my 2015 150cc TAOTAO Targa 150 thread: experiences, etc

[mtbdudex]

This thread purpose is to chronicle my 2015 150cc TAO TAO Targa 150 experiences, etc.

Bought date: 11/16/2015
Our location: Howell, Michigan

Pictures from the dealer lot:
.

Delivered to our home 11/23 6pm (dark already)
.

Got moto helmets for the boys and me


Lesson #1: This go-kart is NOT a snowmobile
It can go thru "some" snow, but not this 8" of wet snow. shovel time and it got out.
.

Lesson #2: When snow melted to 3-4" it could go thru it, and get quite messy at same time
.

[mtbdudex]

My boy took the neighbor boy out Saturday 11/28, it was so MUDDY!


I had the boys "wash" the go-kart and the water puddled up in the floor pan.
.

above pict shows trying to angle the cart to get the water to drain out, it did not work so well.

Question #1:
Should the floor pan have some drain holes, or perhaps a rubber drain plug that is there when using but removable to wash/drain?
This is a upside down shot:


Question 2:
Initially I thought it did come with the front fenders, my dealer is adament not, that Taotao stopped sending him the go karts with them as too many customer complaints. I'd still like a front fender, options??
These stock images from the Taotao website shows front fenders, my dealer said they were junk attach brackerts and bent/broke nearly immediately.
Only his first 5-6 go karts came with them and since then no.
.

[OLDKID]

Ain't Nothin Like That " NEW BUGGY SMELL "
Remember the engine and CVT oil will need to be changed real soon , after break-in . I haven't had your particular machine , but had many others , and I've never seen a good factory airbox or filter yet . All were useless junk . UNIFILTER or K&N is a must . You'll be re-tightening bolts for a little bit , KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR REAR HUBS!

[mtbdudex]

Thx for feedback, the boys used it lots over Thanksgiving, hard to say drive time but went thru 2 tanks of gas.
The dealership recommended me to change oil every 10 tanks of gas. Currently it does NOT have a mileage/hours meter on it, I'd like to add one.
Any good suggestion? Below is the gages/switches it has. Gear (L-N-R), horn, turn L/R, lights, hazard.


Also, like you stated I went around the buggy (we call them buggy's not go karts here?) and tightened quite a few bolts as they got a work out.

I need to look into the airbox/filter on this engine, thx for the tip.

[OLDKID]

I'd like to here SYCARMS opinion on the break in oil change . He's a dealer . What you said seems way to long a period in my opinion . I'd say 5-10 hours for the first and only if the dealer put real quality stuff to begin with . I wouldn't want to run it at all with the stuff it was shipped with . I change all the fluids in my ATV's & Buggies after five or six rides ( average 15-20 mile rides )
That's after they're broken in .

[mtbdudex]

The online manual agrees with you, 5 hours for initial break-in oil change, then 10 hours after that for every oil change.
https://taotao.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/...ART_MANUAL.pdf

I'm trying to estimate # tanks of gas to hours of usage, each tank is 1.6 gallons and I've filled it twice, but it was not fully empty say 3/4 empty. So the buggy has maybe 3-ish hours real drive time on it? I'll go thru 1 more tank of gas then do the 1st oil change.

I'd like to have a hour meter like my FourWinns boat has at least.


People here have put this onto their go-karts?
http://www.motoparthub.com/75_300_Tr...r_Computer_Kit

Price: $101.92

[wildbob]

Yeah, I have a trailtech and love it. I bought a blank aluminum dash console And put the trailtech on top and all the switches, etc into the dash.

[wildbob]

I might get a bigger one at some point.

[mtbdudex]

My boy was driving and I was passenger Saturday mid-day, make a long story short he had too much speed going into a left turn 180 degree and the go kart rolled.

Prior with his much lighter brother in passenger seat he was "drifting" that corner ....

We are all ok, 5-point harness were properly snugged and both us wearing full moto helmets. The cart rolled 270 degrees total, my direction, it stopped on his side down. I made sure he was "ok" verbally, turned off the engine, since I was hanging above him he got out first, then me second.
Checked him again, take off helmet, very relieved.

I've told everyone who rides in the go kart "always hold onto the steering wheel if driving and the passenger t-bar, if the kart rolls over KEEP your arms on them". As it rolled over, in slow motion mind you, those words were in my mind also and both of us did that, fortunately no broken bones.

I need to replace all 4 headlights, suggestions on where to buy appreciated.

side view:


view of front headlamps:


[edit]
I've removed them so we can drive the cart again till replacements come

[mtbdudex]

Looking I've found these that look nearly identical:
http://www.gopowersports.com/headlight-6-000-009-hh/ . http://www.gopowersports.com/head-light-with-hi-lo-6-000-104/

Hammerhead single beam headlight, plastic grate over lens has single pigtail.$19.95

Head Light with Hi-Lo $24.95

.

