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Discussions Question and Answer Forums Electric Scooter, Bike, and Go Kart Built From Scratch Forum

Sprocket Alignment

I'm building a electric go-kart from scratch. The motor is going to be mounted above the rear axle. I understand the two sprockets need to be perfectly aligned along the chain axis. I would like move the motor a few inches forward to make room for the battery, like example C below. Assuming the motor will be running in a clockwise direction and the chain will have proper tension, does it make a difference where the motor is placed above the axle?


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The motor can be placed in practically any forward or afterward position in relation to the axle without causing any problems with the power transmission between the motor and axle. All three motor position examples shown in your illustration are perfectly acceptable regarding the position of the motor to the axle.
Thank you for answering my sprocket alignment question. I have another question about gear ratio, and I think the results are similar. I currently have a 13 tooth sprocket on the motor and a 65 tooth sprocket on the wheel. If I change the motor sprocket to 11 and the wheel to 55, the ratio is the same. ( 13 ÷ 65 = 20% ) = ( 11 ÷ 55 = 20% )  What is the difference between the two gear ratios 13/65 and 11/55 ?

 

Both 13/65 and 11/55 sprocket combinations provide the exact same 5:1 gear ratio so there is no gear ratio difference between them.

I added a second motor to my electric sidecar, and it works great! I'm using four 20 volt Dewalt batteries, two 36 volt speed controllers and two 36 volt 1,000 watt motors from ESP. I learned how to wire everything together on these help forums. It uses one throttle and one power switch. The axle is split so each wheel spins independently, which is great for tight turns. Even though the frame and front wheel are offset it does not fishtail or pull to one side. Thanks again for answering all of my questions. Here is a photo of my creation.


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Thanks for posting those photos of your three wheel drifter trike. Looks great!


I really like seeing the use of plywood in projects like this because it proves that anyone can make an electric scooter, bike, or go-kart at home and that expensive metal fabrication equipment such as welders and plasma cutters are not needed. 


It must be super fun to ride and drift. Is the clamp on the handlebar to hold the throttle in place for cruise control?

The clamp on the handlebar is for a make shift cruise control. I was shooting a video of the trike in motion on Instagram.


I do not know how to weld, so I bolt everything together using Colin Furze's "no weld" technique. I use a simple cordless jig saw to cut the sheet metal and plywood. I splurged on a metal chop saw to cut the steel tube, but I used to cut the steel tube with a reciprocating saw.


I recently made an electric skateboard with 3/4 inch thick plywood and parts from ESP. Here is a photo and video.

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The skateboard was insanely fun to ride but totally not safe.

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