MTD Wizard 'go kart' build

Well, been meaning to tweek n mod my wizard now for about 2 years ( or more) - wasnt sure at first what to do with it, but came up with the idea of using my 5HP honda horizontal shaft motor and a go kart clutch to power the little beast.

Grocery list of goodies :
Lowering ( 4" ride height)
1" straight axle
6" split steel rims
4 tubes ( needed for split rims)
bering hubs for front
keyed hubs for rear
2- 1" pillow blocks
drum brake
foot throttle
lowered seating position
lowered front axle

I plan on running a 4" axle sprocket for a first setup , also plan on building a custom set of spindles for it for max lowering.

Before:


Disasembly:



Ive already removed all the deck hardware and handle, i still need to lower the front axle to get my ride height set- i might need to adjust the fender height and keep it in mind while marking stuff out. Ill also need to reinforce where the rear axle is, so i dont rip it out.

Get further updates soon.

Can't wait to see how the clutch works out for ya!

Its a heavy duty clutch from northern tools - should work good. This is 'stage one' of the wizard- if i can get a larger horizontal shaft motor ( like if i EVER get around to fixing the 20HP onan) then thats getting transplanted on it.

That'd be wicked! I can't wait to see what this 16 Twin will do in mine... same frame as what you have there!

Im hoping i have time to work on it, im working nites till the new year , next week i just have sunday and tuesday off , plus we have a cold spell rolling thru - i suppose its payback for having nice weather the rest of the time.

I actually have all my parts, cept for the chain and axle sprocket.

Believe me, the twin will make that tractor scream - people say a single cylender is fast, maybe if its tweeked. Twins however are like barely working till you hit higher speeds/ rpms.

Its the same as the differences between a 4 cylender and V8 vehicle motors.

dangeroustoys56 wrote:

Im hoping i have time to work on it, im working nites till the new year , next week i just have sunday and tuesday off , plus we have a cold spell rolling thru - i suppose its payback for having nice weather the rest of the time.

I actually have all my parts, cept for the chain and axle sprocket.

Believe me, the twin will make that tractor scream - people say a single cylender is fast, maybe if its tweeked. Twins however are like barely working till you hit higher speeds/ rpms.

Its the same as the differences between a 4 cylender and V8 vehicle motors.

Stop making me impatient lol (lotta work on the twin to get it running still)

LOL- yeah , i have like 12 projects waiting - just no time right now

That'd will be awesome when it's done.
A twin huh?
Makes me want to drop a twin in my street mower.

Eventually itll get one- its still the same as the disassembled pic at the moment- A couple days of tinkering ( when i can) and it should at least be on 4 wheels.

Update- got a lil work done on it, i raised the top of the axle to the top of the frame and drilled new holes to bolt it in.

I went out and bot 3/4" grade 8 bolts and other hardware to home make my new spindles- i decided on using a 3/4" steel nipple for new bushings ( welded in the axle)- ill need to do some figuring for placement of the new spindles ( and angles) and also figure out a place to mount the tie rods.

Ill have to say those bolts werent cheep- they were like $4 each ( bot 4 of them), but i didnt want them to break, ill have to reinforce them as well when i weld them together.

I put the rear axle n rims on, tryed to visualize what itd look like - i can see the wheels will stick out a bit- its okay- better stability , plus held a 6" tire up to it - itll look sweet.

Nice, what engine are you running on this beast?

I already mentioned as an inital setup , itll be a plain 5HP honda horizontal shaft with a pull start - it came off a pressure washer i got free with the tractor . It probably wont be super fast, but ive seen some go karts hit some really high speeds tho. Itll be a fun starting point.

Cool, it's a gx-160 rite?
If so then you can make that 5hp engine 8hp for a little money.
go to this website: http://www.affordablegokarts.com/

They have all kinds of hop up stuff for them, all the mods i did to the engine on my motorized bike i did with there parts.