$90 for 4 new ones ....

or I see some LED ones, like these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SKQ69BK

LotFancy® 2X 27W Round Spot Beam LED Work Light Lamp Off Road High Power ATV Jeep Tractor 30 Degree Light (2X Spot Beam 27W Round)
List Price: $60.00
Price: $25.99
Sale: $19.90

[mtbdudex]

Here's my 2.3 acre home layout and a few courses our boys run on it.
(approx 300 feet wide x 330 feet long

1) around the home itself, can hit 20mph-ish
.

2) the figure 8 on front wildflower field area, hit's 15mph there
The top/north left /west side is the 180 hairpin where the cart rolled.
.

3) down the drive way and up the road end loop and back, can reach 28mph there
.

I'm using free iPhone app called BikeBrain for this, it's GPS accuracy seems wacky as I drove same course laps...
Are you guys using any better gps accurate app to map your trails and time/speed etc??

[mtbdudex]

I should add that the dealer told me tire pressure should be 10psi.
He delivered it and I never checked it, being just new.
I checked it just this morning and the front LH one had maybe 1psi - or less, the others 3psi, grossly under inflated.
I used a good quality dial psi gage.
As dad I take this as my responsibility for being low and truly being a causing factor for the roll-over, as making a RH turn caused the weight to shift to left and that low tire just dipped and the cart rolled.
I've since of course have them all at 10psi and will check them every 2-3 days to see if holding or not.

[mtbdudex]

My dealer "gave" me a pair of front fenders, here they are, we need them as way too much mud/grass/crud gets in the go kart.

Before install, they go on the moving suspension so bounces and turns with the tire, front RH
.

I'm curious how they fail .... as he stated they did very quickly
.

[scjeep4.7HO]

Those fenders look allot like the ones on my Hammerhead.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by scjeep4.7HO

Those fenders look allot like the ones on my Hammerhead.

How are your fenders holding up?
Are the front metal brackets ok or did they break?

Now these are my rear fenders, damage after the cart 270 degree rollover incident I mentioned earlier
.

I will try and repair them this weekend and re-mount them.
Has anybody else repaired plastic fenders that have cracked and if so how?

[scjeep4.7HO]

They haven't broke yet. Seem to hold up pretty good.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by scjeep4.7HO

They haven't broke yet. Seem to hold up pretty good.

Good to hear that, I'm hoping mine also hold up ok.

Here's my image to fix the rear fenders:
Fixing Plastic bumpers 301:
-Bumper still needs to flex, not be ridgid
-Reinforce the crack via HVAC steel duct strap rivet to bumper
-Use "goop" then to make bumper 1-piece, contain water, yet flex still

[OLDKID]

Install New Fenders , and THESE :

[mtbdudex]

Well I've not started on repairing the fenders yet...
My local hardware store has these in stock, but red not black
http://www.amazon.com/Danco-59849-Ru.../dp/B000QD7LYO


Got my brain working
I've found this supply place:
http://www.zoro.com/value-brand-14-t...ts/g/00093246/
They have lots of sizes and specs., and it's black

Besides fixing the rear fenders, I'm even going to make front fender extenders, about 3" lower so mud/crud does not fly as much at us while driving.

$22.69 /ea
Rubber, Neoprene, 1/4 In Thick, 12 x 36 In
by VALUE BRAND
Technical Specifications
Zoro #: G2947515 | Mfr #: 6060-1/4C
Finish: Smooth Item: Rubber Sheet
Material: Neoprene Rubber Thickness: 1/4"
Min. Temp. Rating (Deg. F): -20 Standards: ASTM D2000 BC
Elongation: 250% Width: 12"
Type: Commercial Grade Tensile Strength (PSI): 1000
Max. Temp. (F): 170 Length: 36"
Color: Black Backing Type: Plain
Application: General Purpose Durometer: 60A
Zoro Number: G2947515 Mfr Number: 6060-1/4C

[bear]

Ok, first congrats on the buggy buy! #1. I may be crazy, but I change my oil after every big outing. It only takes a quart, and is good protection. #2. I'd look into some low profile LED lights if I where you. #3 You might want to look into some 5gl plastic buckets for some very good, durable buggy fenders that won't break the bank!

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by bear

Ok, first congrats on the buggy buy! #1. I may be crazy, but I change my oil after every big outing. It only takes a quart, and is good protection. #2. I'd look into some low profile LED lights if I where you. #3 You might want to look into some 5gl plastic buckets for some very good, durable buggy fenders that won't break the bank!

Bear;
What's a big outing?
My boys ride the go kart say 20-25 minutes, then take a break, then maybe again. Not every day.
I'm told change oil every 10 hours, gotta get one of those gages to keep track of runtime.

I've got the lights replaced from the roll-over, well the top ones the front ones later.
Made thread in the elect sub-forum for that, http://www.buggymasters.com/forum/showthread.php?p=48629#post48629
What low profile LED lights are you using?
If my DIY fixing the fenders goes bust I like your idea of Home Depot 5 gallon buckets cut up....but black/grey not orange.

