Track Tac

How long do Karts last?

L

LooksLikeFun

New member
Just wondering how long on average do Karts last? I noticed a lot of people get new karts it seems like every year why is that? If a kart was run every weekend, how long would it keep its new like flexibility. I know weight and track size and type, play a big role in performance but what would be time to start looking to update to a new chassis.
 
Depends on your use and competition level. Pro karting you see guys hopping over to new after 5-8 races.... Personally I own an 08 Infiniti that I love and also have a 2004 ultramax that must have at least 1000 races on it pre owned from a super heavy in 2006, the kart also got bent.... my girlfriend just set a new track record in lights the other week by .2 seconds with it and ran a tight 2nd in lights with the pro guys running regular classes on concrete this winter...

IMHO, a lot of it is people buying into gimmicks and lack of learnability.... Get hooked up with so and so doing tires and paying for speed but they will only help if they ride say phantom chassis with Tod Miller motors.. when they figure out that guy isn't working they switch and have to get on other stuff for the help. My girlfriend had seen this back in 06/07 in her national days, I've seen it on local levels, I'm pretty much the black sheep in my area with the karts and engines I run.... They work, run well, so my advice is do as much reading as possible and make what you have work, it's the best way, and keeping it fresh and up to snuff with spindles heims bearings and axles through time it is cheaper than a new kart and it should last you quite awhile.... Only down side is it would be like me selling my ultramax, you won't see over $400 for it....
 
I understand in Europe, the factory drivers have a new frame for every race. And there was a time when they change even more often. That's why in Europe there is a rule that the kart you enter with, must be the kart you race with. No changing of frames, without good reason, at an event. And I'm not sure about the, "without good reason".

I think they also have a rule that kart designs cannot be changed within a five-year period. It's called the homologation period. The factories have to submit their design to the homologation committee every 5 years.

I'm no expert on European karting, so if any this is wrong forgive me.

From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
 
It depends on the individual chassis design, and the level of competition you race against. I, like Kyle, own an 08 Infiniti Epic, with 1 3/8 rails. With such large tubing, it won't "flex out" nearly as quickly as some of the newer, small-tubing chassis on the market, as long as you update things like axles and spindles. Larger teams that run big-money races change out karts because it makes sense. They stay on new equipment for competition's sake, and can turn their old karts over at a decent price to other teams.
 
For what they turn their used karts over, I bet they get special pricing/dealer pricing that is not much more than what they sale their used chassis for. What wins at the track is what is going to sell. Keeping the top drivers on top equipment and winning is the best advertisement any company can do.
 
Probably depends on the type of racing for which the kart was designed. I'm still driving one of multiple enduros from the early '70's.
 
Kyle is right. That was one of best posts I have read. If you have something not bent learn it, what it likes, what it dislikes. Then put your effort into tires. Listen steel does not know how old it is. Other than the adjustable front end what other chassis inovation has occurred?
 
And this is not to say that bent frames aren't drivable or good.( that is if its not bent real bad). I've seen plenty of people on bent karts finish good or win. From what I see new karts are binding (getting bent) faster by smaller wrecks. Devan Morgan does some pretty big races with a 2013 excentrik and still wins races.
 
i started on a 99 Banshee...great chassis that worked very well....then my son and i got 01 Milleniums last year....great chassis, neither have ever been bent and once we got them set like we wanted, they run with the newer ones...

personally, i don't buy into the hype...chassis prices are beginning to border on stupidly expensive. now, before i get blasted....face facts...this or that chassis was the one that won a 50K to win event and everone "has" to have one so they can win...so the chassis people advertise that "johnny jabronee" won on our stupidly expensive chassis and if you want to win then you have to buy one or you will loose every race you enter....

what would i like to see? a good chassis marketed as a good chassis that sells for say $500....it's jsut as good as brand X chassis, but costs a lot less....and watch how many will buy a new chassis from them. you can't tell me that it costs $3424.99 (name brand bare chassis with an axle, brake caliper and rotor that is currently being advertised) to produce them!! keep all your gimmicks, your "special" welding, your overpriced extra's, and sell me a good chassis at a good, fair price, and i'll buy a new one...otherwise, hang this one on the wall, cuz i'll keep my 01 millenium and spend more on tires and the engine...
 
