Bolt-On Doors - Safety ATV Accessories for Your Dream Ride

ATV accessories are used for a variety reasons. With the boom in their demand, manufacturers have started a large number of options for ATV enthusiasts to add power, functionality as well as sturdiness to their dream rides. These accessories range from high tech motion sensors to state of art Global Positioning Systems, better known as GPS. However, when we talk about ATV accessories, it wouldn't be unfair to say that safety accessories are the most critical upgrades you must consider for your ATV as the power held under the hood of ATVs clubbed with the conditions these monster vehicles have to cope with often leads to mishaps.
In order to ensure you are safe from a possible mishap, one of the highly recommended ATV accessories is bolt-on doors. These are side doors especially made to be mounted on ATVs. Owing to the rise in their demand, these doors are now available in a number of designs and construction options to fit different types of ATVs perfectly. Hence, before you may buy a pair for your ATV, it is extremely important that you assess the exact type of doors that will fit the model of ATV you have, unless you wish to go through the hassles of getting the buy changed or returned.
Furthermore, in order to lure customers a large number of cheap imports have also entered the market. However, despite their remarkably low prices, buying them is not advisable. This is because the poor quality of material such doors are made from makes them absolutely useless. Neither they provide the required sturdiness to your ATV nor do they serve any considerable lifespan. Hence, when you are out to buy bolt-on doors, it is recommended that you always go for reputed names in the business such as RZR doors, Ranger doors, and the likes.
Being market leaders; no matter whether you are considering to buy RZR doors or Ranger doors, you are sure to find a suitable match for your ATV at the local store you go to for your ATV needs. However, with the globalization of internet reforming the way we used to buy things, it is recommended that you buy the required ATV accessories from a web based small business. This is because by buying the required doors online, not only will you be able to save a great deal of time, you may very well save a considerable amount of money as well.

Mud Flaps For Your ATV

When you own an ATV or when you are planning to buy an ATV of your own, then naturally you will want to add some accessories to it because you want it not only to look good but because you also want it to function better. Granted, there are some accessories that are just there to improve on the looks of your ATV but there are also some ATV accessories that are actually there to improve the performance of your ATV, so you see, accessories are not all about looks.
One ATC accessory that adds to the overall look of your ATV as well as improve its performance are mud flaps. Yes, they don't sound overly glamorous but they do a lot to improve on how your ATV runs. When you get mud flaps, you then reduce the amount of mud that gets splashed onto everything. This prevents mud from getting into areas that they shouldn't get into so that you machine runs in tip top shape all the time. Mud can do a lot of damage to the moving parts of your ATV and it can even affect the smoothness of the ride and the general move of your machine. If you want an ATV that moves as smoothly as the day you got it, then these mud flaps are your best friends.
Now, you may be a simple guy and you just want normal looking mud guards for your ATV; you can get them in plain black or if you want something with more flash then perhaps you can get them in flashy colors and even flashier designs. Some of these even come with prints that will blow your mind. Of course looks are just one part of what makes a good mud flap, you also have to get them in materials that are easy to wash and also durable so that they last a long time and also so they do not keep wearing out and that leaves you having to buy a new one every time the old one bites the dust.
These things vary in cost and sometimes, you will find that a flashy one made of good material will cost you more than a plain black one. It all depends on your budget and your tastes. So remember ATV users that if you want to keep the mud at bay, get a mud flap or two so protect your ATV.

