FamilyFun GO-Cart User manual

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STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION MANUAL
GO-CART
Designed and Built y Kevin Ayer

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1
Go-Cart: You Will Need
MATERIALS:
• 1½-inch diameter wood closet rod (at least 4 feet long)
• 2 (8-foot-long) 2 by 4 spruce studs
•½-inch AC/sanded plywood, half sheet (24 by 48 inches)
• Lawn mower replacement wheels with ½-inch hubs (with ball bearings),
two (10-inch) for the back and two (8-inch) for the front (we used
Power Care brand)
• 4 hex-style wheel bolts that fit a ½-inch bore wheel hub (generally sold to
go with the replacement wheels)*
• 4 (2- by 4-inch) angle brackets (we used Simpson brand, model #A24)
• 20 (2½-inch) coarse thread drywall screws
• 40 (1X-inch) coarse thread drywall screws
• 24 (1N-inch) pan head screws
•W-inch hex bolt (6 inches long)
•W-inch hex bolt (3½inches long)
• 10 (W-inch) flat washers
• 4 (½-inch) flat washers
• 6 (W-inch) lock nuts
• 6 (#4, or N- by 2½-inch) eye bolts with wood threads
•½-inch galvanized pipe fittings: 2 flanges and a 3-inch nipple with
threaded ends
• Lubricating oil
• 2 (7-foot-long) W-inch braided ropes
• Paint and paintbrushes
• Boat floatation cushion with straps
• 18-inch bungee cord
T LS:
•Tape measure
• Carpenter’s square
•Pencil
• Eye and hearing protection
• Dust mask
• Work gloves
• Jigsaw
• Circular saw (if you don’t have one, a jigsaw will suffice)
•W-inch power drill
• Drill bits
Spade style: 1½-inch and Y-inch
Twist syle: E/cb-inch, C/af-inch, W-inch, and ½-inch
Phillips power driver
• 2 (I/af-inch) wrenches (or 2 adjustables)
•O-inch wrench (or adjustable)
• Screwdriver
• 100 grit sandpaper
• File
• Utility knife
• Coffee can or paint can (for tracing)
* If you can’t find packaged bolts that go with
the wheels, you’ll need 4 (W-inch) hex bolts
with a collar, 2½inches long.
Photograph by Kevin Ayer
Photograph by Peter N. Fox

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2
Go-Cart: Cutting Directions
FIGURE 1
Cut the closet rod and the 2 by 4 spruce studs, as shown.
BRAKE LEVER STEERING BAR WASTE
20” 20”
CENTER SUPPORT FRONT AXLE REAR AXLE
BRAKE
BLOCK
36” 25” 25”6”
FOOT HOLD
14”
STEERING
COLUMN
SUPPORT
6O”
STEERING COLUMN
21”
BRAKE
BLOCK
6”
REAR AXLE BLOCKS
11” 11” 10”
FRONT AXLE BLOCKS
10”
WASTE
WASTE

3
Go-Cart: Cutting Directions
FIGURE 2
Cut the plywood as shown. To round the
corners on the seat pieces, use a pipe
flange and a large coffee or paint can to
trace circles as shown, then use the jig-
saw to cut around the outer curves (see
Figures A a d B). To make the brake lever
opening in the seat, drill 1½-inch-wide
holes through the wood, as shown, and
then use the jigsaw to cut out the wood
between the holes.
A
B
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Photographs by Kevin Ayer
12”
SEAT BACK SEAT
SIDE PANEL
SIDE PANEL
48”
16”
3K”
24”
10O”
24”
11K”
8”
1K”
3O”
WASTE
BRAKE LEVER OPENING

