Go Kart Frame – Steel Vs Wood

The age old question that comes to mind when discussing go karts is steel versus wood for your go kart frame. Well, maybe not an old question, but definitely a question that arose when metal pipes became available at the turn of the century. For many generations, including my father and his father, a go kart frame it was made of wood. It was cheaper, and metal was not readily available.

Now, with technology and an ever increasing surplus of resources, many people are now choosing to go with a metal frame when building their first kart.

The main question is, “Which is better metal or wood?”. You could argue that wood is cheaper than steel, and to some extent that’s true, but, as you start to add different pieces of the puzzle, such as engines, steering wheels, brake systems, and suspension, a wood frame can be as expensive as a steel one.

So know that you’ve looked at both options and know that their costs may be comparable, you should consider other attributes that will help you make your decision about choosing a wood or steel kart frame. In my opinion, the first and most important thing is safety. There are security issues with both and it mostly comes down to what you are personally comfortable with.

The center of gravity on a wooden frame will typically be 8″ to 12″ higher than a steel frame. This higher center of gravity can increase the chance of a rollover. Also because of the wood it is much more difficult to fit a roll bar or cage to the kart whereas with a steel frame you could easily add one. With a steel frame, the weight is less and therefore the overall speed can be higher, which in turn can lead to more accidents caused by speed.

Another thing to consider is that a wooden chassis will typically last a fraction of the time that a steel one will. For example, when the motor vibrates, the stress on the screws and fasteners is much higher than with a steel frame.

One downside to a steel go kart frame is that it requires more assembly knowledge. Most steel chassis will require you to have some knowledge of welding, while a wooden one requires basic knowledge of woodworking tools. You could easily build a cart out of wood and run it in a weekend. With a steel frame you could wait a week or more depending on how much time you can put into manufacturing.

As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to both wooden and steel go kart frames. Ultimately, the decision comes down to your budget, skill set, and preferences. Whatever you choose, I know you will have many hours of fun not only building but racing your new go kart frame.

Now go build that kart, start racing and let me know how it goes.