Steering wheel has no stop until links hit column and last 20% steers LESS!

2014 or 15 energy corse shifter cr125

I just got it, my first kart ever. It’s little jacked up. The outside front tire steers less last 20% of the steering wheel rotation, I would think there would be a steering wheel stop but now the steering link stops rotation but not before over rotating and pulling instead of pushing on outside hub. Also I assume there is something jacked up about the caster because It’s very difficult to turn the wheel (only on ground) and it actually lifts the cart on to two catty corner wheels as the inside spindle goes towards the ground.
I removed the little set screws but nothing moves yet and don’t know how to adjust the caster and or camber. There is two round multiple setting adjusters above and below the frame where the spindle mounts… is this the king pin?? Set screws were in two of the many holes on each adjuster. They apparently turn to Make adjustments. I don’t know if they would be corresponding turns or if the top do camber and the bottom caster. And I guess I have to loosen the bolt or king pin If that’s it to turn them. It’s really hard to find information on this model.

1 Like

What you have described “lifting the kart up onto catty corners” is normal and is how a kart turns. It does this by jacking one rear wheel of the ground.
It would be safe to assume all karts steering swings past full lock and starts back the other way, you will never have to turn the wheel that far so it is not an issue.
I am sure someone else will comment but I wouldn’t change anything until you have driven it a bit, and spoken to someone at your local track for more information.

Thanks, I thought maybe so, though It lifts the back inside tire off the ground like 3 inches at a stand still without all the g’s, it looks like a dog going bathroom. Is that within range or is the castor way out of whack?
But The steering is a little worrisome, it seems like a wide turning radius already and I don’t know how often I’ll even be on the track and even still there’s always emergency situations and cutting inside somebody and then it turns back out, Specially when you’re a goof like me. It turns back straight quite a bit maybe 25%. Looking at it if the caster was straightened up some perhaps there wouldn’t be as much angle for the return of the steering direction at peak.
My first idea for a stop was a two-piece screwed together bushing around the steering column in between the Ackerman/link brackets to stop the steering links sooner, but I figured this would tear up the links and be a drag trying to make out of plastic.
Now I’m thinking I’ll wrap an aluminum flat rod from Lowe’s around the low frame sprung upward 3 inches with hook bent at the end to catch the rising Ackerman/link brackets on steering column?? I already got the rod. But Gotta be a better way, I can’t believe this is normal LOL

1 Like

So the steering part is normal, every kart will do that unless they have rubber stops installed which you can get but really aren’t worth it imo. It’s a little weird to see but really if you’re turning the wheel that hard you’re already probably spun around on the track. I’ve gone through a couple pretty tight hairpins at some tracks and I’m still not close to full lock on the kart.

Steering will always be heavy on a kart. The kart needs to mechanically lift the inside rear tire to turn, so the caster makes the wheel harder to turn than any car you’ll ever drive unless they don’t have power steering. This is normal and again don’t worry about it. If you want to make the steering lighter you can remove some caster but that will reduce the turn in of your kart (I think. It’ll have an effect on turn in, I’m not 100% on front end setup though).

I would believe you are correct about the adjusters on the steering yokes. Those are most likely the eccentric pills that hold the kingpin to the frame. If you rotate those, you can adjust caster and camber in the kart. The drawback for those designs is that caster and camber are both linked together so making one adjustment is a little tricky without changing the other as well, but if this is your first kart I wouldn’t put front end geometry high on the list of priorities to learn. There’s other changes you can make before then that are easier to make and simpler to understand. When you do want to change them, you’ll need to loosen the nut on the kingpin first in order to rotate them, and remove those set screws you were talking about. Just make sure to put them back together before you go out again lol.

Everything you’ve mentioned is completely normal and how it’s all supposed to work. No need to start tearing the kart apart and making your own parts!

1 Like

The steering difference you are seeing is the Ackermann angle. It’s extreme on karts because we essentially tricycle around turns, unloading the inside rear wheel.

Scroll to “what is Ackerman”

http://topkartusa.net/advanced-front-end-alignment/

Welcome to Karting and the forums!

Ackermann :grin:

1 Like

I’m blaming autocorrect…

It’s okay, the incredibly intelligent engineer in your video didn’t know either.

I’m OCD about that one, and “caster” vs “castor”.

1 Like

Caster - I have felt it
Castor - I have tasted it - It’s a KT100 thing,

2 Likes

Agree :100:

(Who made this character rule anyway :joy:)