| If you have used a gas engine-powered push lawn | | | | have at his/her disposal bevel gears salvaged from an |
| mower, you have already operated a vertical shaft | | | | old outboard motor to implement into the design of the |
| engine. Due to the relative availability of old vertical | | | | go kart. |
| shaft engines, they make an economical choice for the | | | | A simpler solution to the problem involves the use of a |
| power source of a home made go kart. But, anyone | | | | simple belt and pulley system. The go kart builder |
| who has built or tried to build a go kart from a | | | | would attach pulleys to the vertical engines drive shaft |
| lawnmower engine has faced a fundamental | | | | and to the axle of the go kart. Then, a belt would be |
| mechanical problem. The vertical rotation of the engine | | | | attached to both pulleys. Vertical rotation is transferred |
| must be converted to horizontal rotation in order to | | | | to horizontal rotation through a twist in the belt. |
| turn the wheels of the go kart. This is not as simple as | | | | Unfortunately, this method of how to use a vertical |
| turning the engine on its side as carburetion techniques | | | | engine for go karts is not as dependable. The belt |
| of almost all lawnmower engines do not allow | | | | would be subject to slippage and breakage, as most |
| operation in anything other than the upright position. | | | | belts are not intended to be twisted while in motion. |
| This article will explain some ways how to use a | | | | This article explained two methods of using a |
| vertical engine for go karts. | | | | lawnmower engine in the construction of a go kart. |
| The pioneers of the outboard motor industry also had | | | | There are surely several other methods of solving the |
| to address the problem of transferring vertical rotation | | | | vertical rotation to horizontal rotation engineering |
| to horizontal rotation. One solution to the problem of | | | | problem, but these two methods would be the most |
| how to use a vertical engine for go karts takes a | | | | economical and practical for a home hobbyist. The use |
| page out of outboard motor construction. In an | | | | of bevel gears in go kart construction is more reliable |
| outboard motor, the vertical engine turns a shaft that | | | | as long as construction is precise, but construction is |
| turns bevel gears attached to the shaft of the | | | | more complicated and expensive. The twisted belt and |
| propeller. The key is use of the bevel gears - a set of | | | | pulley method is easy and cheap, but not really reliable. |
| gears designed to transfer rotational power to a | | | | It is up to the builder of the go kart to determine which |
| defined angle and thus transferring vertical rotation to | | | | method they would prefer to use. |
| horizontal rotation. A go kart builder would be lucky to | | | | |