[bear]

Mike, I consider anything over a 5 hour day of aggressive driving i.e. lots of mud, snow, water, etc. a big outing! When I talk about "low profile" LED's, I mean your basic 1"x 7" generic light bar, so they don't stick out like a big set of eyeballs! You can pick them up just about anywhere that sells automotive type lighting i.e. AutoZone, Orielly, etc. As for the buckets, make sure you use the ribbed area towards the top of the bucket, it's a stiffer support area! I hope you have years of enjoying this sport!!!

[mtbdudex]

On the rear fenders, I ended up fixing them.

Here is result; I cut the HVAC strap and used the rivets as discussed.
Put them on dry. This should ensure the don't flop around and the crack does not propagate further.
.

I then applied the goop to the inside, prior cleaned with rubbing alcohol.
. .

It dries very quickly, but has some flexibility like the label said.
The goop costed $5 at home depot, I was not sure if it was going to work, I feel it will enhance this fix.

As a back-up I got 1 quart of truck bed coating, seriously I was going to coat the inside and outside, letting it dry, but now i feel no need,
That stuff is $20/quart, I'll be returning it tomorrow.
Will let them fully cure for 48 hours before putting back on.

[mtbdudex]

Sidebar - or when checking the buggy I found a rattling drivers seat, and took it apart...well enough so I could take the seat attach bolts off and see whats up with them. The passenger seat was still rock solid.


The fastener on the rear inside part track was loose, how'd that happen?
Not correct tighten to torque specs by the mechanic who assembled my go kart?


I cleaned everything off, applied blue loctite, and re-assembled back torquing correctly.
.

Now everything works better, slides back/forth good, and no rattles.

[mtbdudex]

Fenders all repaired and installed this morning, they flex like I had hoped, so I expect them to last a while.

I used a black marker to color the aluminum rivet heads black
.

up close view
.

wider rear view


side view

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by bear

Mike, I consider anything over a 5 hour day of aggressive driving i.e. lots of mud, snow, water, etc. a big outing! When I talk about "low profile" LED's, I mean your basic 1"x 7" generic light bar, so they don't stick out like a big set of eyeballs! You can pick them up just about anywhere that sells automotive type lighting i.e. AutoZone, Orielly, etc. As for the buckets, make sure you use the ribbed area towards the top of the bucket, it's a stiffer support area! I hope you have years of enjoying this sport!!!

Got it, oil changes are easy insurance for these 150cc motors.


Also gave a oil change thismorning, pretty basic, I had my 9 year old help me do it.
He loosened the oil bolt, I removed it explaining to him making sure you don't lose the washer when removing it nor dropping it into the oil milk jug .
(my lessons learned from the old days)
.

Approx 1 qt gave this, he helped fill it.


These are all simple teaching moments for me with him.

[mtbdudex]

Question:
Shock adjustments, how should I set them?

The place I bought them they had them at this setting front and rear.
Which appears the stiffest setting, that should be set based on expected weight of riders and their aggressiveness??

Is there some table of settings to use based on that?

Front:
.

rear:

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by mtbdudex

I'd like to have a hour meter like my FourWinns boat has at least.


People here have put this onto their go-karts?
http://www.motoparthub.com/75_300_Tr...r_Computer_Kit

Originally Posted by wildbob

Yeah, I have a trailtech and love it. I bought a blank aluminum dash console And put the trailtech on top and all the switches, etc into the dash.

Alright, now I'm getting serious on the trailtech and need to research mounting methods, also I see it has a black option, I like that better as my dash is black already
http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/vapor

[x-bird]

In your close up of the shock, that's the "softest" spring setting. as you rotate the ring, the taller the step your on, the stiffer the spring will get. As far as it goes with a shock like that, set it so that you use up about 1/4 of your travel when your sitting in it. (preload setting).

One of the best improvements you can make is to step up to a better set of shocks. finding the right length usually isn't that hard, but finding the correct spring rate can be a pain. It varies for everyone based on weight, riding style, power output and terrain.

I run a TT Vapor. buried in my thread somewhere are pics of the mount setup i made.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by x-bird

In your close up of the shock, that's the "softest" spring setting. as you rotate the ring, the taller the step your on, the stiffer the spring will get. As far as it goes with a shock like that, set it so that you use up about 1/4 of your travel when your sitting in it. (preload setting).

One of the best improvements you can make is to step up to a better set of shocks. finding the right length usually isn't that hard, but finding the correct spring rate can be a pain. It varies for everyone based on weight, riding style, power output and terrain.

I run a TT Vapor. buried in my thread somewhere are pics of the mount setup i made.

