Silverfox help

[ajkirton]

I just acquired a manco silver fox go through some bartering for my children. The engine starts immediately ands sounds wonderful. The kart only needs a few things and I have some questions.

1. It needs new front tires. They are worn nearly bald. I am also looking at getting new rims and bearings with the front wheels as it isn't as much of a price difference as I would have expected.
A. Can i get a larger tire size?
B. Can i use a split rim with some nice cnc hubs?

2. It appears that the front rh control arm is bent rearwards.
A. Where can I source a replacement control arm?
B. Are there any aftermarket alternatives?

3. The brake pads are worn.
A. What pads must I purchase that are compatible with this kart?
B. I have a couple of sets of 4 piston calipers laying around from my mountain bikes. Has anyone ever adapted this style of braking to a kart?

4. The drive belt is worn and dry.
A. Who makes the best belt?
B. Can you upgrade the belt system for better operation?

I no longer own a welder or have access to one. I used to custom tig weld manifolds and roll cages for some major race teams. Are there any suspension mods that would be possible without requiring welding?

I have searched this forum, but have not found any answers to my questions for this kart.

[ajkirton]

Also, is it feasible to add an electric start and lighting system to the subaru 6.5 motor?

[BlackScorpion]

I just acquired a manco silver fox go through some bartering for my children. The engine starts immediately ands sounds wonderful. The kart only needs a few things and I have some questions.

1. It needs new front tires. They are worn nearly bald. I am also looking at getting new rims and bearings with the front wheels as it isn't as much of a price difference as I would have expected.
A. Can i get a larger tire size?
B. Can i use a split rim with some nice cnc hubs?

2. It appears that the front rh control arm is bent rearwards.
A. Where can I source a replacement control arm?
B. Are there any aftermarket alternatives?

3. The brake pads are worn.
A. What pads must I purchase that are compatible with this kart?
B. I have a couple of sets of 4 piston calipers laying around from my mountain bikes. Has anyone ever adapted this style of braking to a kart?

4. The drive belt is worn and dry.
A. Who makes the best belt?
B. Can you upgrade the belt system for better operation?

I no longer own a welder or have access to one. I used to custom tig weld manifolds and roll cages for some major race teams. Are there any suspension mods that would be possible without requiring welding?

I have searched this forum, but have not found any answers to my questions for this kart.

Wow quite an entrance there ajkirton, welcome to GokartsRUS, Have you contacted Customer Service I'm sure they can direct you to the parts you need and possibly answer all your questions. As far as adding a suspension without welding,Can't say i have ever seen it done. Sorry. If Customer Service can't help come back and i will try and help you find some of the parts you need.

As for the split rims, this might be your best answer,

Posted by residentg:

You can use any 5" wheel up front as long as the axle size is the same (5/8" is pretty common), and it will fit your tires. You may need to use washers on the axle to ensure that it lines up properly as well, no big deal. Azusa makes some nice one-piece steel wheels. If you want to stay with split rim, there are many aftermarket ones available, just be sure that they will match the bolt pattern of your hubs.

JB

I found it in this post: http://www.gokartsrus.com/go-kart_forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4540

You might to look HERE for some cool rims as well as other parts.

If anything is worn or seems or broken , your best bet would be to replace it before the kids get on it. Don't want them getting hurt.

Good luck and lets us know how you make out.

PS: I deleted the other post since it was a duplicate of this one.

[ajkirton]

I agree about replacing everything.

I am the type that likes to modify everything that I touch. I unfortunately sold my tig welder a few years back as I just wasn't using it enough to warrant keeping it. If i still had it i would make some quick modifications.

I have sent customer service an email and am awaiting a reply.

I plan on taking the entire kart apart and re-lubing and replacing all bearings. I also have measured out the shocks and am in the process of replacing the stock shocks with some nice air/coil over shocks.

My current hobbies are cars and mountain bikes. I have alot of parts from both that I can use in the modification of this kart. My kids are super excited and I don't blame them. I think they will really enjoy kart for years and years.

[ajkirton]

So I think I have decided to go to a larger front tire. Has anyone done this? Are there any clearance issues with the frame behind the wheel. I am thinking of something with a similar height of the rear wheels but much narrower.

I have also done some research on the brakes and I think I might purchase a motorcycle hydraulic caliper and a master cylinder and make the brakes a little beefier.

I was able to get it started and it sounds good. I am going to tear the motor partially down and give it a good cleaning and lubricate everything.

