Building a soapbox racer (aka go-cart.... aka gravity racer)

[simon the viking]

My place of employment isn't orange or blue.... its a large dependent that sells everything from a single (not packets) M4 washer to 8K ride-on Mowers.....

However yes..... I wouldn't be scavenging out of fence posts and council tips (not allowed anymore).... I will have to purchase....... but not bad at the moment only the BMX at a fiver..... the rest is out my tool box and garage........

 

[classic33]

ermmm...note I did say "scavenged", not bought...

Set a spending limit, with receipts required.

 

[gbb]

You realise you'll end up with half the local kids wanting one
I made mine a rifle out of some timber, simply drew the outline, , cut, attach a nail at the barrel end and a clothes peg at the button end and you could fire elastic bands.
The local kids went mad for them

We think these kind of things aren't sophisticated enough for modern children...it's not always the case.

 

[simon the viking]

By the way.......I am building it without my dads help.... that would be hard.......he's been dead nearly 20 years......


Oh I see what you all mean.........Ben should be building it without my help......

Times do change..... We used my dads Spear and Jackson wood saw........ No way is Ben using my electric Jig Saw and drill ....... I want him to grow up with all his fingers...... and no holes in his body parts......

 

[classic33]

By the way.......I am building it without my dads help.... that would be hard.......he's been dead nearly 20 years......


Oh I see what you all mean.........Ben should be building it without my help......

Times do change..... We used my dads Spear and Jackson wood saw........ No way is Ben using my electric Jig Saw and drill ....... I want him to grow up with all his fingers...... and no holes in his body parts......

He's old enough to use them.

 

[simon the viking]

He's old enough to use them.

Mrs V gets nervous when I use the jigsaw!

 

[classic33]

Mrs V gets nervous when I use the jigsaw!

Any way he could burn the hole through. Red hot bolt heated with a blowtorch(my preferred method), or heated on the cooker?

 

[simon the viking]

Oh the joys of working in a hardware store......

There are 2 threaded bars (axles), 2 wheels, aluminium tube (to bush the threaded bar in the front wheels... so it doesn't chew the plastic up) and various penny washers, U bolts, nuts and lock nuts, a long bolt for the steering pinion and 2 metres of Yacht Cord. Going to remove the foot rest.... drop the idea of spring assisted steering and go for foot/rope..... although I was offered a steering wheel off a MK1 Golf for it today..... I told the person to stick it on Ebay instead for £50........ i know I could do with stronger/bigger wheels with pneumatic tyres.... but they were quite a bit dearer so thought better of it........

The threaded is unfortunately a coarser thread than the original bike axles... so going to drill the cones out a little then keep in place with penny washers and lock nuts... (or drill centre of bmx wheels out and use the alloy tube as bush type bearing as in the front... if cone drilling idea fails)

 

[classic33]

Oh the joys of working in a hardware store......

There are 2 threaded bars (axles), 2 wheels, aluminium tube (to bush the threaded bar in the front wheels... so it doesn't chew the plastic up) and various penny washers, U bolts, nuts and lock nuts, a long bolt for the steering pinion and 2 metres of Yacht Cord. Going to remove the foot rest.... drop the idea of spring assisted steering and go for foot/rope..... although I was offered a steering wheel off a MK1 Golf for it today..... I told the person to stick it on Ebay instead for £50........ i know I could do with stronger/bigger wheels with pneumatic tyres.... but they were quite a bit dearer so thought better of it........

The threaded is unfortunately a coarser thread than the original bike axles... so going to drill the cones out a little then keep in place with penny washers and lock nuts... (or drill centre of bmx wheels out and use the alloy tube as bush type bearing as in the front... if cone drilling idea fails)

View attachment 346942

If you're going to drill/grind the cones. Do one side of each wheel. The untouched one then acts as a retainer.

 

[simon the viking]

I just need to open the loose cones out as they won't screw on the bar... then hold each side in with lock nuts and penny washers.... then hope the bearings don't escape!

The other idea is to drill the wheel bearing surface out and run the aluminium rod through as a bush... but not much metal there to run on the bush so may wear baldly......

 

[raleighnut]

You'd better have a good drill, the cones will be hardened and not just on their bearing surface with things that small they 'case harden' the lot.

 

[classic33]

Update required!

 

[simon the viking]

Update required!

Chassis built.... just needs wheels putting on....probably about another hours work. Then painted...

Finding time to crack on with it has been tricky... but promise it will be finished soon. I could finish it on a day off while he's at school but I want to involve him.

 

[simon the viking]

To honest I've been quite busy injuring myself!

http://veloballs.com/slippery-when-dry/

And....

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/corneal-ulcer.217834/

Then the twisted ankle done on someone elses wet decking.... feeling quite clumsy at the moment

 

[raleighnut]

Chassis built.... just needs wheels putting on....probably about another hours work. Then painted...

Finding time to crack on with it has been tricky... but promise it will be finished soon. I could finish it on a day off while he's at school but I want to involve him.

Bank Holibobs next week.