Thx for feedback. Yes, you are right I read that backwards.
For now this is a "fun" go kart for my boys mainly, ages 9 and 11.
They each weigh 75-ish pounds, I weigh 200 lbs.
I don't have info on how much shock travel these factory ones have.
To adjust the settings, how do I do it?
I'm guessing need to take the load off the shock by floor jack/safety jack, then easy to adjust?
Therefore, since they are so light I'll leave it on the lightest setting, knowing that it needs to be adjusted progressively heavier as they grow.
Ideally there would be a table of settings for expected rider weights for these shocks in "normal" ride usage..
From my seller website page info:
TAOTAO Targa 150

G.W.(lbs): 638 LBS (290 Kgs)
N.W.(lbs): 528 LBS (240 Kgs)
Max Loading: <=320 LBS (160 Kgs)

[bear]

Good job on the fenders! I spend a lot of time riding in some pretty rough terrain, with a lot of creek beds thrown in the mix, that's why I'm pretty regular with my oil changes! One other area I have to pay attention to is my gear oil, as it will get "milky" pretty quick in all that water!

[mtbdudex]

Chain 101:
1) I see my chain has gotten slack as it gets used, how much "play" should I dial in via the adjustment bolt in the back?
.

2) lube, I use white lightning on my mountain bike chains, its nice and does not attract dirt/sand like others, what do you guys use?

[ckau]

ChainWax... holds up well won't sling off. nothing seems to stick to it so dirt and grit won't cling to the chain. Spray it on to coat the chain, let it dry for a few minutes.

[x-bird]

about 1/2 to 3/4 inch up down travel in the center of the run.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by ckau

ChainWax... holds up well won't sling off. nothing seems to stick to it so dirt and grit won't cling to the chain. Spray it on to coat the chain, let it dry for a few minutes.

Perfect, I added to my Amazon cart

Originally Posted by x-bird

about 1/2 to 3/4 inch up down travel in the center of the run.

Thx, yesterday I adjusted it to about 1/4" up down travel, so tonight I'll tweak that to 1/2".
It was at 1", I never adjusted it since delivery 2 months back, and with my daughter and her friend in the cart on torque uphill I thought I heard it jump.

[mtbdudex]

Winter planning for spring time;

Ok - it's winter now and my boys will be driving the go kart here and there when not too cold/too much snow, but come spring I can really see them using it.

What should I plan for with more usage?
I'm ok with some $ if it will make the go kart more durable, etc.
Don't really see the need for absolute speed increase, for now it's fast enough.

1. I'll change oil every 10 hours/monthly, that's easy
2. CVT maintenance?
3. Other?

[mtbdudex]

The bolt broke that holds the chain adj mechanism in place.
Prior bolt


I went to a hardware store that has lot's of bolts, they did not have a flange head 8mm 1.25 thd long enough, but found a just long suitable bolt.
It was 110mm, just long enough for the nylock nut to grip, ideally I'd like 115mm long to include washers also.


Replacement bolt installed

[OLDKID]

I'd spend the big bucks ($2-3 ) and go GRADE 8 SAE 3/8 , 7/16 , 1/2 What ever you can jamb in there , long enough for a lock washer and your Nylock . The tensioner themselves on the older Yerf's were prone to break which can cause a world of ugliness . GRADE 8 has 6 lines on head .

[mtbdudex]

Thx for feedback, before I bought what I did I (and store clerk) looked all over that store and did not see any high strength bolts in what I needed.
There's a steel collar the bolt goes thru, and then 2 rubber bushings to isolate vibrations, so need to fit inside that collar.
8mm = 0.31496" , while 5/16 = 0.3125" , so 5/16 is largest I can go.

I'll see if McMasters has the correct hi strength flange bolt online I can get.
http://www.mcmaster.com/

striking out, nothing 120mm long flange bolt
Strike 1
http://www.mcmaster.com/#metric-flange-screws/=10zsszt

Strike 2
http://www.mcmaster.com/#12-point-fl...crews/=10zsud6

Strike 3, these are almost there, 5/16 x 4" = 100mm, I need 4 1/4 "
http://www.mcmaster.com/#flange-head-screws/=10zsvbq

second inning, normal cap screw;
1st base
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-cap-screws/=10zsx2k
These seem exactly what I need: $8.48 for a pkg of 5, 4 1/4"
4 1/4" 7/8" to 1 3/16" 5 91257A607 8.48

The standard for high-strength cap screws, these are made from alloy steel and have a minimum tensile strength of 150,000 psi. Length is measured from under the head.

Inch screws are marked on the head with six radial lines to indicate Grade 8. Screws have a minimum Rockwell hardness of C33 and a Class 2A thread fit. They also meet ASME B18.2.1 and SAE J429, unless noted. Screws with material certification come with a traceable lot number and a physical and chemical report.

Before I went to the hardware store, I called my local dealer seeing if he had these in stock, he told me to try a local hardware store ...

Based upon my few dealings with him, I've relegated him to a dealer only, not a service provider of parts. I now know my dealer is really more of an assembler.

[mtbdudex]

Order placed!

[SYCARMS]

Your original bolt was metric and marked 5. The 5 is equivalent to a sae grade 3, so you will be OK with the grade 5 bolt.

[OLDKID]

Yea but it broke .

