To pay back the purchase and maintenance costs of your rental karts for as long as possible, in addition to choosing a reliable supplier offering top-quality products, you need to follow a strict inspection schedule (with a well-defined timeframe) on your fleet so that you can always keep an eye on the wear and tear of each kart component and protect yourself from unpleasant (and expensive) surprises. What to watch for? How often? And how to do it? We explain it in this article.

Reducing failures to grow your business

All rental kart track operators know very well how, at the end of the year, extraordinary maintenance of their fleet can place a significant burden on the economic budget of their business. Moreover, these are 'non-returnable' sums that do not represent a long-term investment, but merely a 'patch' for a rental kart fleet that is wearing out unexpectedly and only due to mismanagement. While there are inconveniences that are beyond the control of every kart track owner, such as breakdowns due to misconduct of the vehicles on the track by the drivers, many of these expenses can be avoided, simply by leading a periodic check-up of one's fleet. This way, you reduce malfunctions due to the deterioration of kart components that are not promptly replaced; you prolong (by a lot) the life of your fleet of rental karts and, finally, you... save money, with the consequent chance of foreseeing - year after year - increasingly large sums intended for the growth of your business. What are the periodic checks that you absolutely must not miss on your fleet? Here they are.

Daily periodic checks (and maintenance) are essential

Among the periodic checks to be performed on one's fleet of rental karts, some must necessarily take place daily. The main checks to be carried out daily concern:  

• The condition of the kart body
• The correct tension of the throttle cable and its state of wear and tear
• The wear condition of the brake pads
• The brake fluid level
• The wear of the tyres
• The correct chain tensions
• The correct alignment of all transmission components
• The tightness of seat belts
• And many more

Essentially, these are all those components that are generally subjected to the greatest stress in a kart and which, if not properly monitored, can break without warning (or fail to work optimally, such as brake pads), causing potential damage to both drivers and kart itself. Focusing, for example, on the correct tensioning of the chain, this is a check that not only allows one to protect oneself from unexpected breakage of this element but also allows one to maximise the life of the kart's other transmission components: the engine sprocket and the crown wheel on the kart axle.  

Monthly checks (or every 120 hours of kart use)

In addition, there are long-term checks, necessary to assess the state of wear and tear of those components designed to resist the pressures for a long time, but which regularly require precise maintenance to optimise their operation. We talk for example, of:

• Axle bearings 
• Front-wheel bearings
• Steering column bearings

With regard to the first two parts, it is essential to keep an eye on their degree of wear and to lubricate the components correctly. Bearings have the task of considerably reducing friction, wear and the heat generated between the elements in contact. Thus, bearings that do not work properly, in addition to causing faster deterioration of various kart elements (such as the axle), can be a brake on the correct delivery of engine power thus resulting in higher fuel consumption and, in the worst cases, malfunction of the engines themselves.

Quarterly inspections (or every 360 hours of kart use)

There are, finally, maintenance tasks to be carried out on the kart less frequently, but certainly no less important being crucial in terms of driver and vehicle safety. An example? The replacement of the brake fluid. This is, in fact, the element that puts pressure on the brake callipers and their pistons, allowing the pads to come into contact with the discs. Although daily checks can show a correct level in the system, the fluid over time, loses its fundamental properties, causing loss of braking efficiency and thus endangering the safety of kart track drivers and the longevity of the vehicle. Therefore, taking care to replace the fluid at a precise time interval will protect you from unpleasant inconveniences and unwanted extraordinary maintenance costs.

Important: Each brake system is designed to work with a specific brake fluid. Viper Kart and E-Viper Kart rental karts require DOT 4 type fluid.

How to best manage the maintenance of your go-kart fleet and (a few secrets to make it easier)

When it comes to the check-up and routine maintenance of a go-kart, it is constancy and experience that make the difference. This is why it is important to invest in your own (or your team's) training. Alternatively, you can select rental kart manufacturers who, in addition to the product, provide their customers with classes to deepen kart knowledge and their perfect long-term management (a service that OTK Kart Group provides to all its customers). Some small suggestions can greatly facilitate the management of one's fleet. One of these is to install an hour counter on each kart: an electronic device that can accurately record the time each kart has been used.