, “N” axle, medium hubs, 1 seat strut each side, front bar in flat position.
IMHO, OTK’s seat position specs are somewhat vague and confusing as well as wonky to track across time. Highly recommended to base your seat position mostly off Tillett’s seat position guide, specifically using measurement D as well as front-to-back weight distribution percentage as your guiding beacons, combined with 4-wheel scaling the kart with the driver in it to ensure that you end up where you think/hope you’re ending up. (or you can be like me and drive the kart around for years only to find out that it’s always been 4-5% too far forward/back [a galaxy], and that all your other setup changes were just lipstick on a pig this whole time, lol)
There’s a lot more seat position commentary in this thread.
When it comes to toe measurement - I think it’s safe to assume 2mm toe out is measured on the stand, and it is 1mm per side = 2mm total? Half a box each side on a Sniper?
He’s just over 5’ tall and between 100 and 105. Has a Tillett T11VG installed. Will be on Vega Red or MG Red depending on weekend.
I still have some ergo work to do for him - has the OTK pedal tray, I need to move that around a little and drop the steering wheel height / bring wheel a little closer to him.
Also Front bar flat, rear bumper loose not bound, side pods loose not bound. Personaly front upper crash bar usually loose, floor pan loose, centre floor bolts removed
Im changing chassis brand to OTK 2025, never been with them before and im not finding the basic setup which everyone agrees. I have a couple OTK basic setup and seat position sheets, but they are contradictory:
4 stroke:
55 inch overall with the rear. One wide spacer on the fronts. Stock caster and camber, which is both arrows pointed forward
Run the softest seat you can and put it where the front of the seat covers half of the crossbar when viewed vertically. If you are an average size adult put the bottom of the seat flat with the bottom of the frame. No seat struts, and the thin round chrome bar for the front end.
If you are on a two-stroke, use that same set up but you can add some seat struts to start driving that outside rear into the ground when you are laying the power down on corner exit.
My son and I have both been on the podium multiple times in a 15+ kart class using this set up philosophy for our OTK single speed karts.
If you are on a KZ engine, Run the stock OTK seat move it back about 10 mm, Drop the rear ride height all the way down, and make sure the third bearing is tight.
The problem is that as you can see on the screenshots from my previous message the standard setup changes and both are from OTK.
For example for the seat one says for my height 1,80m, im from Europe, the distance to the front should be about 660mm and on the other it says 620mm. It seems too much diffference.
620 is too forward for your height. That’s where I run my seat and I’m about 165-170cm. On the post-2021 karts they changed the seating chart and mounted the seats much further back.
This is basically the baseline for something like X30:
chrome round or flat front bar
1-2mm toe out
neutral caster/camber
one big spacer in front
side pods loose
1390-1400mm rear trace
1 chrome seat strut per side
N axle
medium magnesium rear hubs
3rd bearing loose
rear bumper loose
Don’t overthink it too much. Setting everything medium/neutral and that should get you within 0.7 of the leaders.
