Difficult to turn steering wheel

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Brian LaBarbera
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Difficult to turn steering wheel

Post by Brian LaBarbera » Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:48 pm

This past weekend we finally took out the kart we had put together for my brother, a 2007ish Birel 32mm frame, and leopard engine. The frame looks to be a shifter frame, as it has hubs for front brakes, but it has been stripped down so it is setup for TAG.

First thing I noticed was how easy it was to turn the steering wheel, both sitting still and while driving. I could have driven it with a couple fingers if I wanted.

I have a Monza Kart, and it is much more difficult to turn. Not to the point where its a huge problem, but it takes much more effort to do so.

Obviously, I would like it to turn easier to reduce fatigue, and maybe even improve my driving style. Where should I start to fix this? Maybe the steering column bearing? just a good cleaning?

Thanks for any help.

Patrick Roth
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Re: Difficult to turn steering wheel

Post by Patrick Roth » Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:15 am

Were you able to turn similar lap times? How does the caster, front width, and ackerman compare between the karts? I used to run a 32mm CRG chassis in TaG and found that by reducing the caster and narrowing the front width, the steering got easier.

FWIW, I had the opportunity to drive the kart of a top TaG Masters driver and the steering effort was relatively high. The point being that lower steering effort does not mean faster lap times.

Paul Jones
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Re: Difficult to turn steering wheel

Post by Paul Jones » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:20 pm

Brian, first thing to check is if it is difficult to turn while on the kart stand. If it is not, then the issue is the amount of caster and scrub radius (track width). the more caster and wider the front end, the more weight you are jacking with the steering wheel. If it is difficult to turn while on the stand, then you need to isolate where the tightness is coming from. The most likely cause is a binding in the steering shaft at the plastic bushing near the top of the column. This is something i usually check, and adjust with the attachment bolts. I also use some bearing grease at that location to cut down on any friction. If that does not work, then it may need a re-alignment of the support tubes the bracket attaches to. They sometimes get a twist to them and need to be adjusted. I can show you how at the track sometime.

As Patrick said, easy isn't always faster. The key is to balance the front and rear. If you want lighter steering through less castor and track width, you will need to take grip out of the back, or you will have a significant push in the kart.

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