Tips for Go-Kart Maintenance
Your go-kart is a valuable investment that needs to be kept in peak condition in order to serve you well for years to come. While you can always benefit from professional help, there are some basic maintenance tasks that you can do on your own to keep your vehicle in top shape. If you’re not sure where to begin, we’ve created this brief guide to help you get started.
Read the Manual
Your owner’s manual is your best resource when it comes to the proper maintenance of your go-kart. It will help you to understand how each part functions and what products are recommended for your particular model. Keep a record of maintenance performed and parts replaced in your manual, as this will be helpful whenever you visit a professional mechanic or if you later opt to sell your go-kart.
Clutch
The clutch of your go-kart needs to be cleaned after every couple of hours of use on the racetrack. However, most people recommend servicing this after every day of use. The clutch is an important element for your engine, and proper maintenance can save you expensive repairs. In order to keep your clutch running smoothly, you will want to use grease on the clutch bushing to keep it lubricated. Any kind of grease can be used, and normally your local karting circuit will have one that they can recommend.
Carburetor
Remember that the go-kart carburetor also needs to be cleaned often. This involves regularly removing it from your kart’s engine, taking it apart, and carefully cleaning the inside. With practice, this will become quite easy and it will become a habit to clean it every time before you hit the track.
Spark Plug
It is important to use the right spark plugs, and also to keep them properly maintained. Your spark plug should be checked and cleaned regularly. You will want to remove the spark plug and clean it using a metal brush. You might find some oil or fuel residue on the spark plug. Ideally, you want the plug to be dry and clean, and this is easy to do, but this is something that is often ignored.
Brakes
Last but not least, don’t forget to check your go-kart’s brakes. Check the brake pedal to ensure
that the pivots are moving freely and the springs are clean and well-lubricated. You can use a brake cleaner on the bracket system and springs if required. If there’s any squeaking, it means that you’ll have to clean the drum.
We hope that our guide to go-kart maintenance helps you to keep your vehicle in great shape. If you have any questions, give us a call or visit Stoneham's Motorsports in Waynesboro and Everett, PA. We welcome all our patrons visiting us from Hagerstown, MD, and Bedford, PA.