I realize that the robin subaru 169cc 6.5 he motor will never be that fast, but if I can get the kart handling good and riding really well I think the motor will be adequate. I am going to also design some fairing/fenders muck like the old honda odyssey. I will also install a dashboard with lots of buttons for the kids. They will want lights, a horn, a key and a cool big red kill switch.

My son wants me to put a dirtbike style muffler on so I think I will be buying a welder soon.

I still have not been able to source a control arm. I have found some yerf dog control arms that look similar, but the shock mounting location is different. I may still give them a shot and see if they will work with the air shocks that I would like to put on.

Any and all advice or suggestions would be very welcome at this point.
any a

[BlackScorpion]

So I think I have decided to go to a larger front tire. Has anyone done this? Are there any clearance issues with the frame behind the wheel. I am thinking of something with a similar height of the rear wheels but much narrower.

I have also done some research on the brakes and I think I might purchase a motorcycle hydraulic caliper and a master cylinder and make the brakes a little beefier.

I was able to get it started and it sounds good. I am going to tear the motor partially down and give it a good cleaning and lubricate everything.

I realize that the robin subaru 169cc 6.5 he motor will never be that fast, but if I can get the kart handling good and riding really well I think the motor will be adequate. I am going to also design some fairing/fenders muck like the old honda odyssey. I will also install a dashboard with lots of buttons for the kids. They will want lights, a horn, a key and a cool big red kill switch.

My son wants me to put a dirtbike style muffler on so I think I will be buying a welder soon.

I still have not been able to source a control arm. I have found some yerf dog control arms that look similar, but the shock mounting location is different. I may still give them a shot and see if they will work with the air shocks that I would like to put on.

Any and all advice or suggestions would be very welcome at this point.
any a

Sounds like an exciting project. Why not go down to HarborFreight and pick up one of those cheap welders, Others had some decent result without breaking the bank, myself included. If your putting shocks in the front shouldn't you be able to compensate for the larger tire size up front? The muffler idea sounds good but try not to go to wild with it , you will have to rejet the carb to compensate for the muffler, You could just get a muffler and hollow it out , would that work? You need to check the size of those control arms make sure they are the same size, you could alway relocate the shock brackets with the new welder. Please take pictures of the work your doing .....we like pictures

Check to this link i found, might be some reading for you.
Manco Silver Fox

[ajkirton]

I have seen that post in the last day or so of searching.

I think I am going to pick up a cheap harbor freight welder. Do you have any recommendations?

I have no clue where to start to get the atv front end as shown in that post. I have googled ATV salvage yards in my area and the closest one is almost 2 hours away. Money is incredibly tight right now for us as I just finished fighting a 2 year medical battle. That is part of the reason I want to make this so cool for my kids. They have had to go through quite a bit with me and they are real troopers.

[BlackScorpion]

I have seen that post in the last day or so of searching.

I think I am going to pick up a cheap harbor freight welder. Do you have any recommendations?

I have no clue where to start to get the atv front end as shown in that post. I have googled ATV salvage yards in my area and the closest one is almost 2 hours away. Money is incredibly tight right now for us as I just finished fighting a 2 year medical battle. That is part of the reason I want to make this so cool for my kids. They have had to go through quite a bit with me and they are real troopers.

This is what i got Welder The only things i did was buy a roll of Lincoln Electric 0.035 & Lincoln Electric 0.030 wire to replace the crappy wire supplied with the welder, i also changed the tips and replaced them withLincoln Electric Wire Feed .030& .0359 Welder Contact Tips. Not the very best but it does the job. Or if you can find a used lincoln welder for around $100, that would work also. As for the ATV front end, I would keep an eye on Craigslist you can find just about anything on there.

Sorry to hear about your battle, and I understand your reason for doing it for your kids. Wish you the best.

[ajkirton]

I looked at that. I may jump up to the 240 models.

I just recieved notification that the control arms for this kart have been discontinued.

I guess I will have to fabricate some.

[BlackScorpion]

I looked at that. I may jump up to the 240 models.

I just recieved notification that the control arms for this kart have been discontinued.

I guess I will have to fabricate some.

That would be the better choice. I would try and look for some remade and just re-adjust the shock brackets, might be the better way to go since your getting the welder.

[ajkirton]

Yeah. I am looking at the yerf dog arms with the spindle bracket welded at a 15 degree angle. I will then add a bracket for the shock to mount.

[ajkirton]

Ordered tires and bigger front rims, a belt, and currently searching for some good shocks.

[BlackScorpion]

Make sure you take picture.....

