These instructions should be used as a guide to help with the set-up of your new COYOTE ONYX CHASSIS.

    To install your seat in your new kart, first install the sliding seat mount with flat tab facing the rear of the kart. Do not tighten, just snug to allow for final adjustment at end of installation. Next install both rear seat struts with flat side of strut toward the center of the kart on both sides. The seat location is determined by locating the engine side seat strut first. Set strut from the outside edge of engine side frame rail to the edge of seat strut at 7 1/2" - 7 3/4". This dimension will allow all Briggs engines to be run with an inboard clutch and clear the frame at the rear of mount area. We also recommend using our 2 piece angle motor mount with the flat plate, with studs as this is the best possible arrangement for the clutch clearance and engine stability while operating. If you are running a 2 cycle engine, the engine assembly is located significantly more to the outside of the kart than a Briggs, so the strut location on the engine side could be moved more to the engine side if necessary. Remember how- ever, the more left the seat is mounted the more even your rear weights will be. If possible, position at 7 3/4". Lightly snug strut on tube at 7 1/2" - 7 3/4". Install the other strut between the brake lines. The size of the seat will determine how far to the left the strut will go. Small and Rookie Seats - the strut will be just to the inside of the inside brake line. Medium seats - the strut will be in the center of both brake lines. Large and X-Large Seats - the strut will be as far to the left as possible. Sometimes it will be necessary to bend the left side strut more to the outside off the kart to get enough clearance on the engine. It is not unusual to bend the seat strut to be directly above the main frame rail or even farther on the brake side. Simply tighten the strut to the frame as indicated and use a bar to bend. We use a piece of 1 1/4" square tubing about 3 ft. long, slide over the strut as low as possible and bend as needed to make clearance for the larger seats. Medium and small seats will not require this.

    We also make a 90 degree seat strut which can be used on the brake side frame rail to attach to the seat if the normal one behind the seat won’t work. These are used on our Oval karts but can also be used on the Onyx. The strut is 8" long. Some of the XXLG seats need this type of strut (in order to get enough engine room) the seat must be way over. It is a good idea to use seat braces which bolt to the top of the cassettes on both sides and then bolt to the top of the seat for extra support. The Onyx chassis comes with these seat braces along with a hardware kit for them. The left side installs the way we send it but the right side needs bending at the seat and cassette. Sometimes it may be necessary to bend the tube itself. All this can be done in a normal shop vise. Pretty much across the board, we use these on the Onyx, as they isolate the upper area of the seat and stop it from transferring the corner weight to the rear tire.

    When installing the seat, remember to keep as close to the ground as practical. We recommend 1" at max. from the floor. Recline as much as possible. Especially adults over 160 lbs., set back of the seat 14" - 14 1/2" from the ground. Do not adjust above 14 1/2" ( this is very important). You will most likely need to cut a slot in the seat where it hits the frame on the left side in order to get the seat under the frame. This is well worth the effort as the lower the center of gravity, the better !!! A high center of gravity makes the karts much to unstable and in general, creates very poor handling characteristics. They also tend to grip to the tracks too much. The Onyx chassis design, because of the wide front end 1 1/4" frame size and the 40mm axle , makes this kart very stable on the track. The seat itself does not normally create much problems unless the driver‘s body weight is above 190 lbs. In some cases however, people have had to pick up the seat to increase the center of gravity if the kart is NOT getting enough grip. A higher center of gravity will let the tires work harder and normally grip more. Some of the late 98’ and 99’s have a quick release fuel tank assembly. They are wider than the original plastics that came on the kart. Because of the width of the tank, it may be necessary to trim off the sliding seat mount tube, if you position your seat forward enough for them to run into the tank.

