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In the following section we focus on some general advices needed to a go-karter, who needs some info and support.

HOW TO TRANSPORT A KART

In order to bring the kart to the track, you can have 3 main ways (excluding if you have the opportunity of using trucks, buses, trains, planes, ferries or if you want to transport by bikes or “by hand”!!!):

you have a car without towing hook, and carriage: in this case you can buy a roof-rack carrying at least 80 kilos (100cc has a weight around 70 kilos, a 125cc something more). You need to be at least 2 people (in the kart environment you have to be always 2 people, being alone is almost impossible…), one has to take the kart in the front part and the other in the back part. In order of getting everything easier, you should start having the kart on the carriage (I will tell you later). You have to tie the kart steadily up to the roof-rack with 4 proper hooks, and maybe cover the most “fragile” parts (like engine and air filter – in case of rain or to protect those parts from external factors) with some thick plastic bags to be tied.
Do not lift the kart seizing the front “spoiler”, since it could pull off and the kart could fall down with ruinous consequences; so it’s better if you take the kart from the iron bar into the spoiler is fixed. I’m not going to waste further time in explaining rules about the objects transport on the car roof (like bending at 200 km/h with handbrake, amazing acceleration etc.)

You own a carriage or something big enough to be tied the towing hook of your car and able to transport goods: nothing special to say, just put it on the kart, fix it and go safe.

You own a van (best option): be sure your kart is not going to move too much.

Anyhow remember to put petrol in a safe place and put all you need (a complete list is going to follow) on your mean of transport.

CARRIAGE

It’s essential.
The carriage is a small three or four-wheeler object where you can put your kart to go around the track.
In the picture above you can see my red hand-made carriage. To build a carriage you just need 4 wheels (better 4 than 3), some pipes and to feel like doing it!! If you want to buy it, it’s not too expansive: around 130/200 euros. Remember the carriage is not just useful to go around with your kart, but it’s also necessary as a comfortable place to work with the kart (so it’s needed to have a place where all tools can be put), as a fittings/accessories-rack of your kart (petrol, spare parts, etc.) or of the driver (helmet, water and so on). The carriage can be used also as a support to start up the kart with a proper belt (and so it doesn’t have to touch any part is going to move, like back wheels, axle, etc..).
The only needed maintenance (cleaning excluded) is the wheels/tyres check: if they have to be pumped up you need to check if they are really inflated; if they are “solid”, this check is not needed, but in both cases the wheels have to run properly, to avoid big efforts to move the carriage. A good idea could be providing the carriage with a brake, particularly useful in downhill and uphill track.

TOOLS

We are going to say something about tools you need to work or repair your kart (of course in an elementary way). Some of these tools are necessary for all kind of karts, others depend on chassis or screws you own. Finally we have tools called “fixed”: you don’t use them when you are in a track, but just during kart preparation at home.

TOOLS ALWAYS NECESSARY
* A tool-case, better if you can close it (that’s important because during races people could take some of you tools and then never give them back....).

* Double wrenches set (that means every wrench must have a cut part and a round closed part) from number 6 to 22, plus other specific wrenches if your kart has particular screws and bolts or maybe some of those ones from 6 to 22 are not necessary.

* Allen keys set, better if they are made of steel and with a “small ball” at the end, so that you can work even with a certain angle of inclination.

* Box containing a cricchetto and all monkey wrenches and allen keys
1 allen key with a T shape for back wheels.
Pliers of big dimension, sold as strong; pliers could be even smaller, but in this way some actions are more difficult.

* A Slip-joint pliers with regular dimensions and no special features.

* Some screwdrivers, depending on screws you have in your kart. It’s generally enough having two cut ones (one small-medium and one big) and one medium “star” shaped.

* A regular hammer.

* Some insulating tape, useful with scissors and a cutter.

* A cleaning cloth and some papers.

* Something to take out the pinion and a wrench to block the pinion, together with the clutch for engines with automatic clutch (piston port).

* Starting up belt.

TOOLS DEPENDING ON KART
It’s better if you do the following check twice: all screws and wrenches of your kart have to be compatible and suitable. Then check if you can perform all essential actions with tools you have, and check not to have too many tools you don’t really need. So decide what you need and go shopping!

”FIXED” TOOLS
A supercharger/compressor is very very important: first of all, it’s very useful to inflate tires and then to clean (even for sparking plugs not too dirty). Other things are more or less useless...: balancing, setting camber angle and convergence are actions you perform few times and not important for people who are not professional drivers. In case you should need to perform those ones, go to a specific person. We are going to talk about that later.

SPARE PARTS ALWAYS NEEDED

As some tools, some spare parts have always to be available, both at home and during races. Here the list of spare parts you really MUST have:

* At least 1 pinion of the right dimension
* At least one chain of the needed dimension
* At least 2-3 crowns of different dimension in order to change the “ratio” and in case of breaking. Obviously you need to know the basic ratio and keep crowns very close to each others. Having crowns between 83 and 89, one out of two (means 83,85,87,89), it’s should be enough. In case of breaking, you should have another crown of the same type you are using that day. You could change it with another one of a different dimension (but a smaller one), just if you are not very interested in performances.

* Spray for chain
* Some sparking plugs
* Some spare screw bolts and some screws
* At least 15 litres of petrol (petroil)
* 1 litre of oil always available in order to prepare your petroil
* Tires set; if available even another one, for wet grounds
* Piston rings of medium size for several purposes
* Some springs for outlet for exhaust gases, carburetor and pedals
* Spare cable for the accelerator

THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED WHEN YOU ARE IN TRACKS

When you go to the track you need to remember a lot of things to bring with you,.. and very often you can forget some of them.. For this reason, here a kind of list:

* All tools you need in a specific box
* All spare parts should be in a dedicated box
* Helmet, gloves, tracksuit e shoes
* A bottle of water
* Other objects you could need (chronometer, walkman, magazines, etc) in a nice bag
* Other clothes if you need…

GENERAL ADVICES

Some advices which could be very very useful.

* Training. It’s not absolutely necessary, but it’s advisable a certain muscle warm up (in particular for your back and your arms). Sometimes some sprains or pains occur, not due to efforts or bumps but due to a lack of warm up.

* Have you seen tank in the picture above? So, not to use those ones, they are not approved (in theory you couldn’t transport them in your car) and they are very fragile and made of plastic. You must use the approved ones made of iron. In addition to this, not to forget if you fill your tank with gas or petroil, it’s advisable to keep a paper with squares, and you draw crosses every time you put petrol in, or circles every time you add oil to petrol.

* It’s useful having an elastic cover for your kart; it could cost around 60 euro. Covering your kart means protecting it against atmospheric agents and it’s usable (well tight) during transport, too.

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