Chassis selection
- Thread starter dmccraw84
- Start date
racing promotor
Moderator
Results your seeing and support you can get.
CarlsonMotorsports
Site Supporter
Support and support.
Results can be had on pretty much any chassis by the top names. Your results may vary.
Most karts are built in the southeast, so getting replacement parts direct from the manufacturer or dealer will mean shipping regardless of exactly where they are built.
Price; I'd say that you typically get what you pay for. Racers have a pretty good knowledge of what their equipment is worth and price it accordingly. An off brand chassis will not demand the same resale price as a kart that is very popular and retails for over $3000 new.
With that said; depending on where you are racing, and how serious you want to get...Consider a chassis that might be a few years older (to save money) and a brand that is supported by a dealer locally as well as offers factory support.
Choosing a chassis that your tire guy is fond of can go a long way in your success as well.
-----
Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
29 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
Results can be had on pretty much any chassis by the top names. Your results may vary.
Most karts are built in the southeast, so getting replacement parts direct from the manufacturer or dealer will mean shipping regardless of exactly where they are built.
Price; I'd say that you typically get what you pay for. Racers have a pretty good knowledge of what their equipment is worth and price it accordingly. An off brand chassis will not demand the same resale price as a kart that is very popular and retails for over $3000 new.
With that said; depending on where you are racing, and how serious you want to get...Consider a chassis that might be a few years older (to save money) and a brand that is supported by a dealer locally as well as offers factory support.
Choosing a chassis that your tire guy is fond of can go a long way in your success as well.
-----
Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
29 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
Kart762001
Member
I have 2 chassis for sale if you are looking 2019 Recon and 2018 Minecon both are 2000.00 a piece.
I've bought a few used karts and I stay away from a kart with just a few races on it. It just funny when you for a kart with I my two weekends in it. Makes me ask what's wrong. The last one I bought was a full size Triton that had been ran in a junior class, so I know it wasn't hurt.
With that being said, most manufactures are making a small and big tube chassi's, so know what you looking at. I also ask when the bearings have been changed last. Generally look the kart over look on the bottom for flat spots and rust. You'll be able to tell if it's been taken care of.
I have to agree with Brian about the support from the builder.
With that being said, most manufactures are making a small and big tube chassi's, so know what you looking at. I also ask when the bearings have been changed last. Generally look the kart over look on the bottom for flat spots and rust. You'll be able to tell if it's been taken care of.
I have to agree with Brian about the support from the builder.
Ted Hamilton
Helmet Painter / Racer
Buy a "modern era" (adjustable front end spindle blocks) chassis for somewhere around $800 (with working brakes!!) and put in 1000's of laps. Learn basic chassis setup. That process will teach you a) if you like karting, b) what annoys you about the current chassis c) what to look for regarding conveniences and layout on a new chassis c) that old stuff isn't necessarily slower than new stuff at anything under ELITE level. Every chassis is 4 bearing hangers separated by various tubes...as long as each corner can be made to scale correctly, and there's appropriate weight transfer rates, what's going on in the middle is secondary to tires and technique. I look for cleanliness (did the previous owner care enough to clean it....) although TOO CLEAN is a warning too.... and spares included, and helpful advice and friendliness. The most egregious deal I've been taken by was a "good deal" on a sprint frame that the previous owner had worn through the nose, packed it full of JB weld, then sanded and repowdercoated. I could never get it to handle right and didn't discover the "fix" until a small crack in the powdercoating there appeared and I investigated further.... Caveat emptor. At least the brakes on that chassis were superb...
Someone ...
Member
With new chassis, pretty much any brand that has a good reputation and offers dealer support will be fine - especially for beginning racers. If you pick a brand that is popular at your track then it will be easier to get answers to your questions that actually help you. After you gain enough experience to figure out what you like / how to adjust you might try a brand that isn't as highly popular at your track, under the guise of it's easier to beat people if you have different stuff than they have... but you also have to be willing to go through a tougher learning curve.
With used chassis, there are pluses and minuses. They will be cheaper, and it is possible to get a bunch of setup information from the seller. But if they were raced a lot they might have metal fatigue or have taken a set that will hamper handling, and they might have hidden wreck damage. It can be hard to discover this, even if you have experience. You also are better off to stick to designs that aren't more than seven or eight years old since chassis design technology moves rather quickly. Some people have enough talent or experience to make almost any old kart fast, but if you are a beginner you'll have less frustration and are less likely to learn bad driving habits on a newer design.
Factor in what you expect to get out of racing. If you are willing to start out knowing that you're unlikely to win right away anyway, and want to reign in costs while you learn, a decent used popular brand kart will be fine. If you need to be able to run up front or you'll get frustrated and mad, better buy a new popular brand kart (as well as find experienced help).
With used chassis, there are pluses and minuses. They will be cheaper, and it is possible to get a bunch of setup information from the seller. But if they were raced a lot they might have metal fatigue or have taken a set that will hamper handling, and they might have hidden wreck damage. It can be hard to discover this, even if you have experience. You also are better off to stick to designs that aren't more than seven or eight years old since chassis design technology moves rather quickly. Some people have enough talent or experience to make almost any old kart fast, but if you are a beginner you'll have less frustration and are less likely to learn bad driving habits on a newer design.
Factor in what you expect to get out of racing. If you are willing to start out knowing that you're unlikely to win right away anyway, and want to reign in costs while you learn, a decent used popular brand kart will be fine. If you need to be able to run up front or you'll get frustrated and mad, better buy a new popular brand kart (as well as find experienced help).