Fame Sag Correction

[Dennis Detweiler]

I have a Margay Concept Sprint restoration project. It has obvious negative camber. I sent photos of the spindles to Margay. They are confirmed as originals. Margay said the frame has most likely sagged over the years. Which direction do I take to correct it? I'm not sold on using pills and different spindles. Can the frame be brought back up? Where are the sagging points on the frame? Ideas? Thanks.

[Rob Voska]

Good pictures that show what's straight and what's not would help. Sounds like you have camber so the front tires will wear on the inside edge correct? (Tops tipped in)

[Dennis Detweiler]

Rob, yes tire top is tipped in. Keith, at Margay, says it's probably frame sagging. It's a one owner 1974 kart. He developed into a large guy since high school. So, probably his weight eventually took a toll on it. Looking at it from the front, there doesn't seem to be an obvious visual sag. However, it has an obvious negative camber. And the old tires that are on the front are worn on the inside.
The spindles are 1/2 inch originals. I'm not sure if Margay makes a 1/2 inch with a larger degree to bring it back to normal camber? This would be an easy remedy. Using pills and 1/4 inch spindles would probably work, but I don't like the idea of drilling out the "C". Seems like the toughest cure would be to build a level frame straightening jig, clamp the frame onto it and use hydrolic port-a-power to pull the frame back to normal. This would require alot of precise measuring at critical points. I used to do automotive and truck bodywork, so I have some knowledge of it's use.
If I go to the expense and time of building a kart frame straightening jig, I might as well go into business

[Rob Voska]

Welcome to the world of old karts. They were rode hard and put away wet, stored under porches and in barns for years and years. Once in a while you find or hear about a kart that was stored in the heated basement, is all original and didn't have the twin MC8's taken off so they could fit a briggs on it for the kids......but those are a very rare find. If I was going to straighten it I would use a big "I" beam or a big welding table and some clamps to hold the main frame down then some more clamps to pull it back to where it belongs. Slow, steady and watch for spring because you will have to overbend it to get it where it needs to be. I have bent karts on 5 gallon fuel jugs for years and when I was in Italy I watched them straighten new frames with a long pole that looked like a pole vault pole with padding.