[SYCARMS]

It could have been weak from the factory or over tightened or the chain could have been too tight. All these buggies have the equivalent of SAE grade 3 from the factory. Better the bolt break than a frame or casing.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

It could have been weak from the factory or over tightened or the chain could have been too tight. All these buggies have the equivalent of SAE grade 3 from the factory. Better the bolt break than a frame or casing.

Good points - sorta like a design to failure point to keep more expensive item from breaking.

In this case I got this November-2015, I checked the bolt for snugness and it was "good", I never added more torque to it.

The chain had some "extra" slack in it a few weeks back, I adjusted that to have 1/2" slack.

Since my order is in, should I change the bolt grade to a SAE 3 instead?

I'm not sure how much true engineering was done to this design, vs copy another and use best practices.

[edit] too late, the order was just shipped - they are too fast!

Shipped 1 hour ago, UPS Ground 1Z1800200xxxxxxxxx February 5

[OLDKID]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

It could have been weak from the factory or over tightened or the chain could have been too tight. All these buggies have the equivalent of SAE grade 3 from the factory. Better the bolt break than a frame or casing.

10/4 ,Roger . My Yerf still has the first Gen. flimsy adjuster on it . I run a loop of cable & clamps around it to act as a limiter strap in case it fails . I've heard of all kinds of damage when they drop .

[SYCARMS]

As I said these buggies of this design all use a grade 3 bolt and is why I said it could have been defective. The only other thing I would check is that the front mount of the engine is tight and the rubber in the bushings pressed into the case look good. The only thing I can see to shear the bolt is if the engine twists under load. You should see no movement in the engine under acceleration.

[mtbdudex]

Alright, my front disc brakes work but the rear is not working at all.
Not even the parking brake, which when manually pulled the cable does pull but not grab.

Is there a link to brake service manual somewhere?
I can read, look at exploded diagram, but need to know where to look.

Some simple things I should check??

Fluid still in plastic holding reserve all the way.

I've told my boys no riding till dad fixes this......

Brake pedal




rear

[SYCARMS]

Are the rear pads good?

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

Are the rear pads good?

Finally took the rear pads and caliper off.
The pads are worn very irregularly, IMO the bracket that holds the caliper is NOT 90 degrees to the brake rotor.
Crappy Chinese quality control!!

Pads


Look at the off angle of wear, the right one is the outer one


Here you can see the bracket that the caliper is attached to definitely is not 90 degrees to the brake rotor


I'm thinking to bend it down slightly to more true it up to 90 degrees, but what I need to know is the critical dimension edge of rotor to edge of caliper mounting, how many mm should that be?

[SYCARMS]

Usually when I see pads worn like that it indicates the caliper is not sliding freely on the locating pins. Corrosion/dirt forms on the pins and caliper binds on one end.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

Usually when I see pads worn like that it indicates the caliper is not sliding freely on the locating pins. Corrosion/dirt forms on the pins and caliper binds on one end.

Well you've seen I'm sure 100's of these, and this is my only one, thx for feedback.

I got new pads, place who sold me the gokart has them for $10/pair.
I can put them on, taking note of making sure the caliper slides freely, is that a usual maintenance thing to check for monthly?

Still, I can't help but wonder why my bracket is not 90 degrees to the axle.

[SYCARMS]

Yes, I agree it should be square. Either the frame took a hell of a wack or the top bushing the long bolt that secures caliper goes through was not squared when welded. You will just have to take it all apart and inspect each piece to fond what is out of wack.

[mtbdudex]

Well put the go kart up and the axle/etc is true/square, the bracket was poorly welded.

So, I did what any dad would do, took a 2 x 4 and pounded the bracket down.
It got slightly more true to the rotor, but I could not move it any more or the caliper when mounted would touch the bottom of the rotor, now there's minimum static clearance.


to do it right I'll need to bend it more, then grind away some of the mounting area, just maybe 1.5mm, keeping it square and what not.

For now, the parking brake and foot brake all work again, so my boy is back in business.

[OLDKID]

No riding the BRAKE ! No matter how many times I've told Self , Wife , Kids , Grandkids keep foot off break pedal / NO RESTING FOOT ON THE BREAK PEDAL !!! I still catch myself time to time ...

[mtbdudex]

I was inspecting the rear of the go kart this weekend and noticed a grove in the brake rotor, strange.

Upon further looking it was caused by the bolts being too long, rubbing against it.

Rear brake caliper bolt was too long, 2 washers were there but some rotor damage done


Here you can see the 2 washers that were put there to make the end of the bolt prutude less, but this was obviously after damage was done.
>>It came from the dealer this way, I never touched the rear calipers prior to earlier fixing the brake pad thing.


This has caused me to lose faith in my dealership for setting up the go kart this way, I'm not sure though if he did this or it was done in the Tao Tao Chinese factory and they setup and shipped it to USA....


The rear brakes work and seem not to be affected by this, in short term at least.

[SYCARMS]

The only thing assembled by the Dealer is the seats,belts,fuel tank,connect lower ball joints,connect rear shocks and put the wheels on. The rest was done at the factory. The dealer should have test drove the buggy and heard the scraping. That groove hurts nothing, you corrected the problem.

