Parolin Racing Kart’s steering angle adjustment system offers the possibility of changing the Ackermann angle in a few seconds thanks to a simple and efficient solution, which can significantly improve the chassis’ performance. It represents a standard trait on all the company’s racing chassis, including the “Opportunity” MINI kart.
INTRODUCTION
The adjustable steering column support produced by Parolin Racing Kart presents a distinctive feature, as it enables the adjustment of the Ackermann angle in just a few seconds by turning only four screws and without having to remove anything. Furthermore, this innovative system allows to refine the adjustment of the front geometries, with the goal of adapting to all the different tracks and using the narrowest possible steering angle. In fact, this leads to greater smoothness of the kart and a minor dissipation of engine power, therefore improving performance.
CHARACTERISTICS
On the company’s chassis, the steering angle adjustment system is positioned directly on the steering column support since a decade. The boxed shape of the support is a primary aspect to consider, as it is designed to increase rigidity in a part of the chassis that faces consistent pressure when the driver changes direction in between corners, with oscillations generating additional stress for the front tyres and consequently leading to blistering. On all Parolin Racing Kart’s chassis, instead, the boxed shape, which is closed on all sides, reduces these involuntary movements and decreases the component’s weight too.
Thanks to the boxed support and the slide that slides inside it, this solution provides a wide range of options to modify the front-end setup. The maximum displacement of the steering column is 30 mm in the MINI chassis and 35 mm in the higher categories’ chassis.
FUNCTIONALITY
The advantages of the company’s adjustment column support can be verified through the impact that the geometry has on the behaviour of a go-kart on a track:
- Wider steering angle: given a rotation of the steering wheel, the kart’s trajectory will be tighter. To achieve this outcome, the slide on Parolin Racing Kart’s system must be moved towards the kart’s rear.
- Narrower steering angle: given the same steering, the kart’s trajectory will be more open. To generate this effect, the slide must be moved towards the kart’s front.
This solution enables the adaptation to every track, category and driving style. When arriving at a new track with no experience, the adjustment slide can be placed in standard position by aligning the fourteenth line on the slide (counting from the column side) to the two converging points of the boxed support. A 5-mm movement of the slide is required in order for inexperienced drivers to feel the impact of the changes, while a 1-mm movement is sufficient to refine the setup.
BENEFITS
The work of Parolin technicians while designing the Ackermann angle adjustment system was aimed at speeding up geometric changes and increasing the potential of these regulations. As only four screws need to be turned in order to change the position of the black insert that moves the steering column, less experienced mechanics are empowered to change a kart’s steering too. Lastly, the speed and simplicity of this solution provide a remarkable benefit: drivers can test different steering setups and compare the results without being influenced by other factors, such as track grip or atmospheric temperature. Therefore, the ideal setup can be found in any situation and performance can be maximised.
MORE DETAILS
To know more about the adjustable column support by Parolin Racing Kart and discover all its potential, read TKART’s article “The adjustable column support by Parolin Racing Kart“.
