School Me on LO206

Just eyeballing it with a tape measure, appears to be a little less than 1.5". I recently swapped an LO206 and clone on my kart for a weekend. If I remember correctly, the difference wasn't even enough to need to move the axle gear.
 
robkoz said:
Greg, you're right that most of Canada is running Euro-based manufacturers' chassis. But I think they tend to be 28mm or 30mm frames, designed for 4-cycle racing, with 40 mm axles.

For example, the CRG RS5 is the CRG of choice in Eastern Canada for LO206 and it is a 28mm frame, 40mm axle. Birel, K&K, Arrow and many others are similar, maybe offering 30mm frames for bigger drivers or more wide open tracks.

In Canada, the ASN rules keep the width of the 4-cycles narrower, which makes it tough to free up most of the real 2-cycle chassis that like to run at least 53" wide in the back, which is based on the feedback I've received from people in Calgary and Saskatoon who've run 2-cycle frames with the LO206. It can work with a super soft 50mm axle and an extremely smooth driving style, but it's not ideal, and I don't think the many guys in the East are running the setup you suggest (and neither did the guy who won the West in 2012, who was on a 28mm CRG frame, 40mm axle - the last time the LO206 had real representation in a major series in the West - I'm guessing it'll be back for 2014 though).

Another piece of the puzzle for anyone wondering, we also require the situp seats in Canada and CIK bodywork, so that might explain why we don't see many of the American chassis up here (apart from the Margay that does alright in the East).
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Hi
I have to agree on most of what you say was not implying all just implying a trend and what some are running that are successful. Just looking at the trends here last year in 2013 lots of 50mm axled 30-32 or 28-30 setups with like you said paper thin 50mm axles. There are some very fast lo206 drivers at our club running this setup with ex two stroke Tony Karts

Greg
 
In my case the 32mm Supersonic-V chassis is necessary as me and my big block tip the scales at 458#'s. I'm on a medium 40mm axle and it could probably stand to be a firm one.
Greg are you or any of your drivers going to be at the SIMA gold cup in April?
 
my arrow with a 40mm axle holds the lo206 track record at Norway and guy who had it before had almost same set up and kart so i would have to arrow over a american chassis any day
 
Well in the 3 years I ran my MGM at Carolina Motorsports Park Powereade championship no European frame was able to run with the US made 4 cycle chassis in the clone classes. Track records in any configuration were all set by US 4 cycle chassis with a difference of over 1.5 seconds over any European chassis. Just try to check WKA Gold Cup races from last weekend and see what chassis won. They probably have the toughest competition for 4 cycle asphalt sprint racing in North America. At leat in the US.
 
There is no way in the world that a chassis will get you 1.5 seconds on our tracks in the Northwest under IKF standup seat rules . Don't care if it is made in the USA or China it just is not going to happen. With x amount of power you can only get around a track so fast in low powered clones or Lo206 Briggs. Small differences a few tenths I see between chassis but no way will an Arrow or a CRG Tony or Italkart or the likes be 1.5 seconds slower than any US made chassis given the same rules like stand up seats no arrow bodywork etc. Remember in IKF and up here in Canada we run Euro type setup no body work no laydown setups. 1.5 seconds is an eternity on a one minute or less sprint track. I know as I hold the track record at our track as well as well as two others in the Northwest. If I all of a sudden I gained 1.5 seconds I would be shot I am sure by the rest of the group. If that was the case everyone and their mother would buy that frame of the week. We cannot compare IKF to WKF types of karting. We may use the same engines bit there are big differences between the karts.

Greg
 
1.5 seconds by running the US-made chassis? As Greg says, not with IKF or ASN Canada rules. Otherwise, everyone would be running them.

I'm not super familiar with the WKA rules, but I think some of the key differences that might help if you built a kart to suit the rules would be:

1) 6" vs 5" tires/rims
2) laydown vs. sit-up seats
3) wheel and tire widths

This past weekend, it looks like the LO206 Sr at the Florida Winter Tour was won by a Euro chassis (a 2-cycle CRG chassis).
 
Well, European style chassis were on 40 mm axle, sit up seat and 5" wheels. American made 4 cycle chassis were on sit down seat, 6" wheels and 1 1/4 axle, and yes, no 2 cycle chassis got on the clone class within 1.5 second from track record for the class set on a US made 4 cycle frame. Track record was on high 54"s and best 2 cycle chassis turned mid 56"s. Believe it r not those were facts at that track for 3 seasons. I started racing 2 cycles in Europe under FIA/CIK rules, so I know what I mean, and have tried 4 cycles on dirt and asphalt ovals, asphalt road courses and sprint. I have tried at this track 4 cycle clones on offset chassis, US made 4 cycle frames and European chassis. Huge difference in performance. Each frame is designed for a purpose, and yes, Arrow and Birel have or have had fast frames for 4 cycle classes, but they were purposedly made for it, different tubing, widths and other differences.
 
IKF allows 55 inch wide, I believe WKA is at 50 inch wide. So it will make a difference. There are some other differences between IKF and WKA but they are getting closer.
 
At the last gold cup in Kershaw I qualified nearly a half second faster than the field on my Arrow. Only non American kart in the field I believe. Your sample size isnt big enough when comparing imo

Gary Lawson
 
gary10 said:
At the last gold cup in Kershaw I qualified nearly a half second faster than the field on my Arrow. Only non American kart in the field I believe. Your sample size isnt big enough when comparing imo

Gary Lawson
Click to expand...

OK, Gary, but what model Arrow were you on? Arrow makes frames for 4 cyccle engines, different tubing as I said. I was talking about chassis made specifically for 2 cycle FIA/CIK classes. Is this the case or are you running an X3 4S for example?
 
Gary
You'd be a 1/2 second faster in just about any kart.
 
That is correct I am on a 4s. This kart was also run successfully with tag engines as well. I would not say it is softer than other model arrows that have been used in 2cycle classes. Aside from the straight rear bar to accommodate the inboard drive their isnt any 4 cycle specific design changes.

I have also watched an Emmick cobra dominate at gold cup. It was designed/marketed as an 80CC shifter kart in 98. I owned one and won a lot with it. It had a 1 3/8" axle. Frame was super stiff! Front torsion bar welded solid and also a rear bar and extra left side rail.
 
Jimbo I appreciate the compliment! I have been on many other karts and for my size the arrow is definitely the best I've tried so far. Smaller drivers can definitely make some karts work that I cannot. For example my M argays were great until I got above 185#. After that I was on two wheels constantly even with a laydown seat at the minimum height and rear at max width. It is nearly impossible to make my arrow two wheel regardless of situation or setup
 
Want to sell me YOUR chassis? Ha Ha
Who was in second place and what chassis were they on?
Third place etc
 
For the right price I would if I can find another one in great condition. Would cost about double a new bandit though lol. At Kershaw Corey Towles finished second on an older coyote wide track. Third was an mgm I believe. Razors race pretty well at Jacksonville along with the coyotes and mgms also. Other than my Arrow it would be a hard choice on what I'd pick. They seem pretty close overall.
 
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