JESOLO APACHE A CHASSIS WITH A UNIQUE DESIGN

Max Bernardi

20 February 2017

CIK-FIA 2012 - 2017

HOMOLOGATION
The approval of the Jesolo Apache expires in 2017. However, everything is ready for its renewal

KZ - KZ2

CONFIGURATION
The chassis is suitable for use with both non-shifter and shifter engines. The photos show the KZ version

TUBE DIAMETER
Typically, 30 mm and 32 mm tubes are used. Either all the same size or a mixture. The Apache’s tubes are all 30 mm

MANUAL

WELDING
There are two “schools of thought”: by hand or robotic. The Jesolo Kart is manually welded

MAGNESIUM

ACCESSORIZES
Magnesium accessories with bars and a few other parts made out of aluminium, on the Apache by Jesolo

It is often said that "These days chassis are all the same". Not always. The Apache model produced by Jesolo Technology Kart, for example, has an absolutely revolutionary frame design

Let’s forget everything we know about kart chassis! Let's start from scratch. Let’s dare! This must have been the mantra of Jesolo Technology Kart when designing the Apache chassis, undoubtedly the most unconventional product in the last decade of kart approvals.
The project was led by Gianluca Giacchetto, owner of the company, respected constructor for many years and all-round "karting man": "The main objective during the design phase - he explained - was to keep the weight as close to the ground as possible in order to increase smoothness on bends, which is a vital factor for a successful frame".
To achieve the objective, Jesolo’s engineers created a chassis with a single outer tube folded twelve times in sequence ("An act of madness performed using a tube bender..."), placed entirely on one axis: a "unique" solution for the current karting scene, in which all chassis have different height longeron tubes at the front and the rear.
This innovative feature is accompanied by the position of the central crossbar that, unlike traditional chassis, is not joined to the outer tubes, but rather to the inner ones.

It’s called Apache. It is the chassis made by Jesolo Technology Kart, the result of a revolutionary project with a very aggressive design

The front features two curved bars welded via a box to the outer tube to form a sort of mechanical damper

The square-section bar of the tank support is milled (pictured above) so that the fuel pipe and the telemetry cables can be inserted. The seat is mounted on Silent-Blocks (below)

The seat support is inserted freely in the frame’s tube during the welding phase. This allows it to rotate freely so that it may be adjusted for the size of the seat

The extension created to join the central crossbar to the left side permits an additional square-section bar, de facto transforming it into a “four-tube” chassis. "The research on concentrating the load 'inside' the chassis - said Giacchetto – produced positive results, especially on the traction of the kart with the wheels straight". With the driver on board, the forces are distributed equally, not just on one are of the chassis: this factor helps during the set-up of the kart and is more noticeable when there is less grip out on the track.
The "round theme", created in the design of the frame and present in all main 30 mm diameter tubes, contrasts with another innovation introduced on the Apache: square-section bars, used for the two additional bars and the supports for the seat and the tank. Slots are machined at various heights so that cables and fuel pipes can be positioned inside, keeping the area tidy.