Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-06-10, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10,1992. JOIN THE RACE TO WIN PRIZES IN THE CITIZEN’S RUTABUGGY AND FUNCAR CONTEST at the Blyth Rutabaga Festival and Brussels FunFest Build this car or a car of your own design and enter the race GO CART INSTRUCTIONS Begin the chassis The chassis consists of six pieces: two longitudinal battens that run the full length, onto which are screwed four extra battens of the same size. Two of these are attached at the back-giving a wide area for the crankshaft bearings - and the other two are screwed at the front to give extra width and rigidity to the chassis. Mark and cut out all six pieces, then glue and screw the three pieces for each side together. Clamp chassis halves together, mark the position for rear axles and then drill the holes. It's important this is done accurately. Install rear axle bearings Separate the two chassis halves and insert the relevant bronze bearings into the axle holes, one on each side of each chassis member. Glue bearings into holes with epoxy resin to prevent them from "creeping” out. It doesn't matter that there's a gap in the middle between the two bearings in each half of the chassis; what's most important is that the crankshaft is supported by four bearings. (Hint: you can use lubra bronze bearings on this cart; when oiled, the oil penetrates them and will lubricate the shafts for a very long time. However, we recommend oiling twice a year.) When handling bearings be careful not to damage their surfaces. Also, when inserting bearings in each half of chassis, insert the axle intended for that side, as this will help keep bearings aligned while epoxy resin is setting, and accurate alignment is essential to smooth running. (Note: these bearings are the only ones that really require glue, the others are a tight push fit.) Install axles Cut out rear cross member. Assemble axles in the rear of the chassis and crank mechanism. When all is correctly in place, glue and screw rear cross member in place. The front axle beam has two stub axles glued and screwed on. To add strength to the joint between front axle beam and the stub axles, cut out halving joints in the stub axles (and drill the axle holes), and then glue and screw them onto the axle beam. Cut off the tops of stub axles at an angle to provide good foot rests for steering cart. To add further strength and to keep the driver's feet off the front wheels, glue and screw mudguards into the sides. These also give strength to front axle beam and should insure that stub axles aren't torn off when cart traverses rough ground. Cut spoiler front and glue it onto front axle beam. Fix front axle beam in place by fitting front cross member beneath chassis. Pass coach bolt right through front axle beam and through front cross member; add a washer before doing up bolt. SUPPLIES Saw Drill Wood glue Epoxy resin Oil Loctite® 601 engineering adhesive Optional: methylated spirit BILL OF MATERIALS Description Size In Inches Quantity Timber: Chassis 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 29 2 Chassis 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 17 . 2 Chassis 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 9 2 Front cross member 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 6-3/4 1 Rear cross member 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 14-1/4 1 Crank handle 1-7/8 x 2-3/4 x 6-1/4 2 supporting blocks Cranking handle 1-7/8 x 2-1/2 x 21-3/4 1 Crank bar 1 x 2-1/4 x 23-1/2 1 Front axle beam 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 15 1 Front axle beam 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 7-3/4 2 Seat 1-7/8 x 1-7/8 x 3-3/4 2 Plywood: Front wheel mudguards 1/2 x 6 x 8-1/2 2 Front spoiler 1/2 x 5-1/4 x 15 1 Rear spoiler 1/2 x 5 x 17 1 Seat 1/2 x 12 x 13-3/4 1 Seat 1/2 x 4-1/2 x 13-3/4 1 Seat 1/2 x 4 x 4-1/2 2 Doweling: Cranking handle 3/8 x 10-1/2 1 Rear spoiler 1/2 x 5 2 Seat support pillar 3/4 x 5-5/8 2 Seat support pillar 3/4 x 4-1/2 2 Hardware: Road wheels 9-3/4 diameter 2 Road wheels 8-1/4 diameter 2 Spring dome caps 1/2 diameter 6 Spring dome caps 3/8 diameter 4 Spacers 1-1/8 o/diam. x 7/8 I/dlam. x 3/16 thick 2 Steel axles 3/8 x 4-1/2 2 Coach bolt 3/8 x 5 1 nut and washer Plain bronze bearings 3/4 o/dlam. x 1/2 i/diam. x 1 long 9 Plain bronze bearings 3/4 o/diam. x 1/2 i/dlam. x 5/8 long 2 Plain bronze bearing 1 o/dlam. x 7/8 i/dlam. x 1 long 1 Steel pin 1/2 x 7-1/4 1 Steel pin 1/2 x 3 1 Steel rods 1/2 x 8-1/4 2 Steel rod 7/8 x 2-1/4 1 Steel tubes 3/4 o/dlam. x 1/2 i/diam. x 2-1/8 long 2 Steel strips 3/8 x 1 x 2-1/2 2 Install seat and handle Bore four holes to take the seat dowels in top side of chassis and on underside of seat. The holes should be slightly larger than .diameter of dowel. Cut dowel rods to length, the back ones longer than the front. Glue and screw seat together as shown in plans and, when it's set, fit dowel rods and seat onto chassis. (The oversize holes allow the seat to be fitted at an angle, and when rods are glued, the assembly becomes rigid.) Rear spoiler can be bolted on and is detachable. It is held in place by two dowel rods that fit onto blocks on back of seat. Mark and cut out the cranking handle. But before shaping the shaft and cutting out slot for crank bar, drill the holes for the dowel rod grip, pivot rod and crank bar rod. Now cut out two support blocks that go either side of the crank handle. Clamp these together and drill the holes for pivot rod. Insert a bearing in each block. Build crank assembly Mark and cut out crank bar. Drill the hole at the front for steel rod that will link bar to crank handle. For the connection between crank bar and crank, first drill a hole, following plan, in the rear of the bar to the outside diameter of the single large bearing. Cut away a section of bar as shown on plan and carefully drill the two holes specified in both bar and cut-away piece. Now cut the large bearing in half in order to put it around crankshaft. Oil the bearing and clamp it in-place with crank bar and cut-away section. Insert the two screws and tighten them until the bearing is clamped. Don't over-tighten; as the bearing “settles in,” it may be necessary to tighten the two screws just a bit more. On the other hand, if you find the screws clamp the bearing too tightly, insert a small piece of packing between crank bar and cut-away section. Also, to prevent the bearing from slipping out, cut two circles of plastic tube, slit each through on one side only, and slip them over crankshaft on either side of crank bar. At the front end, the crank bar is fitted in slot provided. Insert a bearing in the hole and one in the holes on either side of crank handle. Oil the bearings well. Now very carefully insert steel rod and hold it in place by clipping two spring caps on either end. Insert bearings in the pivot hole of cranking handle; oil them well and insert pivot rod from one side. Fit a piece of plastic tubing on either side of crank handle to keep the bearings in and to keep handle in the middle of support blocks. (Pushing the rod into position and dropping plastic tube in place is a fiddly job because there is so little room to get your fingers in.) Once this is done, clip spring caps onto the ends of steel bar. Install wheels and complete Clean rear axle ends and the inside of crank where the axle ends go. Methylated spirit is recommended. Don't touch the metal surfaces with your fingers after cleaning, or you'll leave oil deposits that will hinder bonding. Apply LoctiteSB engineering adhesive liberally to axle ends and assemble. Follow glue maker's directions. Push front axle rod into the predrilled holes in stub axles (after chamfering axle on both ends). Slip wheels on and push spring clips in place. If you paint the cart, use non-toxic exterior-grade paint.