A couple Newbie questions

[David Watkins]

I’ve been practicing out at IMI over the past few weekends and my elbows are killing me. A friend of mine practiced out there with me yesterday and is complaining that his elbows are sore too. Why?? I’ve driven at The Track a ton and had no issues??

Next question:

I’m replacing all my axle bearings this week. Brad at IMI told me most people run the inner bearing loose. Should I run the inner cassette loose, or the inner bearing itself loose?

[Kirk Deason]

@apsdsmracer wrote:

I’ve been practicing out at IMI over the past few weekends and my elbows are killing me. A friend of mine practiced out there with me yesterday and is complaining that his elbows are sore too. Why?? I’ve driven at The Track a ton and had no issues??

Next question:

I’m replacing all my axle bearings this week. Brad at IMI told me most people run the inner bearing loose. Should I run the inner cassette loose, or the inner bearing itself loose?

Answer # 1: You’re both wussies
Answer #2: the cassette itself will be loosely bolted to the carrier, not tight.

ok, on #1, it may just be sore muscles. Triceps? Elbows hitting the motor/edge of the seat?

[Curt Kistler]

Smooth track VS: rough track is the answer. Wait until you work out at Bandi. :idn:

[RogerBonham]

I do not race anymore but I learned a little about elbow pain since I had a problem battleling lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) my entire karting career. The sudden, overuse and misalignment of your grip can cause this to happen along with the vibration of the kart. Gripping the steering wheel and wrenching all the time can be possible causes of your elbow hurting. Make sure your steering wheel is set in the correct position (regarding your wrists being bent while gripping it) and never grip the wheel to tight. Try to be relaxed as possible.

[Rick Schmidt]

Along with what Roger and Curt said. Driving position is very important. You may want to consider a wedge between your steering wheel and hub, this will take a lot of the wrist angle away allowing less stress on your elbows. Your steering column height is also adjustable.

Imi has more sweeping corners that require holding steering forces longer and they do have bumps in them. A shifter can be a real challenge there with the amount of one handed driving required.

A very light touch on the wheel can help too. Let the kart kinda float under you vs hanging on though the rough areas might help.

You can try to run your 3rd cassette loose on your Tag. This does not work on shifters because the hit from launching will bend the axle, your Biland will not. If you run right side seat struts you need to consider running to the outer cassette bracket (can be tough on a Biland) if you loosen the cassette for the 3rd bearing.

If you’re considering this because the kart is tight at Imi, it will probably help. Several of the corners there don’t have an agressive turn in and you need to free up the back end to get reasonable turn in. Also increasing castor and widening the front might help.

And stretch before you go out or you may end up playing with a nagging injury.

Rick

[Mike Jansen]

@Rick Schmidt wrote:

And stretch before you go out or you may end up playing with a nagging injury.
Rick

When you’re not as young as the kids I found NOT stretching forearms will increase tendinitis in the elbow from lifting karts. My elbow hurt for a year after lifting karts in the cold at Steamboat one year. A year later it was fine. STRETCH your ribs and your elbows!

[Curt Kistler]

@Mike Jansen wrote:

@Rick Schmidt wrote:

And stretch before you go out or you may end up playing with a nagging injury.
Rick

When you’re not as young as the kids I found NOT stretching forearms will increase tendinitis in the elbow from lifting karts. My elbow hurt for a year after lifting karts in the cold at Steamboat one year. A year later it was fine. STRETCH your ribs and your elbows!

Come over and lift my kart sometime and see what hurts the next day!

[Rick Schmidt]

That would lead to a “Turn your head and cough” type situation for sure. AND, Big Daddy can do it without bumping his cigar or spilling his beer!

[Rodney Ebersole]

Don’t worry it all goes down hill with age. You’ll forget about the tennis elbow when you have to drive with a donut in the bottom of the seat.

[David Watkins]

Thanks for the advice guys. I’ll stretch before driving and look forward to racing with you guys on Sunday!!

One more question. I finished putting my axle in last night. I was having some binding issues when I tightened the cassettes so I called Bobby at IMI. He suggested running the pinch bolts snug only with lots of locktite. Has anybody else had problems with the axle binding when you tighten the cassettes? Should the locktite be enough to keep the pinch bolt tight?

[Mike Jansen]

Dave,

When I put my bearings in the cassettes I allow the bearings to slide within the cassettes so the axle can flex freely. Once you’re at the point of binding back it up. And yes, use the locktite and mark the bolts and the cassettes so you can see if they’ve moved/tightened at all…

[Rick Schmidt]

Tighten just enough to eliminate end play. Always coat the bearing to cassette mating surface with antiseize to allow the chassis to flex. Axle has to be out for this.

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