Im not sure what the model is w/o looking at it - the PO said it ran , but looked like i needed a new starter hat ( $50 at northern tools) , before i did order one i took mine off - turns out the 'fingers' that engage the flywheel were just stuck- some PB blaster fixed that nicely .

I really dont believe in hopping motors up - i might try a light porting sometime ( on one of my 14.5OHV briggs) , but thats it- i figure itd be cheeper to just buy a bigger motor then hop up a small motor. The honda is just a inital motor, once i get ahold of a horizontal twin, then itll get a dose of serious power.

So the project has finally started. Been years talking about making this thing! Nice to see it finally starting to take shape

LOL! Yeah- comes down to no time, no cash or too hot . Actually id like to get out there later today- i dont have to work tonite.

Hopefully i can layout the rear axle position and mount the berings/axle - i do need some cutting discs tho for my grinder.

My dad said he has a ton of 3/4" bolts of various lengths and even pipe nipples ( after i bot that stuff already) - im using the nipples for bushings , then the bolts for a home made lowering spindle- ill have to fabricate a part for the tie rod to attach tho.

Well, had little progress yesterday - due to the fact i slept most the day away. Was hoping to get the holes for the axle drilled - i laid out the mesurements on one side, started to drill it out with a hole saw bit and melted the bit flat- ill need to get a good metal bit before can finish the one hole and start the other. It has a factory bend in the chassis for the original transaxle- ill need to straighten/pound that out, then cut a piece of angle or other metal to support the pillow block from the back- might sandwich another piece on the outside as well.

I wanted to see what it might look like when its bolted in with the rim- i keep having to remember it need the tire on it still for it to look right - looks a tad far back- but it lines up with the original trans location- just higher up in the chassis.

I figure i can cut the original tie rod piece off the old spindles and mod them for my new spindles, as well as hack the end off the spindle with the pitman arm on it , welding it to the top of the new spindle - i dont think ill need a direct steer setup with the small 5 HP motor .

Nice, make sure your welds are good!
Is the engine a vertical shaft?
What kinda transmission setup are you using, you might have said already but i forgot.

Horizontal shaft 5HP honda with a go kart clutch , chain all the way to the back straight rear axle. Im debating about using a jackshaft and another chain- that might be too long a stretch for just one chain- be at least 2' .

i plan on reinforcing stuff - im gonna have fun with it when its done.

Oh..., so it is a GX-160 then i guess.

I would do a jack shaft cause one long chain like that will probably want to jump off all the time.

I was thinking of using a idler sprocket or a plastic idler pulley on a spring to keep tension on it ( or both). Wish i had some old snowmobile sliders ( they mounted under a snowmobile track chassis) - thatd be perfect - ill have to call my dad n see if theres an old pair up at the house.

Its possible its a 160- has the 3/4" crankshaft diameter.

Yeah, it defiantly would need some kind of tensioner.
Have you thought about just useing a belt?

Already bot the go kart clutch with a sprocket on it- i dont think they make a go kart clutch with a pulley that small of a shaft diameter. I have a pulley on another go kart clutch, only thing its a 1" shaft for a briggs.

Ill try the long chain first- if i need a jackshaft i can order one or look at TSC. Im going to try and mount the motor back as far as i can as well.

dangeroustoys56 wrote:

Already bot the go kart clutch with a sprocket on it- i dont think they make a go kart clutch with a pulley that small of a shaft diameter. I have a pulley on another go kart clutch, only thing its a 1" shaft for a briggs.

Ill try the long chain first- if i need a jackshaft i can order one or look at TSC.

True, i want to see some pics when you do it.

dangeroustoys56 wrote:

I was thinking of using a idler sprocket or a plastic idler pulley on a spring to keep tension on it ( or both). Wish i had some old snowmobile sliders ( they mounted under a snowmobile track chassis) - thatd be perfect - ill have to call my dad n see if theres an old pair up at the house.

Its possible its a 160- has the 3/4" crankshaft diameter.

We used plastic idler pulleys on 2 of our bikes, they work really good, one bike I actually used a wide flat steel idler, also works well and doesn't wear the chain!