The Beginner Karters List of Toolbox Necessities & Equipment to get you started
List was adapted and borrowed in part from Go Kart Source.
Also see our Blog Post on the Initial Investment of Karting with a sample budget spreadsheet >>Click Here
Ratchet Set
Any standard ratchet set that has a good piece count should do. The higher the piece count than the more situations you will be prepared for. You don’t need a 200-piece set though – that’s just overwhelming. There are plenty of good socket sets, just get a solid brand with at least a 40-piece count and you will be set for starting out.
Allan Key Set (Hex Wrenches)
Having a good set of Hex Wrenches is critical. Your set should be forged from a heat treated steel which will help prevent the end of the tool from stripping if you are not using the proper size wrench. Look for a Hex Key Wrench Set which features chamfered ends that insert smoothly and reduce wear.
Needle Nose Pliers
A general purpose pair of needle nose pliers is handy for getting into tight & hard to reach places. While any brand is fine, its recommended that you get a pair that is at least 5 inches and has hardened cutting edges and slip-resistant jaws. Forged steel is the preferred material for the prongs as it provides heavy duty durability.
Tool Box – (Recommended: Stanley Fatmax 4 in 1 as a budget friendly starter tool box for under $80)
It sounds simple, but if you don’t have a proper tool box you’ll lose track of your stuff pretty quick! It’ll save you so much time when you need it too! Travel tool boxes on wheels are much better since you will likely be dragging it along to various tracks and races. The Stanley Fatmax 4 in 1 mobile workstation that is handy and portable to move from trailer to pit area. It has lots of compartments and breaks out into a nice 4 tier stand which makes organizing and accessing your tools easy. See it here on Amazon for under $80. [You will upgrade to a larger, even fancier, toolbox withing a few years as your tool collection and pit trailer grows.]
Adjustable Wrench
An adjustable wrench provides flexibility to adapt to different bolt sizes, but sometimes a generic 12 inch adjustable is just two bulky for smaller tasks. Its helpful to have a range of sizes. Recommended sizes are: 6″, 8″, 10″, and 12″ wrenches. Make sure grips are really comfortable to help reduce hand fatigue. Check here for latest prices.
Rubber Mallet
A Rubber Mallet Hammer allows you to deliver a solid strike without damaging your equipment. Having one on hand is great especially when you have a bent tire rim or need some extra umph on your Kart chassis. Any wood handled rubber mallet is fine, but a fiberglass handle is better for reducing vibration when you strike an object. Tekton makes a great soft mallet hammer perfect for go karts, you can check here for their latest price.
Screwdriver Set
Not having the right screwdriver is a killer when you need it. A good one to check out is the JEGS 69-pc Screwdriver Set. It is very inexpensive and is an awesome starter set if you don’t have a lot of tools. It comes with 4 Mini awls, 7 Torx magnetic screwdrivers, 7 Square magnetic screwdrivers, 9 Phillips magnetic screwdrivers, and 10 Slotted magnetic screwdrivers. Check it out here.
Funnels (for gas and oil)
You don’t need a fancy funnel. You need something with a wide mouth, flexible hose, and a mesh shield to keep harmful particles out. While metal funnels are better for home use, its better to get a polyethylene funnel that you can just throw in a travel bag or tool box and not worry about it getting crushed or dented. Here is a basic funnel that is great for getting started.
Tire Pressure Gauge – Recommended Lonacre Tire Guage
Having your Kart tires set to the perfect PSI is critical for grip and fast lap times. The Longacre Tire Gauge is one of the best one handed gauges you can get. Reads the pressure as soon as you let go of the trigger. The air release button is really nice too. Bar far the best gauge you can get. Check out the latest price here at KAM Motorsports.
Air Compressor
An air compressor is not only useful for inflating your Kart tires, but can be a key tool when trying to clean dirt out of your chassis. You want a compressor that you can easily take on the road with you and enough power that you don’t feel like its limited in its uses. Try the Porter-Cable Oil-Free UMC Pancake Compressor for a budget friendly addition to your pit for around $100.
