Many important and easy handling adjustments can be made to the front end of the kart. Most handling problems that occur during the entrance of the corner are probably results of improper front end adjustment. Turn in, front end bite, and steering response can all be corrected by simple adjustments to the front of the kart.- Front track width
The most common and easiest adjustment to make to the front end of the kart is to change the front track, or front end width. Widening the front track will create more flex in the front end of the kart and result in more front end grip and quicker turn in. Narrowing the front track will have the opposite effect and result in slower turn in and less front end bite.
- Toe Adjustment
The toe settings on a kart can effect weight distribution, top speed, and cornering response. The more the kart is toed in or out, the slower the top speed becomes due to excessive drag by the tires. Increasing toe out will increase initial cornering response. If the kart feels touchy and the back end gets loose at the entrance of the corner than you probably have too much toe out. Neutral toe adjustment is recommended for WildKart chassis. The toe should only be changed as a last resort. Look to other adjustments first to correct handling problems before changing your toe settings.
- Camber / Caster
Caster effects the bite of the front and rear end and also changes apparent weight of the steering. It does this by transferring weight to the opposite rear wheel during cornering. The less caster in a kart, the less road-fell the driver will receive. Caster adds feel and bite to the front end. The excentrics are small in size but most effective on the track performance. They balance the chassis, give grip in the front when the kart is understeered or take away grip when the kart sticks to the track. Camber is the degree to which the front wheels lean toward or away from each other, if the tops of the tyres are closer together than the bottom, then camber is negative and positive camber is the opposite of negative camber. To maximise grip when cornering, it is highly desirable to have as much of the two outside tyre's rubber on the track as possible. Camber is the setting mostly responsible for maintaining maximum rubber on the road in corners. Camber is adjusted by rotating the camber adjusters at the stub axle mounting. If the king-pin bearings are housed in the stub axle, caster and king-pin inclination will also change when you adjust camber settings. The adjustment of camber and caster is easily changeable thanks to the incorporated excentric washers.The excentrics are important kart components which must be handled with skill. The different reactions they induce have an effect on the caster angle. On WildKarts, there are four excentrics used to adjust the camber and caster.
- Front Ride Height
The height adjustment of the track changes the position of the kart’s balance point and gives the chassis a certain stability. The lower the kart is at the front the more direct the chassis will be, while losing, however, on efficiency after the angular point. The lower the chassis is at the rear the more steady it will be in the curve. By rearranging the two spindle spacers, the spindle height of each side of the kart may be changed. Keep both sides the same height. By moving both spindle spacers to the top of the spindle, you are raising the front end of the chassis. Raising the chassis height creates more leverage in which to transfer side weight to the opposing tire and thus results in more front end bite at the entrance of the corner. Lowering the chassis, or moving both spindle spacers to the bottom of the spindle, has the opposite effect and creates less front end bite at the entrance of the corner.
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