[mtbdudex]

Just to clarify:
I did not add any washers to the brake caliper bolts, that's how I go kart from the dealer, so either he noticed it and fixed it on his lot, as I bought it assembled from his lot, or the Chinese OE did that prior to shipment to USA.

[mtbdudex]

Next item, air cleaner 501:
I got the go kart with it's stock OE air cleaner.
I took off the plastic cover first time this past weekend:


Pretty basic, I cleaned the sponge, put it back in.
Below is prior to cleaning:


I've seen those aftermarket air cleaners, I can't imagine how they add anything to the performance of the engine, do they?
If so, how?

[SYCARMS]

Yes they do. The airbox is a restriction. Installing the UNI or K&N will allow more air which is why you have to rejet. More air + more fuel = more power.

[OLDKID]

From a performance standpoint , YES LIKE SYCARMS SAID . But like I always say " most factory boxes, and filters SUCK ! " AS Evidenced by your picture , Is it me or can't you see all the crud that made it thru to the clean side of the box ? If the filter and box were doing their job the pre filter side of the box , and the filter would be filthy while the carb. side of the box would be SPOTLESS . You've been sucking DIRT . Unless you like premature engine wear and failure do yourself a huge favor and put a REAL air filter on it .

[mtbdudex]

Yes I saw that dirt in the "clean side" of the air cleaner, indictiave the sponge did not have a good seal 360 degrees OR the plastic cover , which does not have a gasket, allowed some dirt to get inside it on the "clean side".

My short term countermeasure is ensure sealing on the plastic cover & Sponge, I can DIY a thin gasket from Home Depot stuff.

Alright, I'm drinking some kool-aid here and willing to allocate $50-ish for intake enhancements.
http://gokartsusa.com/GY6-150-Engine-Air-Filters.aspx

How to spend it?

[OLDKID]

A UNI filter for sure , usually in conjunction with a 6" plenum ( intake ) I'm sure SYCARMS could provide or direct you . Sometimes available as a complete kit form for certain applications . I'd try SYC POWER SPORTS first , than Buggy Depot .

[mtbdudex]

Thx for suggestions.

Also the cheap A$$ chinese clamp was broken on the carb to engine side, so the A/F mixture was too lean, my boy complained 2-3 weeks back about lack of power.


I had a hose clamp lying around and put it on, heck he notice instant zip in acceleration again,


POS chinese junk, I never touched this, it musta broke thru that over time via being overtourqued at their factory???
In USA factory workers have torque limiters ......

[mtbdudex]

DIY gasket applied to the air cleaner plastic lid.
Cleaned the lid with paint thinner, dried, cut the gasket in half to fit nicely, and it now has a good all around perimeter seal.

[mtbdudex]

Grease/zerk fittings, I'm looking for some as it's spring time maintenance to greasing the bearings, I can't find any.

How do you guys grease all your suspension joints??
Or, are they sealed and no need?

[SYCARMS]

Control arms will have 2 each and dog bone links in back 2 each. Wheel bearings are sealed.

[mtbdudex]

Ok, my 26hp garden tractor has these zerk fittings easily seen and I shoot grease into them yearly
Front spindle:


Blade bearings:


There's zero - nada - none on my 150cc Tao Tao go kart:
Front spindle none:


Steering control arms


Wheel bearings sealed


Upper and lower suspensipon arms just bushings to frame, so nothing to lubricate there


Rear axle no zerk fitting anywhere


Again, There's zero - nada - no zerk fittings on my 150cc Tao Tao go kart, so this is normal for chinese go karts? Or not needed in this class of vehicle usage? ie, not expected to get sunk under water, etc.

[SYCARMS]

They use sealed bearings, so there is nothing to grease just as on 99%of new cars.

[OLDKID]

On balljoints , tierod ends , etc. I drill a1/32 hole in center and grease with a pencil point adapter . You then have to grease regularly because the hole also lets grease out , but so does sloppy boots . On sealed bearings and other applications I've delicately lifted seals and greased . In some instances I use the hypodermic needle adapters to gain access . I'm a lubrication Nut .

[OLDKID]

You can also drill and add grease zerks where applicable . Example : The front control arms on my Yerf Dog Spiderbox's I disassemble, , drill numerous holes in the spacer tube ( so the grease can reach the inner diameter ) drill and install a self tapping zerk on center of each arm and BAM! THEY'RE GREASABLE .

[mtbdudex]

Ok, full disclosure I work for a major auto OE, I'm Manager of Test dept. , 30+ years in the business, 25+ at OE and 5 at supplier level.

Guess there is NO R&D testing done on these Chinese knock-offs, they just copy/paste other designs and sell them?

Not having any service manual available should have been a red flag, hard to make one if you don't own the IP for what you are selling.

For these "missing" ahem - lack of need for zerk fittings, I have to hope they are truly sealed design (wheels), the boots on the suspension being tightly sealed don't let grease out nor moisture in, etc. ie, no service is needed.......

