

To achieve that lightness, they’re stripped of all non-essential parts, which often leaves the driver as the heaviest component. Reduced WeightĪ go-kart is designed to be as light as possible. This low center of gravity enables drivers to safely and quickly navigate corners and make speedy overtaking maneuvers. So, the higher center of gravity a go-kart has, the more likely it is to flip.īecause small tires have shorter diameters, the go-kart sits closer to the track, maintaining a lower center of gravity. A vehicle transfers the load when turning, causing the body and frame to lean in that direction. The center of gravity plays a significant role when vehicles come around turns at higher speeds. Let’s take an in-depth look at why most go-karts have smaller wheels. This difference in size helps with acceleration, turning and balance while maintaining the proper mass inertia. In most builds, these tires tend to be smaller, often with the rear wheels being wider than the front pair. Wheel rims are typically around 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Generally, tire heights range from 10 to 12 inches and can be anywhere from 4 to 9 inches wide. Go-kart tires and wheels come in different sizes, but they’re all relatively small.

What Are Normal Go-Kart Wheel and Tire Sizes? Tread depth: The treat depth is the distance between the top of the tread and the deepest groove, often changing depending on the environment and conditions.Circumference: The circumference tells you the distance a tire travels per revolution.Rim width: The wheel rim width tells you what tire width you can use, measured from bead seat to bead seat.Other characteristics that affect size include: While you can vary tire height and width to match your needs and driving conditions, the rim diameter should be the same for the front and back wheels. The three most important parts to understanding go-kart tires and wheels are tire height, tire width and rim diameter, which are measured in inches. Let’s discover more about go-kart wheel size and why it matters.

This sizing is intentional - small go-kart tires provide many benefits, including easier handling and better acceleration.

Typically, the wheels mounted to a go-kart are smaller, especially when compared to vehicles found within the motorsport industry. Wheels are one of the most important aspects of any go-kart build.
