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TKART magazine Track Test Tech | The variations of the kart rear track width
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test The variations of the rear track width

TKART Staff
19 January 2016
Rear track width (like front) is one of the most determinant factors in vehicle set-up. While the standard in competitive contexts is the maximum width (140 cm for KF/KZ), low grip and wet conditions make variations necessary. We stepped on track to see exactly how width changes condition driving performance
test in points
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Track test to see how the kart performs according to variations in rear track width

Test 1: rear track 136 cm
Test 2: rear track 140 cm

At the Adria Karting Raceway in Adria (RO), Italy alt

Well-kept and regualr-surface pavement with good, but not extreme, grip, after the Rok Cup Italia race weekend. To maximize the drive feel, we chose high-performance tires, specifically Vega White

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26°C
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IN THEORY
REAR TRACK WIDTH
Rear track width determines the amount of centrifugal force that discharges on the front outside tire. This discharge, in turn, determines a shift in the impact of vertical forces, causing the rear inside tire to lift more or less. Specifically: the wider the rear track, the higher the rear inside tire lifts off the ground and, therefore, the greater the weight that shifts to the front end of the kart, causing over-steering. Another combined effect is given by the length of the axle segment that extends from the outside bearing to the wheel hub. Of course, the wider you set the rear track, the longer this segment gets and so the more it flexes, causing the entire axle to be softer. The result of this is lower grip for the rear load tire and, again, a tendency towards over-steering. The opposite happens with a narrower setting.
REAR TRACK 136 CM
53’’500
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