Troubleshooting guide

Wheels:

Wheel stiffness has a smaller effect on grip (at both ends of the kart) than axle stiffness. Softer wheels

such as spun aluminum will have less grip than cast or forged magnesium wheels. Softer wheels can

also promote uneven tire wear. A soft wheel will tend to wear the inner portion of the tire. It is

generally best to run a stiffer wheel.

Using rear wheels with less offset effectively stiffens the rear axle, as it will be necessary to move the

hubs inward in order to maintain the same overall rear width. Therefore, an offset that allows the hubs

to be moved outward will effectively soften the rear axle.

Seat Struts:

Most conditions will call for two seat struts on each side of the seat for a total of four. These struts

should run from the very top of the seat to the two outer bearing cassettes. On the motor side, it may

only be possible to use one strut. The seat struts allow the high leverage point of the driver to transfer

load to the rear tires. This essentially creates more rear end bite. When seat struts are removed, the

driver’s high leverage point is not taken advantage of and minimal load is transferred to the rear tires.

Usually, one would want to remove or loosen seat struts if trying to reduce rear grip. Tall drivers, for

example, will have less need for seat struts.

Rear Torsion Bar:

The rear torsion bar can be left out when you want to reduce rear grip. However, if you want to

increase rear grip, place the torsion bar in the flat position.

Even more rear grip can be achieved if the torsion bar is placed vertically. In a low grip situation (as in

a slightly damp or perhaps a dusty track), the installation of the torsion bar in any capacity will net the

rear end more grip due to the fact that it will not allow the chassis to transfer weight and lift up the

inside wheel as much (or as long), therefore coming down and driving the kart off the turn sooner.

Bumpers:

The front and rear bumpers should remain tight at all times. There is a school of thought that loosening

a bumper (front or rear) will provide less grip at that end of the kart. However, the current generation of

CRG manufactured karts perform most consistently with the front bumper tight.

Side Pod Bars:

In almost all circumstances, leave the side pod bars loose. Tightening the side pod bars will give the

kart more side bite and generally tighten the chassis. Let the bars fit loosely in the chassis, but be sure

the bolts themselves are tight (use Nylock nuts).

Tire Pressures:

Tire pressures can range from as low as 6 psi up to around 30 psi, depending on the compound of the

tire, temperature, track surface and overall chassis set up. For most applications, you should stay

between 10 psi and 14 psi.

In general, the higher the tire pressure, the faster the tires will come up to temperature and the more

grip one will have. However, if too much air pressure is used, the contact patch with the track surface

will be reduced, the usable section of the tire may overheat and pressures could climb even higher and

as a result adhesion and tire life will be reduced. See the section on tires for more detail.