Why My Clutch Is Smoking On My Go Kart

I have written several commentaries on this subject in the past, but I think it warrants rehashing, because there are two possible reasons why your clutch is smoking. I usually discuss one most likely reason, but in this article let's talk about the two possible causes of why your clutch is smoking on your go kart.
First the fundamental understanding of go karts is needed. The drive line typically consists of a clutch driver and the driven axel sprocket. The driven axel sprocket is mounted directly to the rear driver axel which turns the drive wheels. This is a one step system, or a one ratio system.
The centrifugal clutch which is used on most go karts, uses weights that are mounted internally in the clutch that fling out and press against the clutch bell housing. The bell housing then in turn moves the sprocket driving sprocket teeth.
The typical clutch has 10 to 12 sprocket teeth. As a rule of thumb any clutch that has more than 10 to 12 sprocket teeth is going to give trouble to the drive line. Trouble as in smoking clutch.
The engagement of the weights to clutch bell housing occurs at a certain rpm. Typically this rpm is around 1800 to 2000 rpm. The engine needs to blast through this level of rpm and get the clutch pack to stick and finally engage to the walls of the clutch bell. The smoking aspect occurs when the clutch is engaging but is not fully grabbing. If the prolonged engagement occurs for too long, the clutch will start to smoke and eventually damage it to where the weights will only slip and perhaps even crack and break apart.
As I stated at the start of the article, the prolonged engagement occurs because of two possible reasons:
1.) The engine is not powerful enough to get past the engagement stage
2.) The clutch weight rpm is not high enough.
The engine not being powerful enough typically is the result of a mismatch in ratios to the rear drive wheels. So the real reason is that the ratio is not steep enough, and therefore the engine smokes the clutch.
(Another possible issue can occur and that is if the clutch is made to engage at lower rpm than the engine can grab at, the engine may not have enough power, and the engine will suddenly (more like violently) shudder and stop. It is not uncommon for the engine to be so overpowered that it rotates backwards momentarily.)
The second way the clutch will smoke is if the clutch rpm never reaches engagement speed, or it is in the neighborhood of engagement speed, but is not high enough above the engagement speed to get a lock. This will smoke the clutch and is prevalent in mismatched jackshaft systems.
The remedy for the first clutch smoking problem, is to alter the drive line so that the overall ratio is steeper. The simple method is to increase the rear sprocket diameter. Programs have been written that will estimate if you clutch will smoke or not, they typically are found on web pages or are available for purchase through various web pages. Typically what occurs is that the hp-ratio just will not be possible using the simple one ratio system. So a jack shaft needs to be added to make the ratio even steeper. In other words, making it a two ratio system.
This is where guys who install jackshafts need to be aware. The clutch typically cannot be put on the driver of the jackshaft, with a ratio in front of it. This will make the clutch rotate too slowly, even though the overall ratio is correct. So the clutch engagement rpm needs to be taken into account otherwise the clutch will smoke on the secondary jackshaft mounting position.
The bottom line is if clutch is not engaging because of either too little hp, or too slow of a clutch speed then the system need to be changed by altering the ratios either behind the clutch or in front of the clutch.

Robert Gamble is a go kart building expert with over 25 + years of experience. He has various published works on go kart building from metal framed go karts, wood go karts and even pedal go karts. Using his engineering background he has developed several in depth and easily understood books on drivelines.

Go Kart Safety And What You Can Do About It

I have my web email alert system set for the keyword "go kart" and periodically some person is injured or killed on a go kart because of something that could have been avoided; namely, cars.
The way cars affect go karts is obvious, but let's review lest we think this article is not for us:
- The car is moving
- The car is parked
More often than not a go kart is driven into a busy street and a moving car will hit a go karter killing the individual. I have not ever seen a good outcome when a go kart is hit by a car, regardless if the go kart has a roll cage and seat belt system. Go karts cannot ever be driven in the street for this very reason, cars cannot see go karts, they are too low to the ground. The car always wins, the go kart always loses; Simple physics.
The other mistake that go karters make is assuming that parked cars are safe to be around because they are not moving. Wrong, go karts can slam into cars. More specifically under cars making the body of the person the first object to slam into the car and hence yield in poor results.
For these very reasons go karts should never be ridden anywhere near obstacles of any kind, such as trees, cars, bushes, fences, parking curbs. Additionally unsafe terrain such as steep hills, narrow trails with trees on each side, are just as dangerous because of the risk or roll over and or slamming into a tree are very great.
Though go karts are fun, they need to be driven in open and approved areas such as track designed for go karts.
Usually a go kart incident occurs because a younger driver, not used to the controls, slammed into a parked car, or drove out into a busy street. These unfortunate accidents could have been avoided had the go kart owners not allowed the go karts to be driven in the areas with parked cars or busy streets. Secondly, proper safety equipment is equally as important in saving lives should a mishap occur.
And finally, there is no substitute for good driving habits and proper safety protocols when using ATVs or go karts. Go karts are dangerous vehicles themselves and those around the go kart are in equal danger to those riding the go kart. The go kart in motion is a moving projectile that can cause bodily harm to anyone who gets in it way.