[ajkirton]

Will do. Me and the kids are going to work on it tomorrow. Start the disassembly process.

the kids want to paint it a fluorescent orange. I said let's get it going and have fun with it without painting it first. I will want to do some welding prior to paint. I want to weld on a bunch quirk threaded tabs so I can bolt the body on it when we are done making it. I am trying to acquire some 4 wheeler plastics. Plan on cutting long ways and grafting them on similar to the old school odyssey.

I also have about 30yards of 2x2 twill carbon that I will make a roof and a few other parts.

if I were to pop a mold off of the stock side panels do you think carbon versions would sell? I used to make carbon race car parts.

[BlackScorpion]

Will do. Me and the kids are going to work on it tomorrow. Start the disassembly process.

the kids want to paint it a fluorescent orange. I said let's get it going and have fun with it without painting it first. I will want to do some welding prior to paint. I want to weld on a bunch quirk threaded tabs so I can bolt the body on it when we are done making it. I am trying to acquire some 4 wheeler plastics. Plan on cutting long ways and grafting them on similar to the old school odyssey.

I also have about 30yards of 2x2 twill carbon that I will make a roof and a few other parts.

if I were to pop a mold off of the stock side panels do you think carbon versions would sell? I used to make carbon race car parts.

Sounds like a great plan.

As far as for the carbon version parts not sure there isn't a demand for it, email me and i will discuss something un-related that you could possibly make and sell if your able to.

[ajkirton]

Ok. Got it running and took it for a spin tonight with the kids.

few issues to work on.

1. Feels as if the belt I got may be a bit too large. You have to give it a little more gas before it goes than I would expect. Once it does go, it goes with a mighty jerk.

2. Looks like either I have a bent rear axle or a bent rim. On the road at speed it vibrates intensely. It was like 28 degrees outside so I wastoo cold to keep going.

3. I still need to weld up a bracket to mount the hydraulic brake caliper.

I will say that the 16x8-7 tire wheel combination is perfect on this kart.

[ajkirton]

So far i pulled the motor off of the kart, pulled the case apart on the motor and cleane. I inspected everything. Put back together and sealed it up good. Put synthetic oil in.

replaced the front tires and rims. Went with a much larger 16x8-7 front tire.

replaced the throttle cable with a custom one imade from some extra jagwire bike cable and steel housing i had.

pulled all steering and suspension apart and lubricated it with synthetic grease where needed.

we also took all of the plastic pieces off of the kart. They were all white and oxidized so we took off the stock decals and I hit them with a heat gun to restore the original luster. Some of the pieces had been visibly damaged and warped. I heated those as well and reshaped them to the factory shapes.

i was able to straighten the bent control arm out using a hydraulic can jack and a torch.

The kart is looking much nicer than when we got it. So far everything has been in really good shape.


I am now looking for someone that will take a rolex on trade for an ATV for me......

[BlackScorpion]

So far i pulled the motor off of the kart, pulled the case apart on the motor and cleane. I inspected everything. Put back together and sealed it up good. Put synthetic oil in.

replaced the front tires and rims. Went with a much larger 16x8-7 front tire.

replaced the throttle cable with a custom one imade from some extra jagwire bike cable and steel housing i had.

pulled all steering and suspension apart and lubricated it with synthetic grease where needed.

we also took all of the plastic pieces off of the kart. They were all white and oxidized so we took off the stock decals and I hit them with a heat gun to restore the original luster. Some of the pieces had been visibly damaged and warped. I heated those as well and reshaped them to the factory shapes.

i was able to straighten the bent control arm out using a hydraulic can jack and a torch.

The kart is looking much nicer than when we got it. So far everything has been in really good shape.


I am now looking for someone that will take a rolex on trade for an ATV for me......

Good to hear , but it would be better if you showed us PICTURES.. PICTURES....PICTURES... Wish i had an ATV.. :)

[ajkirton]

Sorry. I will have to post some pics up. I got myself a ltz400. Love it.

[BlackScorpion]

Ok. Got it running and took it for a spin tonight with the kids.

few issues to work on.

1. Feels as if the belt I got may be a bit too large. You have to give it a little more gas before it goes than I would expect. Once it does go, it goes with a mighty jerk.

2. Looks like either I have a bent rear axle or a bent rim. On the road at speed it vibrates intensely. It was like 28 degrees outside so I wastoo cold to keep going.

3. I still need to weld up a bracket to mount the hydraulic brake caliper.

I will say that the 16x8-7 tire wheel combination is perfect on this kart.

Make sure you have the belt on correctly, it will do that sometimes. Also if you haven't already did you clean up the TC?