I Screwed Up---And I am Mad!!!!

Go to the doctor and get everything checked out. The cart can be replaced, you can not. Don't wait, get checked out.

As to the cart, this rule holds true at all levels of motorsport, if you can't afford to write the whole car off, you can't afford to race.

 

I can't imagine that the frame can't be fixed instead of replaced. Is it aluminum? You will probably find two groups of repair guys. Some will say "Frame? NO way, gotta be replaced". Others will slop a few welds on and call it fine. I haven't seen it, but I would expect with careful welding it would be fine. The welds are generally stronger than the base metal so it shouldnt be a problem. Worst case you could add in some braces to make it stronger.

 

"if you can't afford to write the whole car off, you can't afford to race"

same though

the tires were worn, in a case like that a team would change them rite away saving some bucks on tires can cost much more.

and depending on the damage, throwing some "welds" into the car can end up costing you much more.

 

It sounds like you were on Michelins..

 

I'm surprised noone has asked this, but why were you practicing at a high school? Shouldn't you be driving at a track?

One possible reason for you spinning out may be that there was dust or some other loose material where you lost control. The weather could also play a part, having altered the surface. Either way you didn't adapt your driving to the conditions.

About repairing the chassis... Because karts have no suspension, the flexing of the chassis is crucial to the handling of the kart. In order to create and control this flexing, the different areas of the chassis have specific stiffnesses built into them. That is why, even if a kart chassis can be bent and welded back into shape, it may never handle the same again.

Once you lose this predictability of handling it becomes very difficult or even impossible to setup the kart correctly, or be able to accurate diagnose and dial out handling deficiencies.

Out of curiosity, what type of engine do you use, and what kind of circuits?

 

Sorry to hear about your accident. Glad it wasn't more serious.

Those are some of the reasons I stopped going to the track (or go a lot less):
1) Tired of being hurt during the summer. Strangely though, I never got hurt as badly as I did going bicycle riding or roller blading.
2) Tired of spending time fixing the bike.

 

I have to agree with James on this one. You should have been out practicing at a controlled course. (Race Track). Not only did you place yourself at risk but what would have happened if a kid was riding his bike right into your path.

At least at a track they have controls to prevent situuations like people wandering onto the track plus crash barriers to arrest you in an off track shunt.

Best of luck with your cart and you knee.

 

Were they Michelin cart tires?

 

That should be easy for any competent welder who is in the racecar business to repair

 

Knees aren't anything to mess with, get them checked out. I was in an auto accident, head on going about 65, (the other guys fault, and he didn't have insurance) and tore my PCL. My knee hurt but I didn't think anything of it but I ended up having surgery and crutches for 3 months.

As far as practice in a parking lot, when we practice at Georgia Tech with our SAE Formula car, we always make sure there is a good amount of run off area and cone it off. I know, it is hard finding a large enough space where people will let you practice. It is hard for us, we use a 600 cc engine on a kart that maybe weighs 350 lbs total.

Anyway man, I hope you get better and good luck on getting back to running. Go to your nearest college, see if they have a Formula SAE team, they might be able to help with the chassis.

Joe C.

 

I agree with PSK, why were you driving in the parking lot? Next time practice at a kart track. As for the chassis, yes you can weld it back together, but it does affect the chassis handling. It won't be the same. But for you, since you are just beginning, it really doesn't matter. Just get it fixed instead of buying a new one. As for you spinning out, what type of chassis do you have? Does your chassis have rear brakes only or both? If it has both, it could be that your brake biasis was set to the rear. When you set it more to the rear, under braking the back end of the kart will kick out. If you are on it to long, than you will just spin it.

 

I wound up bending a 125cc shifter (Tony Kart) frame at the Dallas GP back in 93. Medium size story, big mess, other drivers involved, $1,000 bucks out of my pocket and I didn't get to race. As the Admiral has said the frame is crucial to a Kart performing properly.

My guess is there's a lot more damage to it than just the crack. Frames have a lifespan anyway. As they flex over and over their torsional rigidity changes. With that so does your handling.

I know how you feel.

 

If you go somewhere that specializes in kart chassis and welding and don't nickel and dime it you should be fine. See if you can get someone to string the kart at every corner to make sure it's totally straight. I'm glad you didn't hurt your self. Keep it on the track next time if you can. No rasied sewers covers there...