Really want to establish a routine of everything I need to check before I take my kart out on a drive. I do the basics… chain, sprocket, clutch sprocket, brakes (i don’t really know what i’m looking for but i make sure that they work) and just a general frame check for cracks. but I want to know what to check specifically from a mechanic’s perspective. The details that most might glance over, but can make or break your kart. (EX. I just happened to check the rear wheel hub screws and both were very loose. could have been disastrous, which is what inspired this question)
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Steering Column Bolts and red Nylon mount (where the steering shaft goes into tends to loosen up)
Check the safety clips on the tie rods, brake master cylinder, spindles and anything else that has a safety clip as they tend to bend and come off.
Tighten engine mount bolts (I like to use a 12 in breaker bar, you don’t have to go ham on it but want to make sure they are snug, can also always use a piece of PVC slid over a ratchet for more leverage)
make sure all of your cassette bolts are tight.
MAKE SURE your seat bolts, especially the top ones are tight, I like to use a longer conical bolt and double nylock them so they don’t come out (had that happen last race and it really mucks with your handling).
ensure the bolt and set screw that holds the brake pads in are tight.
make sure the set screws for the bearings are tight
check to make sure your bumper is fastened, you don’t want the bumper so tight that you can’t move it up and down, just enough so that it won’t loosen up.
make sure the airbox clamp is tight and the airbox and filter are clean.
if you don’t already I would highly recommend using a fuel filter and checking it for blockages
IF YOU USE weight on your kart MAKE SURE it is double nylocked and securely fastened, weights flying off are no joke.
FInally, just do a 2-minute inspection of all the bolts, wiggle them with your hand and see if they are loose or stripped, it’s something I used to neglect but it’s worth the extra time to check all of the bolts over.
this was everything I could think of from my experience. you will know when something is off especially when you just take a minute to check everything over, again you don’t have to strip the whole thing down to find one loose bolt.
Hope this helps!
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See also:
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Very good thread, could never find this when searching on google. Thanks