Please Help - New Kart - Bad Axle- Cart Party Next Weekend - BuggyMasters.Com - An On Line Mini Buggy Forum and Go Kart Forum

MarkCoburn · #1 06-02-2016, 10:50 PM

I've been investigating issues on my new kart and I think that I have found a big problem that I need to fix this weekend.

I've been showing all my workmates pictures of our new kart and we scheduled an official work BBQ at my place next weekend. Everyone is bringing their kids and expecting a day of go karting. However, the axle seems to be shredding and pulling itself through the bearings.

And I can't get the shaft to drop out because the hanger slot is not big enough. I think that maybe I need to pull one bearing and get it to slide sideways and then a narrower outer part of the shaft can slide through; but I can't get ether bearing to slide more than a 1/4 inch from where it's raceway is.

I'd like to think that new bearings will fix it, but they sound and look okay.

BroncoDave · #2 06-03-2016, 02:06 AM

It looks like the seal is what got shredded, nudes t the bearing. You should be able to tap the bearing over with a rubber mallet. The axle is smaller in diameter where the bearing is and will fit through the slot in the hanger. Pull the wheels and hubs to remove the bearings from the axle. It's just the seal that got destroyed but I would go ahead and replace the bearings just to be safe.

MarkCoburn · #3 06-03-2016, 09:43 AM

Thanks.

What type of stores sells bearings and seals? Would rather pick something up today than mail-order.

MarkCoburn · #4 06-03-2016, 09:47 AM

Sorry... is it a dust shield? Would that let my shift slide to the side like that? I was worried that the shoulder on the shaft got compromised.

MarkCoburn · #5 06-03-2016, 06:23 PM

These filings are metal. Sure seems like the same material as the axle.

Could I add compression rings to the shaft inside the bearing mounts to increase it's side to side resistance?

BroncoDave · #6 06-04-2016, 12:37 AM

I doubt that the axle is being hurt at all. The seals are rubberclad metal, meaning it's a metal with rubber vucanized to it. Something has destroyed the seal. The bearing may have come apart. There is a real thin piece of metal that holds the balls in place and keeps them separated from each other. If that comes apart it can slice a seal like a hot knife through warm butter real fast. Napa Auto parts might have the bearings and the seals. You just have to take the old ones with you so they can get the numbers off of them.

MarkCoburn · #7 06-04-2016, 02:56 PM

Thanks Dade,

I got the bearings off, but I beat the crap out of the axle doing it... I'll post details later. Basically, too frustrated and too many beers. Once I slept on it I got both bearings off without any beating at all.

Eagle ATV Parts sells my axle, ready to swap, for $95 plus shipping. Don't know it that is the best source but it is the only place where I have seen the exact axle available.

I know that some people build up keyway axles from scratch with compression collars to hold everything in place. Do the compression rings really hold up to the side-to-side forces like the pre-welded axle?

BroncoDave · #8 06-04-2016, 04:40 PM

That's why I said "tap it off with a rubber mallet". The keyed axle would be a downgrade from what came on your buggy. Why would you do that? Keep the one you have and clean it up and put new bearings and seals on it. Most any auto parts store or industrial supply store should be able to get what you need if they don't already have them in stock. Bearings and seals are maybe $20-$30. No need to spend $95 and have to wait for it to be shipped. You couldn't have beaten that axle up that bad. The axle in my buggy is the same style as yours and I bent mine two inches and was able to bend it back to perfect without heat or special tools. Just a railroad tie a couple pieces of chain and a bottle jack.

MarkCoburn · #9 06-05-2016, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoDave

That's why I said "tap it off with a rubber mallet". The keyed axle would be a downgrade from what came on your buggy. Why would you do that? Keep the one you have and clean it up and put new bearings and seals on it. Most any auto parts store or industrial supply store should be able to get what you need if they don't already have them in stock. Bearings and seals are maybe $20-$30. No need to spend $95 and have to wait for it to be shipped. You couldn't have beaten that axle up that bad. The axle in my buggy is the same style as yours and I bent mine two inches and was able to bend it back to perfect without heat or special tools. Just a railroad tie a couple pieces of chain and a bottle jack.

I'm not exactly sure where the bend is, just that it wobbles now and the hangers flex when I spin it.

I guess that it's good to know that what I have is already better than building up something else. I think I read a post, maybe by ckay, that he solved a lot of problem by building up a keyed axle.

That is encouraging about bending it back. My last hurdle is that I stripped one of the axle castle bolts. Ran all around town Saturday and today (Sunday), but no luck. Mine are 20mm with 1.5 thread. I thought I had the ticket from a Honda dealer, they had a 20MM axle nut. I bought 2 at !!$10!! each... just to find out that the thread spacing is different.

All the nut and bolt shops are closed until Monday. I'll try then.

Meanwhile, I think that I found (and fixed) the cause of my problems. Hard cornering fun had flexed the bearing hangers outward. One of the bearings was no longer riding up against the step in the axle.

I welded up a tool to bend the hangers back into position. Too bad I broke 2 things trying to fix one.

BroncoDave · #10 06-05-2016, 09:19 PM

Good news that your axle isn't bent. Glad you found the problem with the hangers. I would still replace the bearings and seals. Was it only the axle nut that got stripped and not the threads on the axle? If the axle threads got damaged they can be repaired with a thread file as long as they didn't get completely stripped. Two good quality thread files (one sae and one metric can take the place of a whole set of thread chasers and save alot of parts with male threads that most people would spend money to replace.

MarkCoburn · #11 06-06-2016, 10:47 PM

Thanks too you, I ordered this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

I didn't know those existed. Now I can return the $80 HF tap and die set.

BroncoDave · #12 06-07-2016, 12:07 AM

I've had mine for 35 years and they have saved me and my customers thousands of dollars in parts, time and gas to go get parts. I have a set of two with eight different threads on each. One sae and one metric. They are real life savers. They won't cut new threads so they won't replace my $600.00 tap and die set, but they will fix any existing banged up male thread. Including left hand threads. Try pricing a tap and die set for them. OUCH!!!!!!!!