Advice/Technical

Keep Your Balls Sparkling Clean !

Recently the process of preparing bearings for optimum performance has been again on my mind. During some online research the idea of using an ultrasound bath cropped up. I decided to take the plunge, as it were, and pleased to find such things at low cost-try ebay!

You can use water but will need to thoroughly dry before lubing ie in an oven or blow with hot hairdryer.Ultrasound fluid is available or use a degreasent as available in your local bike shop. Do NOT use a flammable solvent in an ultrasound bath!

Be sure to have the open side facing down of a single shielded bearing .

You may like to sit the bearings on a mesh to allow the Composites Residues And Particulates to fall down and away .

Some u-s units have a timed cylce of 60 or 99 seconds. Repeat 4 or 5 times. ( you will have to give the unit a rest before another cycle.)

It's a good idea to move the bearings a bit with a stick while in there as it will allow the magic waves hit the bearing evenly all over.They may still need a rinse and dry out.

You will now have the cleanest bearings in town.

And all with the touch of a button! Feel a bit smug - it's nice.

Once dry - you may still want to use an air compressor to blow the little balls into a frenzy and again to blow off excess and evenly distribute the lube you hold dearest. Or else just spray and spin.

How long do they spin for ?- see if you can get close to 10 seconds...

DOWNHAULS

The standard downhaul set-up on a blokart is not really condusive to 'in flight' adjustment. Unless, that is, you are covered with orange hair and called Clyde .Generally, one sets up the tension according to conditions and then leaves it alone - such is the lot of the production class Homo Sapien.

To improve performance by facilitating rapid changes in sail shape for varying conditions and/or direction of travel, investment is required in some new shiny bits. Oh- and more string.

There are plenty of options in terms of pulley arrangements, ratios, positions etc. and enough people, including Blokart themselves have found their own solution so that we can buy complete, or, indeed, simply copy. You may already have your own system, but if not, and you're thinking of an upgrade we present a handful of the best we've seen...of course we will add to this list if you send in your ingenious ideas !

The 'hot' choices:

The 'Javier' The 'NSER' The 'Nico' Blokart b-tech

Feeling deflated ?

Let down badly?

Get some slimey blow out insurance!

If like me you ride or rode a bike lots you've probably come across this stuff before.

Slime.

It's great.

It may save you from 'an early bath' ( is Eddy Waring dead?-ed)

Pump it into your deflated tyres-you need to remove the valve with the tool provided-re-inflate, spin to distribute and it will seal any small puncture to get you further eg end of race / home from the pub.

Go to your local bike store. Slime. It's green.Get some.

'bout a tenner well spent.Particularly handy if you are using airfields or deserts!

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Pre-Event Advice

Competition-bound? Karter offers a few reminders before you leave...

Do you have a few spares? Tyres,axles,pulley-whip,?

A few Tools?

Do you have your E111? WD40? MP3? DF118's?

Have you told your wife you're going?

Have you done any upper body training in the event of very light wind ?

Please email for full ' push yourself a mile' one week workout plan which will leave you looking like

----->

Wheel Time

Have you recently lubed your bearings ?

How to treat your bearings to the freedom they deserve and

....keep 'em spinning !

click on impressive spinners below...