Go Kart Plan

I remember my first go-kart. It was made out of wood and had some metal handlebars off of a push mower as its main frame component. My grandpa had helped me put it together. My grandpa had a farm so anything that I could find sitting around was fair game. He gave me several lawnmowers and the target was to make a go-kart out of a lawnmower in three days.
Well the endeavor was pretty lofty to begin with. I did make some headway, but it was too little too late by the time the three days were up. We managed to scrape together a go-kart frame, but the lawnmower engine part was elusive and difficult.
Bottom line is that three years after that endeavor and my grandpa now passed away, the frame sat until I came up with a plan and stuck to it.
What I would have been able to do if I had a plan before! The go-kart plan is so vital for making headway in a go-kart because the following things will keep you in the dark:
- Steering
- Go-Kart Drive Line
- Brakes
- Go-Kart Frame
- Center of Gravity Placement (vital for good go-kart cornering)
Very often we will get some of the pieces working, or partially working and then have to scrap the whole project because we did not think it through properly. That is where a plan, one where someone has figured out the difficult parts for you, comes into play.
If you are considering making your own go-kart you may want to get a good go-kart plan and look at what is going on with the frame work, steering, drive line and brakes before you just start welding stuff together. More often than not, the go-kart may work, but will steer funny and tend to go straight. Or the clutch will smoke because the drive line was not matched properly to the engine, the clutch and the rear sprocket.
The steering of the go-kart should consist of an Ackermann style system where the wheels are designed to move at different rates to accommodate the proper tracking arc for optimum cornering performance. Additionally, the steering should be such that the mechanism is tucked away and not interfering with the foot pedals. Often go-kart enthusiast will miss this point and end up having the throttle and brake pedals interlocking (on accident) with the steering linkage causing an unsafe directional control problem.
The steering system should also be placed optimally for the center of gravity to be in the proper spot for excellent handling. Again what occurs is the wheels are usually placed too far forward (from the center of gravity) causing the weight over the wheels to be too little. This will cause the wheels in front to not bite enough and the go-kart will tend to just go straight, a condition known as severe under steer. A good go-kart plan will accommodate for larger drivers and smaller drivers. This allows the steering system to be moved to the optimum location for center of gravity placement.
The drive system usually is either the last or the most overlooked item on the go-kart. Typically a go-kart will be designed with too little ratio causing the go-kart clutch to smoke. Additionally the go-kart will require pushing to get it to start. The go-kart will also have crummy acceleration and obviously not be able to climb any sort of hill. This is where most give up and throw in the towel, because it seems that lots of dollars are going to be needed to get this go-kart to work properly, if at all.
There is an optimum set of drive line ratios for climbing hills or for going on straight ways. The optimum ration can be calculated easily either by hand or with a computer program.
And there is always that guy who wants to take a lawnmower engine and use it on a go-kart. There are several ways, but knowing and using the most durable system can be elusive if you don't understand drive lines and what makes clutches slip. Again a good go-kart plan will show you how to leap past these hurdles.
Finally, a good brake system is needed to stop the go-kart. Smack into a fence or a bush once and you'd had wished you had taken the advice of installing so good brakes. Don't go light on the brakes, stopping the go-kart is more than just jamming a stick into the ground. There are several types the most primitive being the rubbing style brake. The other two are the drum brake and the disc brake. The most stopping power can be had out of the disc brake, because it dissipates the heat better and does not fade like the rubbing and the disc brake.
A good go-kart plan will take into account brakes and how to install them properly. A final note on go-kart brakes, the biggest complaint about them is the floatation that is required for the brakes the work properly. The little trick to keep the go-kart brake working properly is to realize that the disc need to float so that the system does not bind up.
And lest we forget, safety is of utmost concern when designing a go-kart. Are there safety devices such as roll cages, seat belts, or retention columns? And a word of advice when playing around with go-karts always use safety equipment such as helmets, gloves, thick cloths, heavy shoes (boots) and drive safely.