I dont believe the chassis wear out as much as the bearings wear out. you get a new chassis, you get new bearings...

One year we had an older shifter kart with the front loop worn thru 90% and 8mm kingpins and got on a new one with 10mm kingpins, and was reported they both drove the same, and both ran the same speed. That said, another chassis brand did turn to crap after a few races. Basically, if you cant adjust the kart and have it respond then its time to change.

Al, your correct with the European way. Some of those guys would change mid event, and some events let us check in 2 chassis, mostly a "rain chassis" so that if it rained you had one already set up and didnt have to change the dry setup.

There are problem with only going to the cheap copies of karts, and or only buying used. One, the new innovations would stop. The sponsorship dollars would dry up and info would stop flowing. The competition between manufactures actually do keep some prices down. Think about it, IF all there was was Phantom, how much would they cost? IF the only reason to buy a Prowler was it was cheap, why buy it if you couldnt win with it? So, the prowler guys put in work to beat the Phantoms, and the others included too.

But put it all into perspective, How much does a Late Model cost compared to a NEW kart? I once stopped by the racecar shop and they asked why not run cars, it cost the same per event as running the karts. (which was true at the time) but running the local late model class i couldnt go to any other tracks as they all had different rules. Plus, they couldnt compete with the argument that if i wrote the ENTIRE machine off id only be out 7K or so. Cant build a car for that much.
 
"That said, another chassis brand did turn to crap after a few races. Basically, if you cant adjust the kart and have it respond then its time to change. "
Amen Barry. If you start messing with your percentages, tires, spindles, and you turn the same time each time out, you get a new set of rails. Other than that, keep on keepin on! I have not heard of Oval karts falling off of the face of the earth like that. I have heard of dirty rumors of some Tag chassis dropping off a half second or more after 5 races.
 
will.h#91 said:
And this is not to say that bent frames aren't drivable or good.( that is if its not bent real bad). I've seen plenty of people on bent karts finish good or win. From what I see new karts are binding (getting bent) faster by smaller wrecks. Devan Morgan does some pretty big races with a 2013 excentrik and still wins races.
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Left rear rail on the Ultramax stated above was bent up and over 1.5", straightened it in 09, it got soft, just straightened it again and its a rocket again....
 
Al you bring up an interesting point model year vs a 5 year homologation period . For all who run the sprint asphalt programs there seems to be a belief if its sold after the first of the year it a new 2014 or 2015 kart but in reality you could be buying a 5 year old design. no doubt about the fact new iron is better than old but there is a lot of snake oil being sold out there
 
Some more thoughts.

So many things in karting are spec. and yet frames are not. The most expensive item has the least amount of controls.

There were many times when I have come up with innovative new ideas but dismissed them, knowing that, if they really did make an improvement, to the point that you had to have them to remain competitive, the rules makers would make it illegal.

From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
 
I had 4 other karts before I got my 98 Phantom Banshee which I am still running. Is it the fastest kart no is it the slowest kart no but at 74 I am still running it and having fun out there. See you at Little E Oct. 19th.
 
This is the way I go about it: my kart is good until I could afford a new one ..........................case closed
 
The components wear out more than anything in my experience. I change spindles and heims about every 8 races or so just for good insurance and I've never had a kart fall off that I'm aware of, but I only race about 10-12 races a year and haven't put more than about 40 races on a chassis. The old chassis's I sold were still fast when I sold them. I have an 09 icon for sale now with 30-40 races on it and it's still a front runner and it's always had new spindles and heims on it.
 
Lake said:
This is the way I go about it: my kart is good until I could afford a new one ..........................case closed
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This is a correct answer too! Change chassis as soon as I can afford to, because the longer you wait the more the value of your old kart drops.
 
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