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Mar 24 / Greg

PVC Go-Kart

So we were killing time in one of my favorite stores, Harbor Freight, when I found out they have their 10″ wheels on sale for $5 each…it was all down hill from there(that pun was for you Andrew).

I did a rough sketch of what I figured it should look like, then went to the big box store to grab some pipe.

We ended up using 1″ PVC pipe, a ton of Ts, elbows, and crosses. I also use two 10″L 5/8″D bolts, one 8″L 5/8″D bolt, and one 1 and 1/4″ cross for the steering shaft. The rest was just a lot of primer and glue.

I kind of played it loose and built and measured as I went. I like making things that are 100% mine, so I didn’t look at anyone else’s methods, though I assume someone else has done this before…?

IMG_5541

Steering wheel moves up and down to adjust for the rider.

Steering wheel moves up and down to adjust for the rider.


Push bar

Push bar


Like a boossssss

Like a boossssss


Back wheels.  I used PVC to act as spacers on the wheel hubs.

Back wheels. I used PVC to act as spacers on the wheel hubs.


Front wheel floats off of a larger 1 and a quarter cross.

Front wheel floats off of a larger 1 and a quarter cross.

8 Comments

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  1. Rodney Smith / Mar 26 2014

    Great Project, got a grandson who would flip his skull to build one of these. Thanks!

  2. Greg / Mar 26 2014

    @Rodney
    Thanks sir. I had as much fun building it as they do riding it 🙂 I really like to just figure things out…no plans other than those I draw.

  3. Andrew Cox / Mar 26 2014

    Solar panel and some electric motors are the next upgrade right?

  4. Greg / Mar 26 2014

    A buddy of mine was telling me about some small, torquey, electric motors…would be cool to hook it up.

    Would be cool to also do tank steering…I see some sick donuts in my future hehehe

  5. Andrew Cox / Mar 26 2014

    Get a set of tracks and gear down some Turnigy brushless motors:

    http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__524__59__Electric_Motors-TURNIGY_RotoMax.html

    These things have a LOT of torque behind them (you can see the comparison to 50cc,100cc,150cc) coming from something the size of a soup can.

  6. Greg / Mar 26 2014

    Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Ty / Mar 28 2014

    Am I the only one that scaled this up to my size in my head? Great build, Greg. Loving the frequent updates recently as well.

  8. Greg / Mar 28 2014

    @Ty
    I’m thinking of the next project…it might have a motor or it might have petals:) I think a petal version of this would be crazy fun…especially if you put pool noodles around the outside and played bumper cars with it.

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