Tape Measure
You don’t need any fancy tape measure, but its just good to have handy in your tool box. You never know if you will have to make last minute modifications to your kart to temporarily fix an issue. You’ll also want a soft, flexible tape measure for tire stagger purposes to measure around your tires. KAM carries stagger tapes and you buy a good ole Stanley here.
Safety Wire
In the event you need to tie something down to your Kart chassis you want to make sure that you have safety wire on hand. Its particularly useful for strapping down parts that get hot where you can’t use a plastic tie. You don’t need a huge spool of it that will take up room in your tool box. It’s said that safety wire is the next best thing after duct tape. Check out safety wire here available at KAM Motorsports.
Safety Wire Pliers
You will find that this tool comes in handy when applying safety wire to your nuts and bolts.
Chain Breaker
Go Kart chain sizes can vary in size but a #35 chain breaker is ideal for most karting applications. A good chain breaker will push the pin out with little effort and not bend the link on the other side. You can check out our Chain breakers here.
Tire Bead Breaker
There are a variety of bead breakers and if you are new to go karts getting the bead of the tire around the rims can be quite tough. We recommend this tool by RLV. Check out the latest price here.
Hose Clamps
Extra Hose Clamps are a great for emergencies. You can never have too many ready to go at a moments notice when you need to tighten a hose up. The brand doesn’t matter, just keep some in your tool kit. You can some of our clamps here.
Duck Tape
No toolbox is complete without a roll of Duck Tape. Check out the current price here.
Zip (Cable) Ties
Like Duck Tape, no tool box should be without an assortment of Zip Ties. You never know when you’ll need them, but I guarantee you will need them at some point and it will probably be in an emergency situation so be sure to grab a pack.
Shop Towels
The box dispenser of shop towels comes in handy in the pit or shop. You can buy them buy the roll like paper towels and hang a dispense in your pit trailer. Good old fashion reusable shop rags can be an alternative if you want to be economical.
This is by no means a complete list and we’re sure there are some tools that we’ve missed. If you can’t afford all of these tools at once (and don’t worry, most beginners can’t) don’t worry! From our experience most karters will be more than willing to help a beginner out! If you need a bead breaker to change your tires, don’t be afraid to ask Mike for help! Most people will be more than willing to help you out! You can also use our shop services for things like mounting and dismounting tires in the beginning until you get the hang of it.
Go Kart Equipment
Equipment can be subdivided into two categories in this case; general equipment and spare parts. The General equipment section is stuff you might want to consider buying that will basically keep things running smoothly for you! Spare parts are just things you’ll want to have just in case you have a little accident out on the track (because it happens to everyone eventually). Some of these spare parts will be specific to your model of go kart.
General Equipment:
This is stuff you will want for going to events. Its gonna make your life much more convienient and you will be so glad that you aquired this stuff before hitting the road.
- Kart Stand – You can order your basic (like pictured below) or heavy duty kart stand from KAM Motorsports. There are more fancy ones that are electric and the kart rolls on and it is power lifted to an upright position.
• Pop up Tent (a easy pop up shade/rain tent)
• Folding Lawn Chairs (you will need a couple of these in your pit to sit and relax between races and you can pick them up for as low as $20 buck each)
- Fold Up Tables – like the one pictured below are around $50 depending on the size (and you don’t need a large one) but is definitely a convenient work station when you need to do repairs or set out parts and tools.
Finally here’s a short list of spar parts you will want to have on hand as the budget allows:
Spare Parts
- Tie Rods and Tie rod ends
• Spare Rims
• Spare Tires
• Bearings
• Spacers
• Washers (various sizes)
• Spark Plugs
• Batteries (for your date acquisition, Raceciever, and transponder)
• Gears/Sprockets (assorted)
• Assorted nuts and bolts (you’ll need lots of lock nuts)