4
Go-Cart: Drilling Directions
FIGURE 3A
Use the W-inch twist bit to drill one hole through
each of the brake blocks (3 inches from one end
and 1Oinches from the side edge) and through
the brake lever (7Ninches from the bottom).
FIGURE 3B
Using the same W-inch bit, drill
a hole centered on the steering
column 1Oinches from the top.
Then slowly drill a W-inch hole
through the center of the steer-
ing bar (as shown in Figure 4).
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Drilling Tip:
Place a wood block underneath the piece you
are drilling to prevent blow-out splinters and
to protect your work surface.
FIGURE 4
Using the K-inch twist bit, slowly drill holes 1K-
inches in from each end of the steering bar, posi-
tioning them at a 90 degree angle to the center
hole. To help index the angle, insert a bolt or drill
bit in the center hole of the steering bar, and make
sure it is parallel with your work surface.
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
FIGURE 3A
FIGURE 4
7N”
3” 1O”
1K”
FIGURE 3B
K”H LES
BRAKE BL CKS
BRAKE LEVER
STEERING BAR
W”H LE

5
Go-Cart: Drilling Directions
FIGURE 5
Create countersunk pivot holes for fitting the pipe
flanges onto the front axle. First, mark a point on the
top of the center support 1Oinches from the front end
and 1Oinches from the edge. Use the 1K-inch spade
bit to drill a W-inch-deep hole at the mark. Drill a
matching countersunk hole on the underside of the
axle 12Kinches from the end and 1Oinches from the
edge. Then, use the Y-inch spade bit to drill through
the center of each of the 1K-inch-wide holes, this time
going all the way through the wood.
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Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
FIGURE 6
Thread the 3-inch pipe nipple into one of the
K-inch flanges (first applying a few drops of
lubricating oil to the threaded ends), and then
insert the nipple through the countersunk
hole in the center support. Attach the flange
to the center support using four 1N-inch pan
head screws.
Assembly Tip:
Pre-drill all the screw holes.
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6
1O”
1O”
1O”
12K”
FR NT AXLE
FLANGE

6
Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
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FIGURE 7
Unscrew the nipple from the attached flange and
thread it into the second flange. Insert the nipple
up through the countersunk hole on the bottom
of the front axle, flip the axle over, and attach the
flange, again using four 1N-inch pan head screws.
FIGURE 8
Next, thread the free end of the nipple into the
first flange, turning the axle to tighten the con-
nection until there is about C/af-inch between the
center support and the front axle, and the pieces
pivot freely.
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
Photograph by Peter N. Fox
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8
FR NT AXLE
CENTER SUPP RT
FR NT AXLE

7
Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
FIGURE 9
To assemble the go-cart frame, first use three 2K-inch
drywall screws to attach the back end of the center
support to the center of the rear axle, positioning it so
that the end of the support extends Ninch past the
back edge of the axle. Then use drywall screws to
attach the rear axle blocks to the top of the rear axle,
positioning them so that they overhang the back edge
by Ninch just as the center support does. They should
also extend Ninch over the ends of the axles where
the wheels will go. (Note: Overhanging these pieces
will help to better support the seat back and the
wheels when you attach them later).
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FIGURE 10
Attach the front axle blocks next, overhanging them
Ninch past the wheel ends of the axle but keeping
them flush with the long edges. (Note: while one end
of each front block supports the wheels, the other end
helps control the steering by acting as a stop that
prevents the axle from turning too far.)
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 10
N”VERHANG
N”VERHANG
CENTER
SUPP RT

8
Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
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FIGURE 11
Now it’s time to attach the wheels to the axles (the
larger ones to the back, the smaller to the front). To
create the assembly for each one, use a screwdriver
to remove the small plastic hub in the center of the
wheel rim. Then, thread a metal collar on a wheel bolt,
leaving about Kinch of bolt threads exposed between
the head of the bolt and the collar. Insert the bolt
through the K-inch hole on the smaller face of an
angle bracket as shown.
Slide a K-inch washer onto the bolt and insert the bolt
through the center of the wheel. Slide on a W-inch
washer, then screw on a W-inch lock nut, tightening it
until the assembly is snug but the wheel still spins freely.
FIGURE 12 (A & B)
Use four 1N-inch pan head screws to attach the wheel
brackets to the underside of the axle ends.
FIGURE 12 (A)
FIGURE 12 (B)
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
FIGURE 11
UNDERSIDE F AXLE
METAL C LLAR
ANGLE
BRACKET
UNDERSIDE
F
FRAME

Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
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FIGURE 13
ark the steering column 9 inches from the top. Butt
the steering column support up against the steering
column, centering it on the mark. Use two 2K-inch
drywall screws to secure the two pieces together.
FIGURE 14 (A)
FIGURE 14 (B)
FIGURE 13
FIGURE 14 (A & B)
Using eight 1X-inch drywall screws, attach the
steering column side panels, lining the edges up
with the top of the steering column and the side of
the steering column support, as shown.
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
9
STEERING
C LUMN
STEERING
C LUMN
SUPP RT

Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
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FIGURE 15
Attach the remaining plywood parts to the frame with
1X-inch drywall screws. Start with the seat back, lin-
ing up the bottom edge with the bottom of the rear
axle, and screw into both the axle and the axle blocks.
Next, set the seat on the frame, butting it up against
the seat back, and screw it to the axle blocks and the
center support.
Position the steering column assembly on top of the
center support, butting it up against the seat. Fasten
it in place by screwing through the plywood into the
center support on both sides.
FIGURE 16
Attach the steering bar to the top of the steering col-
umn with a W- by 3K-inch bolt, sandwiching W-inch
washers between all pieces. Thread a W-inch lock nut
onto the end of the bolt and tighten it until it’s snug
but still allows the bar to pivot.
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
10
FIGURE 15
FIGURE 16

Go-Cart: Piece Assembly
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FIGURE 17
Assemble the brake by slipping a W-inch washer onto
aW- by 6-inch bolt and then inserting the bolt through
one of the previously drilled brake blocks, two W-inch
washers, the brake lever, two more W-inch washers,
the second brake block, and one more W-inch washer.
Finally, screw on a W-inch lock nut and turn it until it’s
snug but still allows the lever to pivot.
Thread the long end of the brake lever through the slot
in the seat from the bottom, angling it toward the
front of the go-cart. Butt the brake blocks up against
the rear axle and use 1X-inch drywall screws to fasten
them in place, screwing down through the seat top.
ake sure the brake lever is centered in the hole so
that it can operate freely.
FIGURE 18
Turn the go cart on its side and, using three 2K-inch
drywall screws, attach the footrest to the underside of
the center support about 5 inches back from and paral-
lel to the front axle. Attach the seat cushion, too, loop-
ing one of the handles over the break lever on the seat
and using the bungee cord to connect the strap handles
under the go cart. In this position, the bungee cord
serves to hold the brake lever up when it’s not in use.
11
Photographs by Kevin Ayer
FIGURE 17
FIGURE 18
F TREST
BRAKE
ASSEMBLY

Go-Cart: Finishing Touches
FIGURE 19
Sand and paint the go-cart, if you like. Then complete
the steering assembly. Start by drilling C/af-inch holes in
the steering column and axle where shown. Screw eye
bolts into the holes. (Tip: to tighten them, insert the
shaft of a screwdriver through the eye bolt and twist.)
Next, connect the steering bar to the front axle using
the 7-foot lengths of rope. Tie an overhand knot in the
end of one length and thread the other end through
one of the holes in the steering bar and then through
the eyebolts on the same side of the steering column
and the front axle. Do the same with the second length
of rope on the opposite side of the steering assembly.
Now make sure the front axle and steering bar are
parallel. Pull each rope taut and knot it around the axle
eyebolt. Trim the rope ends, leaving a little excess so you
can retie them if they loosen. Now you’re ready to roll!
12
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Photograph by ark antegna
FIGURE 19
O”
14”
4”
O”
1K”
1K”
SAFE DRIVING PRECAUTI NS
As with all vehicles, this go-cart
requires routine maintenance and
should be driven with caution.
Regularly check the nuts and bolts
and the steering ropes to make sure
they’re sufficiently tight. And keep
an eye on the brake — you’ll want to
replace the lever when the bottom
becomes worn.