DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A RACING GO-KART: THE BRAKING SYSTEM

Go-karts are popular sport mini-car in western countries, and there are gaining prominence in developing countries such as Nigeria. Its performance is determined by the chassis design and the braking system is its lifeline. Because of the lack of a suspension system and differentials, a good chassis must be able to bend and twist. This Go-kart is powered by a Yamaha Vino Automatic Petrol 2-stroke Engine that generates approximately 4.1kw of power at 9018rpm. It boasts slick tyres for increased grip and a hydraulic disc brake for smooth and effective braking in both wet and dry conditions. The focus of this paper is on the braking system and material characterization of its structural members Simulation static study with Autodesk Inventor yielded the following results: Mass Density 281.550 lbmass/ft3 Yield Strength 40.000 ksi Ultimate Tensile Strength 50.000ksi. Design calculations were performed, and the best possible result was obtained. Ergonomics, safety, cost of manufacturing, and reliability are all considered.