I respect what you did OLDKID, but I'll roll the dice here.
Maybe yearly I should dis-assemble the front wheels, ie take off the cotter pin and see the grease situation, and if needed try and re-pack them?

[SYCARMS]

I have a 2004 Blade 150 single seat buggy and except for the engine being built to the hilt and shocks, all bearings, struts and bushings are still A-OK. The strut , that which the ball joints are welded to only lasted this long because of the works shocks I have on the buggy. I do have grease fittings on my control arms but only cause they used metal bushings. All the new buggies use the nylon bushing impregnated with lube so there is no need to grease. My bearings are all sealed and have yet to have any problems. In fact today many of the cars have sealed bearings and have no issues until around 100,000 miles. Never have I dealt with the TaoTao so I can't rate its quality but the better buggies like Blade Hammerhead, Joyner and ASW have no issues at all.




i have a 2004 Blade 150

[mtbdudex]

Nice to hear, what that means for us end users is less work/maint, more play and enjoyment with our kids - and us!

[wolfsbeign]

Hello everyone this is my first post. I'm diving head first into karting with zero experience (after pressure from my in-laws to buy my 9 and 7 yr old boys an ATV, I chose the buggy route instead for safety concerns). Just received my 2015 150cc TaoTao Targa 150 in factory packaging and embarking upon assembly today. Luckily the retailer I bought from has pretty thorough assembly instructions on YouTube. I'm not a mechanic by any means but handy enough (with lots of help from YouTube) to do this right and introduce myself and my boys to maintaining a vehicle like this.

OP thank you for starting this thread! There seems to be very little on the web / YouTube about this particular buggy (probably because its a new model). Your documenting your experiences will be hugely helpful to me and others I'm sure.

Originally Posted by mtbdudex

Alright, I'm drinking some kool-aid here and willing to allocate $50-ish for intake enhancements.
http://gokartsusa.com/GY6-150-Engine-Air-Filters.aspx

How to spend it?

OP, have you upgraded your air intake yet? If so would you be willing to share details on components?

I'm also planning to install a clear fuel filter. Other than that, with proper break-in and oil changing, eventually a new battery and air intake, can anyone give a total buggy noob like me any other recommendations for basic / cheap / up-front upgrades?

Thanks!
__________________
2015 150cc TAOTAO Targa 150

[cfd3lsd]

Hi All,
We got out Targa 150cc last month. Unfortunately, my niece rolled it only after 5 days. My two boys barely had used it. So far, I can only find 1 broken light and a bent rear, right wheel. I've had it looked at by two different folks (the dealer and tire guy). Both have said it is fine to use and that the only issue will be additional wear on the tire. The axle appears fine. I was hoping someone could link a wheel replacement. Also, I may opt for a KN air filter or Uni as suggested earlier in the thread. Please let me know if anyone has a link for sure replacement. Thanks All,
Charles

[cfd3lsd]

btw, all this pics on this thread have been a ton of help. I've use this thread to realize I was missing bolts and where I need to look for tightening. The dealer has been little help and he didn't have a manual or link.

[wolfsbeign]

I bent my front passenger side wheel on a tree stump and familygokarts (dealeri bought the Targa 150 from) shipped me a replacement no problem. I think it was $35 plus shipping (wheel only)

[SYCARMS]

I stock the Uni, K&N as wellas the R2C filters. Call me for pricing or any other questions.662-301-1563

[cfd3lsd]

Thanks for the response, very helpful.

[cfd3lsd]

Sorry for the noob question. While I've change the oil on this machine (TAO TARGA 150cc) twice since Christmas, I've not seen where or how to change the CVT oil. The manual makes no reference. It is an automatic. Any suggestions?

Also, when I got it from the dealer (1-month service) the oil was all the way up to the thread on the screw cap...a good 1.5'' above has marks this was with a hot engine. I drained it the hash marks and I plan to check it again cold. Unfortunately, we ran it a couple of times before realizing this. Not sure if anything was adversely effected.

Originally Posted by OLDKID

Ain't Nothin Like That " NEW BUGGY SMELL "
Remember the engine and CVT oil will need to be changed real soon , after break-in . I haven't had your particular machine , but had many others , and I've never seen a good factory airbox or filter yet . All were useless junk . UNIFILTER or K&N is a must . You'll be re-tightening bolts for a little bit , KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR REAR HUBS!

[SYCARMS]

There is no oil in the cvt. The older buggies with external reverse had a final drive oil. The newer internal reverse engines have a transmission oil.Post some pics of rear of engine ,right side.

[cfd3lsd]

Sorry for the slow response:

[cfd3lsd]

[cfd3lsd]

[SYCARMS]

Cannot tell for sure from your pictures what setup you have as far as transmission, maybe try some pics from the back end showing the chain drive as well as the entire buggy from front view. My guess being a 2012 model it will be internal reverse but there were a couple different versions of it. Some good clear pictures not too close up and good lighting will help in determining just what you have.

