Redbull Soapbox 2013 team progress.
 

I don’t know how interesting this is to some of you, but I’m sure there are engineering types about and probably some people that have done this sort of thing in the past. So you might enjoy the read.

This year, RedBull are having their 2013 Soapbox race in London. So me and a few friends have got a together and applied, as ‘team ds:lc’. Currently the team consists of myself, French, Slabs and Forza (not out real names...) along with help from a few others in designing, building and testing the kart. The theme for the soapbox kart is the WW-II Hurricane fighter plane – We all live in Derby, so it seems a relevant choice as the Merlin was built literally on our doorstep.

We started back in March with an ikea chair welded to a basic frame French had made many years ago. This became the basis for the mk1 kart. The frame already had the steering rack and rear wheels taken from a pram, the front wheels taken from an electric wheel chair and a basic push bar braking system.




We spend the best part of a Sunday taking the mk1 kart for a test run.











A few things were concluded from the day:

1. Steering definitely needs to be improved, the current steering rack is far too narrow which makes cornering at high speeds difficult, you sort of have to give it a on/off shuffle when turning corners. A wider rack would give the kart more stability.

2. After a long heated discussion between a few of us (and £200 on the table) we’ve decided that we need bigger wheels on the kart, for speed and more stability.

3. The kart needs a more streamline design. The driver sits too high and too upright, which (combined with the steering) stops the kart from cornering easily at high speed.

4. The braking system may need to be revamped, or at least improved. It’s not quite providing the stopping power needed at the moment.

Its in debate between a few of the team members weather the mk1 kart should be improved by adding a seat and steering rack taken from a go-kart and push-bike wheels combined with disk brakes. Or if the mk1 should be scrapped off completely and we start over with a mk2 kart design.

So, it's still a skeleton at the moment, but what do people think?

Nice to see somthing productive come out of ilkeston! Keep us updated chap

Without being rude... Have a look at a proper go kart and get some ideas from that... The wheels and tyres are cheap enough, 4 fronts karting seat (fiber glass so light) and even a simple cadet cable setup brake system...

If you want mate (im off work atm sick) ill draw you a design i got in my head and build a little model from straws... Just confirm the track is tarmac only, fast corners, down hill...

You want big thin wheels with a heavy driver.

Looks like a laugh though.

Thin to a point mate... The higher speed corners would be diabolical unless the tyres were that low profile then it wouldnt be s smooth and flowing ride costing speed...

Scrap mk1 ad take it as a learning curve.

cheers sam :y:


we have a go kart seat, ready for the mk2. We're also planning to change the wheels to push bike wheels, that way we can hopefully keep the brake attached. we'll then pin one half of the brake handle to the kart in the front corner near the seats and extend the second handle on a handbrake up to the steering wheel. That way the rear brakes will work when you pull the handbrake towards you - sort of like a drift car with a horizontal handbrake.


Yes mate, that would be banging haha. Its all tarmac yeah. But there are also 60degree banking curves, obstacals and jumps. so it needs to be robust.


yeah, we plan to change the wheels to push bike wheels but thats the problem we're facing with corners. maybe if we cambered the wheels outwards a bit it'll hold the kart steady around a corner high speeds.


that would be the ideal situation. but the counter argument is that the soapbox is 14 weeks away and we've not even started the fabrication yet.

EDIT: 13 weeks

My recommendation would be to extend it by half a foot, length ways. Bigger wheels. Wider front wheel base, lower the seat.

Have you got a rough driver size and weight?

I don't mate. but i can get it for you. hold on.

2 wheel cornering:



Full video:
http://vimeo.com/63262065

This is awesome, i want to make one now, but my engineering knowledge goes about as far as lego :n:

Cheers, if you were closer to the midlands than Kent mate i'd invite you down to get involved.

6 foot 2 and 12 and 3/4 stone (83 kgs)

This is epic stissy I've always wanted to take part, I love watching the crash videos on youtube haha

Ill bust out a design for you :)

this is just a quick sketch of the idea ive had... its designed for bicycle tyres as the cost of 4 cadets wheels and tyres would be about the same cost as the rest of the build... its also designed for a M/L tillett seat...


ill give you more details if you inbox me :)

cheers mate :y:


you seem to use that seat in everything you do haha. i'll PM you now ;)

Oh my I so wish I coulda got in on this :( I'd have so much fun.