Quick Chassis Setup Guide For Novices

Here is a quick-guide for the novice karter learning how to adjust his/her chassis. As ever, it is important to remember that technical articles represent the opinions of the author, and that these submissions are intended to be a starting point for the racer headed towards building his or her own knowledge base.

Dry Setup (Green Track)
The following settings are recommended as a starting point for a dry track with little grip. These types of tracks are often referred to as “green,” given the inherent lack of grip in them. The attempt here is to gain more grip from the kart. The following recommendations should aid in this.

– Weight Distribution should be 43.0% front, 57.0% rear, and 50/50% side/side.
– Toe should be set out 1/16″.
– Camber should be set at -1/2 degree.
– Castor should be neutral.
– Front bumper should be tight.
– Front width should be 44″ to 44 1/2″.
– Nerf bars need to be tight.
– Seat should be set according to factory recommendations.
– Pinch bolts should be tightly secured.
– Rear wheel hubs should be medium to long.
– Rear ride height should be as high as possible.
– Rear track should be set just below the legal limit, within the rules.
– Axle type B should be installed (medium).
– There should be at least two seat struts on each side of the seat.
– Rear torsion bar should be in, positioned in either the flat or vertical location.
– Rear bumper should be tight.

Dry Setup (High Grip Track)
The following settings are recommended as a starting point for a dry track with much grip, perhaps one that has a lot of rubber laid down.

– Weight Distribution should be 43.0% front, 57.0% rear, and 50/50% side/side.
– Toe should be set out 1/16″.
– Camber should be set at -1/2 degree to 0 degree.
– Add positive castor past neutral.
– Front bumper should be tight.
– Front width should be 44″ to 44 1/2″.
– Nerf bars need to be loose.
– Seat should be lower than the factory recommends, as far as 1/2″ below the frame rail.
– Pinch bolts should be out.
– Rear wheel hubs should be of the shortest length.
– Rear ride height should be as low as possible.
– Rear track should be set just below the legal limit, within the rules.
– Axle Type A should be installed (soft).
– Seat struts should be removed or loosened.
– Rear torsion bar should be removed.
– Rear bumper should be loose.