Want to use an atc 250sx for a cart. Help!

[P-Dog]

The biggest problem i am having is the shaft drive. I cant find anything on the net about anyone building a cart of any kind using this motor. I was thinking along the lines of a two seat golf cart type thing. The benefit to this set up is the motor runs tits and it's electric start with reverse. If i could get some ideas on how to start this thing that would be great. Chain drive would be ideal and save lots of time and headache but where's the challenge in that? I want to be able to use the motor and rear axle. Thanks!

[P-Dog]

The only thing i can think of it to either have a machinist make me a shaft that will hold a chain sprocket ($$$$$$) or make the shaft longer somehow to allow me to put the engine farther away from the rear diff. Here is an image of the shaft drive internals.

[nutnbolt2002]

Take the u joint split it and machine it to take a sprocket.

[nutz4sand]

Being shaft drive all you need is a diff out of a small car. Problem is that motor might run really good but its not that powerful so as long as you do not expect it to haul major bottom then it should be OK. It would do FAR better in a single seater.

Do you have the whole machine the motor came out of? You could have a slightley longer driveshaft made to the rear end in the quad.

[P-Dog]

Yes i have the whole machine. Three wheelers are fun but not as fun as carts. What do you mean machine the u joint to accept a sprocket?

[fl250driver]

you can just use that whole rear end

[LEE1969GB]

Originally Posted by fl250driver

you can just use that whole rear end

As fl250driver says you could use the whole back end, you could even cut up the frame and use it as part of the buggy frame to keep it simple. I think it would be a good idea to move the rear wheels out to make it more stable.
Even , Have you seen those 3 wheelers like this
Can Am Spyder 3 Wheeler - The Kneeslider
but there is one where you can take the front end off your gsxr 1000 etc and bolt it in to this trike front end in a few hours and off you go, when you get fed up with that you put it back to a bike.
You could do that with your trike(but that would be a 4 wheeler)then you can have a trike or a buggy.

[nutnbolt2002]

There is a u joint in the drive where it leaves the engine, inside the tube. it's even a sealed bearing. If you remove the diff from the engine you will see it.

[P-Dog]

Originally Posted by nutnbolt2002

There is a u joint in the drive where it leaves the engine, inside the tube. it's even a sealed bearing. If you remove the diff from the engine you will see it.

Hmmm, sounds promising.

[P-Dog]

I think the u joint is too far down the line to use in the way you are suggesting. As the shaft comes out of the case, it has a ring gear type deal on the end. It then meets another gear set that makes the turn that points the shaft towards the rear end diff. The u joint it midway down the shaft and it is inline with the rear diff. Unless i am picturing something different. Diagram of shaft and gear set up are in my 2nd post.