Backyard Kart for BeamNG.drive
Homemade off-road kart based on a real one, with 13 gas engines, 4 electric motors, an optional driver dummy and tons of chassis, tire and differential options.
Download Backyard Kart
More screenshots on Official BeamNG Repository (beamng.com/resources) ↗
What this mod does
Backyard Kart recreates a homemade backyard kart, based on a real one the author drove as a kid in the late ’90s. His father kept spare parts, which were used to take measurements and work out weights. It’s made for the outdoors, not for speed: the author says that above about 30 km/h it already gets uncomfortable.
What’s included
- Three base karts with their own backstory, including one with a very torquey, tractor-like 1.5 four-cylinder.
- Chassis with independent or welded front suspension, a version with independent rear suspension and a single-rear-wheel option.
- 13 gas engines, from 150 cc up to 1000 cc motorcycle units, plus in-game engines such as the Civetta V10 or the Gavril V8, and 4 electric motors.
- Kart, racing, rally, off-road, sand and even «bubble» tires.
- Understeer assist, 4×4 transfer case, alternative differentials and adjustable suspension.
- Optional driver dummy with a forehead camera, static or dynamic.
Compatibility
0.17.6 is from April 2025 and is still marked as beta. Some 2025 reviews mention problems with force feedback wheels and configs that won’t start.
Tips
After updating, clear the cache or delete the temp/vehicles/bigkart folder in your user folder. Recommended maps: Kartland, Motorsports Playground or the off-road areas of Utah.
User rating
Highlights and things to keep in mind
- Huge variety of engines and chassis
- Based on a real kart, with great care over weights and measurements
- A lot of fun on off-road maps
- Still in beta and not updated since April 2025
- Recent reviews report force feedback problems and broken configs
- Large file: over 370 MB
- The current game version is 0.40 (October 19, 2026): the author doesn't mention it yet and it may need an update
Requirements
- BeamNG.drive 0.35 or later (updated in April 2025)
- About 373 MB of free space for the .zip file
How to install it
- Open the Backyard Kart page on the official BeamNG Repository.
- Click Download to get the .zip, or subscribe from the in-game Repository (Subscribe button).
- If you download it manually, don't unzip it: copy the .zip into the mods folder of the current version (current) inside your BeamNG.drive user folder; if the mods folder doesn't exist, create it.
- Launch the game and check in the Mod Manager that it's enabled.
- Clear the cache if you had an older version installed.
- Open the vehicle selector, find the Backyard Kart and pick a config.
Version history
-
0.17.615 Apr 2025Current
Lots of changes ("Tons of changes").
-
—16 Jan 2024
Camera fix.
-
—25 Sep 2023
Welded front axle almost finished.
Common problems
Why won't the kart move, or why does it break after updating?
The author says to delete the temp/vehicles/bigkart folder from the cache or clear the whole cache.
Can I remove the driver dummy?
Yes: "No Driver Seat" hides it but keeps its weight, and "Driver Seat" removes the weight too.
Is it fast?
That's not the point: it's made for off-roading, and the author says it gets uncomfortable above about 30 km/h.
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