The options to improve the set-up and driving position

With the new homologation, IPK has introduced a new pad model with friction which adapts in the best way possible to the new generation system. The pads that are available to optimize the braking are four types, depending on the driving style or the grip offered by the asphalt.

• • Soft: identified by the color green, it has the softest friction material. It allows more aggressive braking with little pressure on the brake pedal while, at the same time, the wear on the softer pads is quicker.

• •  Medium-soft: recognizable by its red color, it is the new pad manufactured specificallyfor the newly homologated braking system. Mounted as the standard pads on the IPK group chassis, it is considered the best “default” choice by the Official Racing Team’s drivers.
  •  Medium: it is the choice which helps to free the front of the kart up in the center of the turn and while exiting it. It is usually used on a rubberized track but can be mounted on the Kart in medium grip conditions as well, depending on the type of set-up used.
  •  Hard: made of harder friction material than the soft and medium, it is the recommended choice for drivers looking for a less aggressive braking or for those who exert a lot of pressure on the brake pedal. The pads are easily recognizable by their blue color and their durability is greater when compared to the black, red and green pads.

The STR.V2 and RBS.V2 brake systems offer the possibility of choosing between two different discs: the standard one has a diameter of 187 mm for 16 mm of thickness, while the larger version has a diameter of 195 mm with an unchanged thickness of 16 mm.
The larger disc version is recommended for the less experienced drivers who more easily use aggressive braking. In particular, the most suitable categories for its use are the senior non-shifter, where the braking power is concentrated only at the rear.
The standard 187 mm disc, on the other hand, is the best choice for the shifter categories, in which braking is predominantly concentrated at the front. Moreover, the standard disc usually results to be the best compromise in the brake-slam effect also in the junior categories, which rewards smoothness in turning.

The front bars supplied as accessories, both in steel and Teflon, are used to increase or decrease the rigidity in the front of the chassis. Depending on the material and the type of bar, different behaviors of the chassis are attained. For this reason, IPK offers three bars, looking for the ideal kart set-up.

• • Teflon bar: this bar, supplied as the standard option in the Praga Karts’ chassis andis the softest. It flexes more and has a different elastic return compared to the steel bar, following more of the movements of the chassis.

• •  Laser-cut bar: made of steel, this bar has two rigidity options. The distinctive feature of this bar is that it has been cut differently along its length, alternating two side openings to a central one. When the bar is fastened with the two openings parallel to the floor tray, a medium-soft rigidity is achieved while, when it is rotated with the single opening parallel to the floor tray, a medium rigidity is attained.
  •  Steel bar: this is the stiffest choice provided by IPK. Mounted on Formula K chassis, it provides a greater rigidity to the front of the chassis.

To find the correct position of the steering wheel, fast and with maximum safety, IPK has devised a specific “tilt regulator”. Its purpose is to improve the driving setting according to the driver’s preferences, allowing to modify both the height and the inclination. With regard to the first aspect, the device guarantees two movement’s and two positions, with a sliding of 15 cm between one and the other. Its main strength, though, comes from the inclination feature, offering the possibility of tilting the steering wheel with three different positions, each one with 10 degrees of difference from the previous one. By adjusting the device by 5 degrees, the steering wheel is in the most upright position possible. The standard position, instead, has an inclination of 25 degrees, that is with the steering wheel “less vertical”.

The adjustable pedals are an important accessory for the kart driver as it allows for the perfect adaptation of the kart to the driver during his growth phase. Not by chance, the accessory can be mounted on all chassis of the IPK brands: from the Mini to the KZ.
The adjustable pedals allow a moving range of the foot equal to 18 cm. The main seat sliding system, which is fastened to the chassis, it is machined from a solid piece of aluminum.
Several machining operations have been implemented on this component with CNC machines: for example, ten holes have been drilled along its length in order to allow several adjustment possibilities. Additionally, on the back side of the piece, we find a channel to house the footrest, which is fixed and integral to the pedal.
To complete the pedal board, there is also the heel rest, made of aluminum: this component allows different adjustments depending on the driver’s preferences.

The seat is an important component, both for the driver’s comfort and the kart set-up. The variables which come into play, in regard to this accessory which has the fundamental characteristic of being fixed to the chassis, thus influencing its behavior, are both in its correct assembly and the hardness of the material which it is composed of. To provide more possibilities to adjust its set-up, in addition to the standard version, IPK offers as an option the super soft seat, which differs from the standard version for its greater flexibility.