[mtbdudex]

Hi guys, it's been a while.
We've been enjoying our buggy, doing the needed oil changes, etc.

Heck - when I have a stressful day nothing like me taking it out for 10 minutes or so just to have fun, be a kid, do some drifting, etc,

Now, seems I need to replace the muffler, it's already rusting at the front portion as seen here:
It's getting louder at the leak.


Two choices:
1) go stock
2) some "upgrade"

I'm open to a more robust muffler, with some slight performance benefit also

Suggestions and links where to look appreciated in advance.

[Bruihn]

That's awesome. I dreamed of having something like this as a kid!

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by mtbdudex

Hi guys, it's been a while.
We've been enjoying our buggy, doing the needed oil changes, etc.

Heck - when I have a stressful day nothing like me taking it out for 10 minutes or so just to have fun, be a kid, do some drifting, etc,

Now, seems I need to replace the muffler, it's already rusting at the front portion as seen here:
It's getting louder at the leak.


Two choices:
1) go stock
2) some "upgrade"

I'm open to a more robust muffler, with some slight performance benefit also

Suggestions and links where to look appreciated in advance.

Back to this thread ... I ended up getting a stock muffler, and it has rusted thru and broke again!!!!
Only lasted 18 months.
ugh, I need to consider my options here, any ideas?

This looks exactly like mine, can''t believe how in-expensive it is
https://partskit.com/product/101742?...4aAoKpEALw_wcB
Muffler Assembly for Targa 150
SKU - 101742

$16.00

[SYCARMS]

I did not see any rust holes in picture. Are you sure it is not leaking at exhaust gasket ring?

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

I did not see any rust holes in picture. Are you sure it is not leaking at exhaust gasket ring?

Yea - that's a 2017 picture ...
Here's the 2019 pictures, it broke at both the rear bracket and the exhaust pipe to muffler joint.
When I get a replacement I will put a rubber bushing on the top bracket to frame to reduce vibration stress between the lower bracket and the buggy frame from vibrations.




My boy, now 13, took it out and ... the muffler of course fell off .... don't want to overheat any exhaust parts so no riding till a new muffler

[SYCARMS]

If it is just broken have someone weld it. Make sure your engine bushings are good. I had a customer who had a problem with muffler cracking and it turned out his bushings were worn out. Your exhaust is mounted differently. Most buggies the muffler support mount mounts to the CVT cover where I notice yours mounts to what appears to be the frame. If you have movement in the engine it will eventually crack the exhaust where as if it were mounted to the CVT cover engine movement will not affect it in the same way.

[mtbdudex]

Originally Posted by SYCARMS

If it is just broken have someone weld it. Make sure your engine bushings are good. I had a customer who had a problem with muffler cracking and it turned out his bushings were worn out. Your exhaust is mounted differently. Most buggies the muffler support mount mounts to the CVT cover where I notice yours mounts to what appears to be the frame. If you have movement in the engine it will eventually crack the exhaust where as if it were mounted to the CVT cover engine movement will not affect it in the same way.

Thx for feedback, it was totally broken off and I did not feel comfortable with welding it back together.





Yes - it's getting stress on the weld because the engine is moving relative to frame.
I got a replacement from my dealer, put a rubber bushing into the mounting point
I'm expecting this to last 4 years now ... hopefully.





Installed

[mtbdudex]

The muffler can now slightly move with the engine and that rubber bushing absorbs it, so should reduce stress induced crack failure mode where the bracket is welded to the muffler ..

[mtbdudex]

And after fixing the muffler, left rear wheel cracked by bolt pattern ��
I checked the bolt twice a year, this should have not failed

Uploading pictures soon

[SYCARMS]

Recycled steel will do that every time.

[mtbdudex]

Well here's the left rear wheel cracked, luckly we were not on some big outting this would have sucked and probably an incident would have happened

Removed:


As on the go-kart


The right wheel as mounted on the gokart does not show failure, but once removed you can see edge cracks on the circle.


I decided to replace both rims, and all 8 bolts and nuts also, $97.88 total with tax.
Might have by end of this week.

[wildbob]

Ouch!

[mtbdudex]

I got the new rims, called Belle tire they don’t do this kind of work.
Who dismounts and remounts 22 x 10 tires typically?
Or, is this DIY?

I’ve done bike tires, so just deflate the tire and remount it?
Also have a air compressor.

[neo71665]

I have always DIY my tires but if you got an atv repair shop locally they should be able to do it for ya.

[SYCARMS]

The biggest problem you would have is busting the tire bead. Two and 4 ply will bust easy but 6 ply you will need a bead breaker. In some cases 2&4 ply will require one as well. You will need a pair of tire spoons to wok it off and back on the rim. Some will use big screwdrivers but the can tear up a bead by tearing or deforming upon installing new tire and then you have a forever slow leak. Some walmarts who sell lawn mower tires will do them or any place who sells ATV or mower tires. So try other tire shops near by.