Prepping Your Kart

The most important part of racing is prepping your kart before you go to the track. The right preparation will not only win races, but will make racing a lot more enjoyable. First thing you should do is check every nut and bolt for tightness and make sure every drill bolt is properly cotter pinned or safety wired. Next you should replace any bolt or nut that is bent, stripped, rounded off, or damaged in anyway.

After this you should check all the bearings in your kart starting withthe rear axle. The best way to check them is by pulling the rear axle out of the kart and feeling each bearing, making sure they spin smoothly and freely. Next check your front spindle and hub bearings. You can do this by pulling off your front spindles and hubs and spinning your bearing between your fingers. If a bearing is bad knock it out and replace with new.

Next you should check all water hoses, fuel lines, fuel filters and cables. Make sure all your water and fuel lines aren't rubbing on anything or have any holes. Check your throttle cable at each end for fraying. Make sure that both your clutch and throttle cable slide inside their housings freely. Also check to make sure you have a little bit of play in your clutch cable, so your clutch won't drag on the track. Make sure your throttle stops are tight and set for wide open and off. Also, you should check for cracks in high stress areas like your seat and motor mount.

Next you should check all your fluid levels. This includes your brakes, radiator, and gearbox oil. Note your should bleed brakes after every race and change gearbox oil. (Gearbox oil any 10W-30 motor oil) (Most brakes use Dot 4).

For your brakes you should make sure your pads aren't worn down too much and that your rotors are centered. Also make sure your pedal comes back far enough to release the brakes completely.