    After slot is cut in the seat(if needed), place a spacer for the seat back height gauge. Set max. height at 14 1/2" from floor. Start by drilling the lower left hand bolt first. Be sure the engine is in place with clutch pipe etc. This is for 2 or 4 cycle. All your cutting to fit should be done before you drill anything. The sliding seat mount can be slid to properly line up on the seat. Extend the slider back till it touches the seat where you want the seat to be placed. Normally with medium or larger seats you should set the seat in the kart approximently 26 1/2" - 27" from the inside of the front axle (front frame decal) to the crotch or front edge of the seat. This should get you close to the recommended front percentage. If needed, you can bend the tab on sliding seat mount but that is not usually necessary. Once you are sure the seat is far enough left to properly attach to the engine side seat strut, and low enough to be on top of spacer on the floor, and that the seat back is at 14" plus - drill lower left hole on slider first. Install the bolt supplied with grommet and snug in place lightly. Next drill the seat strut on the engine side. Be certain to level seat on top with a torpedo level to make seat look level after installation. Before drilling strut be sure strut is in the proper location to allow as much clearance for engine as you need. Also be certain that the seat back height is in the proper place for the size seat that you are installing. Drill and install the bolt supplied and lightly snug. Next drill strut on brake side and install with mounting hardware supplied. Before drilling brake side hole, level the top of the seat w/torpedo level. The seat back height has already been determined by the engine side strut. Finally drill the RH lower slider bolt in place. Be certain it is tipped to line up on seat good. Bend if necessary. Now tighten the seat in place, including strut clamps and slider bolts. Be certain, struts when attached, are vertical or lean forward a little as we find the struts last longer if they are. Be sure the seat you are installing is going to be correct as follows: 

Medium and Large - 14" min from the floor
Small Seats - 12" min from the floor
Rookie Seats - 10" min from the floor

    These dimensions for the seat back heights is set by WKA in their rule book in the chassis section along with nose cone dimensions and fairing size.

    We do not recommend using bathroom scales to weigh your new kart. These scales are much too low quality and they compress way too much to remain level when using. The electronic scales are without a doubt the best combination. However, they must be absolutely perfectly level. If they are, the results are very good and also very repeatable.

    How to figure the Front End Ratio is done in the following way: Add all 4 corner totals and multiply times the ratio you want and this will give you the combined weight of both front tires. Then divide in half for each front tire.

    Example: 350 lbs. total weight times a ratio of .42% = 147 lbs. for both front tires. Divided by 2 = 74 lbs. for each tire.

    If your front tires are off more than 5 lbs. side to side(rear 10 lbs.) you should adjust the weights by twisting the kart not by adjusting the spindles. When you adjust the spindle you are wedging the kart which makes it turn much more aggressive one direction and retards the steering the other. It can make karts actually hop in some instances. The front angles have no impact on the static weight so adjusting those will not change wheel weights unless you turn the steering wheel, which is exactly what happens on the track when different angles are used on either side.

    Front End Castor Adjuster Set-Up does not change your toe in or toe out when adjusted. The castor adjustment was added to offer more adjustment to the overall effectiveness of the chassis. The concept is quite basic: more castor, more weight transfer; less castor, less weight transfer. From the factory the kart is set at 12 degrees. We recommend this setting as an initial starting point. When the line on the frame and the line with dot in the center(located on the yoke) are lined up, your castor is set at 12 degree. Each line forward or back represents 2 degree of angle change. Moving/rolling the entire yoke towards the back of the kart is more castor. Moving, rolling/twisting the entire yoke towards the front is less castor. To adjust; simply loosen 4 nuts on the yoke and move whichever direction you prefer, then re-tighten. We recommend adjusting at least 2 degree at a time until the driver is comfortable with the effects of each adjustment. After a general idea is achieved by the driver / mechanic, smaller adjustments can be used for more of a fine tuning. Remember: both sides do not always have to be set the same. It is not unusual to increase one side and not the other. Example: Say the kart is loose turning left but not to the right. You would increase the left side angle and leave the right side alone. This will tighten up the chassis turning left but not turning to the right. Normally a kart setup to run 4 cycle will run a castor angle of 12 degree or less and a 2 cycle kart will run a 12 degree or more. Of course, this is directly related to track and weather conditions so use your own discretion for proper adjustment. Remember : do not be timid with adjustment - if you are not happy with an adjustment, simply put it back at 12 degree.

    Our new 3 bearing rear end karts which have 2 bearings on the engine side(W/T LE and Onyx) are close on sprocket clearance at the rear of frame. The motor mounts we mfg. ourselves fit fine, but to get a little additional room on the Briggs engines you can put a blade spacer on the crank before you install the clutch assembly, which will space in on the frame and in turn, move the rear gear more to the inside. Then install some 3/8 AN washers in end of clutch to make up for the amount the clutch hangs off the end of the crank. This will have absolutely no effect on the function of the clutch.

    1) After each race, check all bolts and nuts for tightness in the steering assembly especially check the spindle bolts.

