Riding the brakes

Marcis71

Marcis71

Member
I put together a kart for my nephew who’s never raced before and I figured out from the glowing brake rotor last night that he is resting his foot on the brake pedal all the time. I’m going to put a fairly heavy return spring on the pedal but if anyone has another suggestion I’m definitely open to it.
 
I went through a phase of this when I got started karting, and I just fixed it by not resting my foot on the physical pedal while racing, but rather the nose of the kart always leaving a small gap between my foot and the pedal. I've never tried the return spring idea, that seems like it could work. I would also verify the brakes are still working on that kart and he can stop like normal. In the past when I have run long races where I used the brake to the point I could feel heat on the back of my seat my pedal eventually went flat which you definitely don't want in kids racing.
 
A guy that was racing at our track suspected his young, learning-to-race-daughter was dragging her foot on the brake, so he hooked up a car horn to the brake pedal. Every time she stepped on the brake the horn would blow. Sure enough, she was dragging the brake, but that constantly blowing car horn broke her of it very quickly!
 
I like the idea of the horn, especially one of the train horns. Not only would that break his habit quickly but he may gain a few positions from startled kid’s driving off the track 😂
I put 2 return springs on it for now.
 
I would think you are on the right path, but make sure the brakes are not adjusted too tight and the rear bearings are good. Can't imagine it making that much heat but easy checks.
 
would not add springs etc making it more difficult to use the break would not want anything to happen where driver couldn't stop especially a young one. be more inclined to adjust the pedal away from foot along with some instruction on foot position and keeping the foot at ready but away from pedal.
good luck
 
Marcis71 said:
I put together a kart for my nephew who’s never raced before and I figured out from the glowing brake rotor last night that he is resting his foot on the brake pedal all the time. I’m going to put a fairly heavy return spring on the pedal but if anyone has another suggestion I’m definitely open to it.
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Dial the pads out further, so that in order for the brakes to work, he really has to stand on the pedal.
 
Surveyor said:
I would think you are on the right path, but make sure the brakes are not adjusted too tight and the rear bearings are good. Can't imagine it making that much heat but easy checks.
Click to expand...
Theres been plenty of orange glow coming from disc brake .
both over use and dragging .
 
We’ll check everything out and move the pedal down and away this week. He’s 14 and 6’1” so he won’t have any problems pushing the pedal with an extra spring but he hasn’t raced anything (or even been around any kind of racing) so I’m trying not to overwhelm him with information.

Thank you for the input!
 
Walk the driver around the track. Show him 2 spots 1 going into 1 and another going into 3. Tell him to lift for 3 seconds at that spot then punch the pedal. Once he gets comfortable with 3 go down to 2 seconds and so on. Tell him to only use the brakes if he is going to plow the guy in front of him or if there is a wreck ahead of him.
 
Thanks for the thoughts Brian and Colt. I’ll get him in the kart and make sure his left leg isn’t in a position that he has to rest his foot on the pedal and that he is comfortable in the seat, and I like the idea of him not touching the brake but this track is tight enough and the competition close enough that I don’t know if he will get to the point of no braking before this year’s over.

I have the dog training collar charged up and am thinking about putting it under his neck brace so I can “remind” him when he’s too much on the brakes. 😉
 
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