I want to convert a riding mower, with a bad engine, to some type of riding go-cart. I'll probably put some type of small engine it it for power, but want something the kids can creep around the yard with. Any ideas?

Thanks,
G

Just something that I found on the following site. Go Kart Engines and Motors

How to Use a Lawn Mower Engine for a Go Kart
Lawn mower engines are a dime a dozen, you think to yourself. Surely there's a way to use one and save some cash... You already know that go karts traditionally use horizontal mount engines — for good reasons we'll discuss. But if you're committed to being a nonconformist let's figure this thing out.

Lawn Mower Engines
A lawn mower uses a vertical shaft motor. It's designed to be mounted and used in the vertical position. This can not be changed without a lot of work, maybe not at all.

Repositioning to Horizontal
The mounting face for the motor is generally on the same side as the shaft, so you'll first need to design a mounting bracket to hold the engine in the horizontal position.

Now you'll realize that carb is turned on its side. You'll need to drill and tap new mounting holes.

If you open the crankcase, you'll see that the oil slinger won't be in the oil supply. You'll have to figure something out to ensure the engine stays oiled.

Those are at least two giant problems that you'd face with this "easy" solution.

Now let's examine using the engine in the stock configuration.

Using a Lawn Mower Engine Without Repositioning
If you decide that changing the mounting design is too involved, then the other option is to use the motor as normal, and get the vertical shaft's power transferred to the horizontal shaft's plane.

For this, you'll need to get under a riding mower and examine how they do it closely. Probably you'll want some kind of gear box to do this. We might say "use the lawnmowers!" but then again, it will need to be very heavy-duty to withstand the off road driving that you're considering. So you'll spend some time beefing it up.

We scored a free lawn mower recently, and are tearing it apart to try to find a good way.

Share Your Ideas
Admittedly, this section is here just to float some ideas around. We have little intention of trying very hard to do this ourselves, because using a horizontal mount is simply much easier. But — if you're willing to try it, document the process! Let us know how it goes, and have your own project published on the site. We'd love to help you show off!

Helleo I am an 18 yearold boy and I have done this kinde of stuff my whole life if you're rideing mower has a virtical shaft you can check your gear box and see how your drive belts are hooked up and if they have a pully that controls the speed of the gearbox the you can tighten it up as much as you can to see if it will increase the speed of the mower and if it does then you can start putting a gas peadle on the mower to give it a little more power and more speed to pull or just to have a fun time with and beleave me I have an old ranch king that I've don't this too so I can greatly tell you that it will go a lot faster than it has in the whole time you've owned it and if this works be sure to let me


Thank you and have a good day

I would not buy something that is blown up. I would look for an older, used mower. Your best bet is one that uses belt drive between the engine and transmission. This makes changing the gear ratio very easy. Typically there will be a large diameter pulley on the transmission and a small one on the engine.

Swapping that around for a large pulley on the motor and a small one on the trans will really help. I would not recommend going greater than 2:1 ratio, and I would not recommend a pulley smaller than 4" on the transmission when using a 1/2" belt. There just isn't enough surface area between the belt and pulley to transfer the power without slippage.

Also, if your mower has any greaseable bearings in the wheels, axles, etc, be sure to grease them before tearing around at high speeds. You could quickly end up with ruined hubs/spindles/axles. Also be sure to have the proper type and amount of lube in the transmission.

Finally, do not severely overspeed the engine. I would recommend still using the governor to control the throttle, and keep the max rpm around 4000 on a briggs/tecumseh/kohler, etc. You don't want to see the carnage if one of those heavy flywheels lets loose from overspeeding, it would not be pretty.

Good luck on the project!

Here is a sample of my lawn mower kart!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r2hKQoAN-U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2b-CI-8lVE

I'm tying to do the same thing with a lwan mower that has a bad engine.(converting into a go cart) I stripped the whole mower to the frame tires and steering mechanism. I took out the gears in the rear differential type thing that would have transferred the belts energy into the back tires. I can't take out the whole thing because it has the mount that the frame connects to. So after taking out all the oil, gears ans whatever ekse was in there, which I didn't know what it was, I put the drive shaft back in the empty the drive shaft is split into two pieces that touch in the center of the now enpty differentaill thing. I'm now having a problem because when I turn one of the back tires, the shaft won't move with it. Any suggestions?

This is a 2007ish john deere L111

I am vunvrting a riding mower to a go cart and I am using a electric enegine and the mower has a long shaft that went from the mower to move the back wheels and I can't take it off unless I cut it off I was wondering if there was any other way to get if off if possble. Thank you fro reading please answer soon

I'm not sure how crazy you want to go with your go kart but I've been watching this guy for a while now and the mower he started with and how he converted it into this is amazing. He walks you through step by step if you watch his videos on how he built it. Just an idea for you
the video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6xcE9jN9pk&feature=plcp