Memo Gidley's Secrets of Speed for Four Cycle Kart Racing
Part 2: Getting Started in Karting; Parts, Tools and Supplies
Words: Jeff Grist and Memo Gidley // Photos: Sean Buur
Style-master Memo wears his custom Secrets of Speed driving suit.What to Wear
We left off the last article looking at the race helmet. Next we will turn our attention to the race suit. Your race suit is what comes between you and the track surface in the case of an accident. It needs to meet certain abrasion and skid resistance requirements. Kart race suits do not need to be fire proof. In fact you cannot have Nomex in a kart suit because it has no abrasion resistance. Your suit needs to fit comfortably. Make sure you have extra room in the arms and shoulders. Look to get extra leg length so the bottom cuff does not ride up and expose your lower leg. Most good race suits have vents for cooling and stretch panels for comfort.
Keep your suit clean. Leaving your suit bunched up in your gear bag will shorten its life and make the suit look bad. I always hang my suit up in the garage to air it out after a day at the track. Follow the basic care instructions provided by the manufacturer. Don’t be afraid to wash your suit. Leaving grease and grime on your suit is far more damaging than any rinse cycle.
Gloves need to fit well to give you a good feel for the steering wheel. Using gloves with good flexibility and good traction on your steering wheel will not tire out your forearms as quickly. Try to keep your gloves clean inside and out.
Mechanic’s gloves help keep your hands clean and free from grease. Make sure you wash your hands before you put your race gloves on. Getting them greasy inside or out reduces the grip on the wheel and ruins the suede on the steering wheel as well.
Race shoes are important because they give you a good feel for the pedals. They come in low cut and high top versions. The thin, smooth sole lets you feel the brake and gas pedals. Good flexibility, which helps with smooth throttle and brake application, is also important. Make sure they have good heel padding and protection. Good race shoes will have a Velcro strap at the top to hold the laces in place, making sure they don’t get caught on anything.
The neck support or neck collar is a critical safety item and is mandatory in all North American races and most races around the world. It protects the collarbone from impact from the edges of the helmet. Also, it protects the neck from hyperextension and possible fracture. Many neck collars are made with double Velcro fasteners to ensure the neck support stays in place. Not only is it unsafe to have a neck collar fall off while driving, but it is also a way to get black flagged during a race. Some neck collars have removable foam padding that can be adjusted for you neck length. It’s important to have enough foam to make it safe but not so much that you lose a lot of range of motion.
Rib Protectors are not mandatory everywhere but are certainly a great idea. In the event of serious side impact, they protect your ribs from injury. Also, some vests have built-in sternum protection in case you hit the steering wheel with your chest. This is especially important for kids. It is really personal preference if you wear your rib protector under or over your driving suit. The benefit to wearing it under is that it has less chance of getting caught on anything.
Alpine Stars makes a great driving shoe and mechanic’s gloves.Tools and Equipment
Here is a quick list of some basic equipment you need to keep your kart in top shape. These items are critical to ensuring your kart is safe and fun to drive.
Keeping your kart in good working condition will help to ensure a trouble-free day of driving. Start with the right equipment and enjoy hours of hassle-free karting fun.
You will need a good set of hand tools. Remember, many karts use metric hardware. A basic set will include T-handles, nut drivers, sockets and combination wrenches along with screwdrivers, hammers and punches. Make sure your tools and equipment are in good shape. Worn or broken tools will only lead to problems with your kart. It’s important that you spend the money to buy a well-known brand of tools. Cheap tools strip and round off nuts and bolts making maintenance difficult. Try to keep your tools organized so you can locate them easily, saving time and frustration. There are a few specialty tools you will need that are only available at your local kart shop. They include an air gauge, a brake bleeder and safety wire pliers. Also, you may need a clutch puller if you are running in a clutch class.
The right tool for the right job is a way of life in the Gidley pits. Always organized too.Lubes and Oils
Your kart will go through a lot of lubrication. Make sure you have chain lube, bearing lube, and spray-on lube. Having a multipurpose lube like PL50 from Torco™ is very important. These spray-on lubes are great for repelling water and also breaking down grease. Be sure to buy good quality lubes to help ensure long life of your driveline components.
Keeping your kart clean is a must. It is always easier to work on a clean kart than a dirty one. Get your hands on some general-purpose cleaners like Simple Green™ for degreasing, along with lots of carburetor cleaner and brake cleaner.
Never use a water hose to spray your kart clean. The water will ruin the bearings on your kart. It’s much easier to clean your kart while the dirt is fresh. For this reason, I always spend five minutes at the end of a day at the track cleaning my kart before I go home.
Make sure to use quality lubs and cleaners.Metric Hardware
Make sure you have a full selection of the metric nuts, bolts and washers you need to keep your kart in shape. Avoid re-using Nylock nuts too often. There is nothing worse then having a break-down because a 10-cent nut fell off your kart. Go to your local nut and bolt supply shop or try www.wewantmetric.com.
There are only a handful of different fasteners on a kart making a complete inventory easy to keep. A good assortment of the right pieces is critical to keeping your kart in top running shape. Most karts use 8.8 zinc plated steel metric hardware. Always try to comply with the OEM specifications.
Other Stuff
A kart has several items that are best described as consumables and should be replaced on a regular basis as part of an ongoing maintenance schedule. Parts that wear quickly and should be replaced often include: fuel line, fuel filter, throttle return springs, throttle cable, wheel studs, wheel nuts, spark plugs and chain. It is recommended that you carry spares of all of the above listed items.
Make sure you use a good chain lube. Have plenty of fasteners on hand. Invest in a good quality air gauge.