    2) Make certain that the nut on the spindle where hub attaches is snug.

    3) If you are using Dunlop/Bridgestone tires, start your tire pressure in the front at 14-20 lbs. and rears at 18-22 lbs. Rule of thumb on tire pressures: to make the tires grip more you raise the pressures, to make the tires grip less you lower them. The SL4 450 front is definitely hard for some people to get good front grip with. If you are permitted to use the 550 on the front, this has been more successful. When using the 450SL4 there is some advantage to lowering the spindles in the yoke. This will raise the front of the kart. The 450SL4 is very short on circumference and tends to let the kart sit with a forward ride angle.

    4) The rear hubs are 5/16" stud size and you will have to enlarge the hole size in your wheels to accommodate them. Drill 1 drill size over 5/16". If you want to use 5/16" on front hubs we have those also. All of our front hubs are set up for both.

    Set your rear hubs on the axle at 6 - 6 1/2" minimum. Measure from the side of the frame tower to the flange on the wheel hub where the wheel bolts to. With the tire technology we have now, the rear tracks are run much wider than in the past. Adjusting the rear track will have an effect on the front steering as well as the rear of the kart. When the rear of the kart is widened it will make the back of the kart looser and let the front steer better. We have extended 40mm rear hubs which will help to make the rear tires grip more. The adjustments should be made to suit your personal preferences from side to side. On the Onyx we sometimes run full out to 50" on the rear. In IKF or other racing the rules allow 55". We have nerfs made for these too.

    5) Adjustment in and out on the front has very little effect on making the tires grip more. It does however, have a significant effect on the reaction speed of the steering which can change the feel and grip on both the front and the back. The rule of thumb is: narrower steers faster, and wider steers slower. Once again, there is no reason why you can not space them differently on either side to get the desired steering response. There are also some optional steering shafts which increase the rate of speed which one wheel has to the other. This is called Ackerman Steering. The system also reduces the effort to turn the wheel. The steering is much faster and easier. It comes standard on the Onyx . Ackerman steering makes the front tires turn at a different rate, for example : The front inside tire will turn faster than the outside tire. This creates a faster steering response and also creates more flex through the frame when turning. The impact this has on the handling of the kart is that it will make the kart steer much more positive and the amount of steering wheel movement needed to corner will be less. This is normally more to the drivers liking. Ackerman steering is standard on this kart because the frame itself, due to it’s design, needs more corner load. The spindles have 2 tie rod hole locations. The inside hole adds more ackerman. The tie rod that comes on the kart can be used for either hole. The rule of thumb is: more ackerman equals more steering response and more flex through the kart. It is not at all unusual to use the ackerman on the shaft and on the spindle as well. Ackerman steering is an additional tuning aid to help the kart to handle the way you want it too.

    6) If it is necessary to add weight to the kart, putting lead shot in the frame will add about 18 lbs. This will be the easiest way to increase the overall weight front to back. If more weight is needed, bolt to the seat or in the center of kart on the steering posts. Be certain you take into account the weight you add to be sure your ratio is correct. Sometimes it may be necessary to put weight on the front also, to maintain good steering control.

    7) Torsion bars work different for all drivers. You will need to experiment at your track to see if you run better or worse when you use it. Torsion bars are usually not installed when karts are scaled as they are used more as a track-side tuning aid and not permanent. If you wish to use the torsion bar all the time, it is very likely the flex at the rear of the kart will be reduced. It is impossible to say that it will give you the same desired effect each time you run. Trial and Error is the best way to tell.

    The logic is: the bar flat stiffens the frame the least. As you tip up it becomes stiffer and makes the rear end less flexible. We find for some people that is good, for others it’s not. When weighing your kart it is absolutely imperative the kart be exactly as you will race it.

    8) The optional front stabilizer bar (new for 98’) that we have developed will fit all of our karts. The kit includes 2 billet aluminum 2 piece clamps w/hardware and a 3/4" steel tube to match frame bends. The clamps attach to the main frame rails and to the tube on each side of the kart. We find this to be a very productive method of fine tuning.

    9) Always check brake system for air. Re-bleed to get rid of air. Also the master cylinder is equipped with 3 adjustments for pedal pressure. The top hole will give you the most pressure, the middle is medium pressure and the bottom is least pressure.

