How to assemble a soapbox racer: additional information

EDA has added to the materials supplied by GOKIT.

These instructions supplement but do not replace the GOKIT instructions.

Materials supplied by EDA:

Plywood:

The pieces of plywood supplied are those illustrated in the GOKIT guide, and in the following downloadable PDF file:

PlywoodParts.pdf
     

The plywood has been cut, but the cuts need smoothing by sandpaper or plane. The corners of some pieces should be rounded, as explained in the GOKIT leaflet.

Additional sawcuts:
all major sawcuts have been done, but

• In the base piece “H”, slots and holes need to be cut for wheel, steering and brake assemblies.
• Cut “B” (back of driver compartment): its useful to cut a hole for a carry handle in this piece.
• Wheel piece: The steering wheel has to be shaped from this piece, using a jig saw.

 
Drilling:

• Base -  a number of holes are needed, for bolting on the steering assembly and the brakes.
• ‘Dashboard’ – piece G: hole for steering rod.
• All pieces: its recommended that screws rather than nails be used (these are not supplied). Holes should always be drilled in the piece to be attached by the screw, so that the screw passes through easily. In the piece that the screw is to hold onto, it’s recommended that holes slightly smaller than the screw diameter be drilled partway through, long enough to accommodate the screw. This is particularly important with plywood, as forcing a screw in may cause splitting.

Decorating:
Over to you! – a DVD is available showing all the weird and wonderful things that can be done with a Gokit cart. But before decorating, make sure that there are no rough bits, that corners are rounded – and that everything is working properly!

Items not supplied:
Screws, nails, decorating materials.
A simple form of decoration, which may make the cart more comfortable to use, is to buy some strips of pipe-insulating foam, cut it to size, and fit and glue them over the top edges of the driver compartment pieces A,B,C

Brake Assembly:
this consists of

1. Brake shoe assemblies for the two rear wheels, each comprising
   • Hinge block
   • 2 bolts to hold the block
   • Hinge bolt, with nuts and washers.
   • Brake shoe
   • Lower hinge bolt connecting the brake shoe to the crossrod
2. Brake pedal
• Wooden pedal
• Hinge
3. Brake linkage
   • Crossrod joining the brake blocks on either side
   • Long threaded push rod joining the pedal to the crossrod
   • 2 Pushrod nuts

Assembly (see page 5 of the file:plywoodparts.pdf)
            Drilling: the holes for Hinge block have to be correctly positioned so that the brake shoes fit into the space between the wheels and the end of the wheel slot. Its recommended that these holes are drilled slightly oversize, to allow for some adjustment before tightening up the bolts.
            Pedal hinge. This is screwed to the underside of the pedal slot.
            Attach the hinge blocks loosely.
            Fit the brake shoes placing the upper hinge bolt in the pre-cut hole in the hinge block. Adjust the nuts and washers so that the brake shoe can move but the bolt can’t.
            Fit the crossrod to the brake shoes, tightening the bolts sufficiently to get a firm seating. The bolt must be able to turn so that the crossrod can be aligned correctly for the pushrod to fit in the hole, and turn slightly as the pedal is depressed and the pushrod angle alters.
            Fit the pushrod loosely in the crossrod.
            Attach the brake pedal and fit the Pushrod through the hole in the pedal.
Now adjust the pushrod length and the hinge block position so that the wheels can turn freely when the brake isn’t pushed, but the brake blocks rub on the wheels when the pedal is pushed. (There is no spring to retract the blocks, but the motion of the wheels kicks them free).

            NOTE: its best before cutting the pedal slot to try your child for size! – the slot position can be different from that given in our diagram, and there’s plenty of adjustment in the pushrod. But if the cart is to suit a number of different children, use the given position (suited to long legs), and adjust child position by cushions instead.
           
REST OF ASSEMBLY:
Follow the instruction in the Gokit literature, especially for adjustment of wheel alignment.