    The front end ratio you choose will be determined by the type of racing you will be doing. If you feel you want to use a nose cone you will have to install the seat much farther back than without it. There are some drivers who have better results without noses, especially with 2 cycle engines. Most Briggs road course racing, the majority of the drivers use noses. There is one significant difference on a 4 cycle kart which has a nose: the front end ratio is much higher and it seems the karts are not as adversely effected by higher front end ratios, as they are by higher rear end ratios. Also, with noses on the kart the drivers are at least 2" farther back in the seat opening. We think that this position of the driver is also effecting the overall handling of the kart. Whether it is better or worse is dependent on the drivers themselves.

    Most of the time, on a 2 cycle, having the nose does exactly the opposite. It will totally overload the front tires and make them run way too hot. This creates real handling problems and can make karts tip up on 2 tires which is definitely not acceptable. The only nose that does not have this effect is the small CIK nose we just started using in 1997. That is the reason we switched to that style.

    There is no way you can get a 40% front ratio with a full glass or plastic nose. You can achieve the ratio with the Coyote CIK type. We recommend a front ratio on 2 cycle karts at 43 % for heavier senior classes. At the Jr. and lighter senior classes, we recommend 45 % ratio.

    Where the full noses are placed on the kart has a tremendous impact on the handling on the karts. We try to pull the noses back on the kart so the ratio on the front can be lower and also to not have as much of a fulcrum effect. There is some merit to this depending on the size of the driver. The smaller the driver, the more effect the nose will have on the ratio of the front tires. So, think about where you will want to place your nose to get the desired results.

    When mounting your nose on the kart, we have had the best luck as far as how the kart handles and flexes, by attaching it to the front bumper only and not the frame. Normally 4 positions is enough. You can use the front tabs where the number on the front plate would go. Just make a bracket from the tab and bend to attach to the nose. A good way for the sides is to use a weight mount which has a 3/4" hole and an additional 5/16" hole. This can be put on vertical and as far back on the bumper to give good support. Attach a strap to it and bend up to the nose and attach. We normally do not install rubber grommets between the bracket and the nose in all places. Attaching the rear nose mount to the rear front bumper bolt is also not a good idea. If you would like, you can use the weight clamps on the front too. The only disadvantage is that you will not be able to bring the nose as far back on the kart as if you were to use the tabs. The bottom of the nose should be bolted to the 2 furthest forward floor pan tabs or the tabs on the front of the front axle if your kart has them. There is no need for more than that.

   There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding what the front end angles do on the karts:

    Most people are under the impression that the lower the front end angles , the looser the kart will get. In most instances this is not true. The only classes who can run low front end angles are generally the rookie and junior 1.

    When you reduce castor angles on an adjustable front end kart it does two main things: 1) It changes how the steering sensitivity is - lower angles give less steering response. 2) How much the kart flexes is controlled 100% by the front castor setting. We set the castor at 12 degrees to start.

    The castor setting transfers the cornering load to the opposite rear tire and makes the tire get the grip you need. When the inside front tire is turned into the turn the tire gains turning weight and transfers that weight to the opposite rear tire. While the frame is doing that, the inside rear tire is loosing weight, which helps make the karts get less grip on the inside rear which significantly improves cornering speed. When you reduce castor angles, the ability for the kart to unload the tire is reduced to the point where the grip on the rear end will be greater, not less. The grip on the front tires is directly controlled through angle and usually, lower angles make the tires cooler. Higher angles make them run hotter. However, the flex through the kart, is also being controlled by the angles as well. It is totally possible to have a kart set at 8 or 6 degrees of castor and have the kart be sticking to the track too much.

    If you want to run these low angles you will need to run much harder tires to control the grip on the track. The 6" wheels can be a good choice if you are gripping too much, as the size is totally different and the tire seems to run a little cooler, but stills grips good.

    Another consideration for angle choice should be: The drivers personal input from what the kart feels like to them. The fact that one person uses a particular setting should not dictate the adjustment you, yourself make. It is also particularly important that you tune your front and rear to match what the track needs. It is not uncommon at all to run different angles on either side and to have the front and rear hubs set at different locations.

    On this particular style kart the rear bumper torque has no impact at all on the flex of the kart. The way the bumper attaches with tabs attaching to the frame , all the flex through the bumper is being controlled by the that. The impact this will have (be it tight or loose) on the grip of the kart is hard to say.