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how to tell if golf cart shocks are bad

by Mrs. Danika Grady Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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If it is not obvious that your shock or strut is leaking oil, another way to tell if your shocks are going bad is to perform a “bounce test”. A bounce test is simply putting downward pressure (by pushing or stepping) on your golf car, then quickly releasing to see how much your golf car bounces vertically.

If the golf car feels like the front end is “nose diving”, it is likely that your shocks are bad. The same can be tested for the rear shocks by putting the golf car in reverse and stopping abruptly. Again, if the rear feels like it is going to bottom out.

Full Answer

How do I know if my golf cart shocks need changing?

If the golf car feels like the front end is “nose diving”, it is likely that your shocks are bad. The same can be tested for the rear shocks by putting the golf car in reverse and stopping abruptly. Again, if the rear feels like it is going to bottom out. There is likely a problem. Golf cart’s steering wheel is shaking

How to tell if your car needs new shocks or struts?

Feb 11, 2022 · The shocks on your golf car are most likely faulty if the front end of the vehicle seems like it is “nose diving.” The rear shocks may be checked in the same way by putting the golf car in reverse and coming to a complete stop suddenly. If the rear seems like it’s about to bottom out, apply more pressure. There is almost certainly an issue.

How do I know if my car's shock absorbers are bad?

Jun 09, 2018 · Here are the symptoms of bad shock absorbers and struts and how to check them yourself. How to check if shocks or struts are bad`````...

What should I do if my golf cart won’t go up?

Here’s what to look for as telltales: Cupping on tires, especially if a rotation was performed on schedule but abnormal wear is still occurring. Suspension bushings problems — cracking, peeling, off-center. Active leaking of oil on parts.

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Do golf cart shocks go bad?

Golf cart shocks, struts, coil-over suspension and leaf spring parts fade out over time due to use and age.

How often should you replace golf cart shocks?

Some shock absorber manufacturers say you should replace them at 50,000 miles, but that's more for their benefit than yours. Having the shocks and suspension parts inspected at 40,000 or 50,000 miles, then annually after that, is a better idea.Feb 7, 2016

How do I know if my shock are bad?

The Warning Signs Of Worn Shocks And StrutsInstability at highway speeds. ... Vehicle “tips” to one side in turns. ... The front end dives more than expected during hard braking. ... Rear-end squat during acceleration. ... Tires bouncing excessively. ... Unusual tire wear. ... Leaking fluid on the exterior of shocks or struts.

Why is my electric golf cart jerking?

The most common reason for your golf cart jerking is often the battery terminal connections are loose and/or corroded. A poor connection prevents the correct amount of current from flowing through the set of batteries to your speed controller (or resistor coil), and ultimately to your electric motor.

How do I know if my electric golf cart motor is bad?

You have enough going on in your life without your golf car refusing to start when you turn the key in the ignition. If your golf car won't start, is slower than it used to be, or is experiencing other technical problems, you could have a bad motor on your hands.May 14, 2021

What do bad shocks look like?

Other signs of car shocks and struts in bad condition are unusual noises over bumps, excessive body lean or sway in turns, or that the front end of the vehicle dives sharply in hard braking. Bad shocks also can affect steering control and cause uneven tire wear.Mar 12, 2016

How do I know if I need new shocks?

The most obvious sign of a problem with your shocks or struts is that your car is giving you a much more uncomfortable ride than normal. You'll feel bumps more, so the ride will feel rough.

What do worn out shocks sound like?

Unusual noises – When shocks and struts are worn out you may hear a clunking or knocking sound. This sound is caused by metal-to-metal contact when the shock or strut bottoms out when hitting a bump. In addition, these noises could be a result in worn shock or strut mounting components.

What are the benefits of having struts and shocks in your car?

Shocks and struts in good condition help your car handle whatever comes at you on the road — bumps, debris, sudden stops, swerving, potholes, wind gusts or sharp turns. They control the side-to-side, front-to-back and up-and-down shifts of the car’s weight and maintain optimal tire contact with the road. Shocks or struts are hard-working parts.

What does it mean when a tire is cupped?

Cupping is uneven tire wear that looks like hollowed out areas on the tread. A rougher ride. Bottoming out (your vehicle’s body or suspension hitting the ground) when going up a parking garage ramp or backing out of a driveway. Longer stopping distance. Swaying after a turn or lane change or in cross winds.

What happens when you have a hard stop?

When you have an unexpected hard stop or swerve, your vehicle’s crash avoidance systems send instant electronic signals to the brakes and other critical components. If ride control parts like shocks and struts are worn, they may not properly respond. Then the crash prevention systems can’t function as designed and you have less control behind ...

How many miles can a shock go?

Shocks or struts are hard-working parts. They can go through 75 million cycles over the course of 50,000 miles. Even on well-paved roads, they can move up or down 1,500 to 1,900 times every mile. They are partners with the brakes, steering, suspension, tires and electronic safety systems — anti-lock brakes, stability control ...

How to maintain good contact with the road?

Maintain tires’ good contact with the road by preventing them from moving up and down too much. Contribute to stability as you accelerate, stop and turn. Add to ride comfort by absorbing jolts and bumpiness from irregular road surfaces. Control a vehicle’s body movement (side-to-side roll, bouncing).

What does a spring do?

Control a vehicle’s body movement (side-to-side roll, bouncing). Help the tread wear evenly for longer tire life. They don’t help support the vehicle’s weight or any loads, contrary to what many think. The springs do that.

What are the safety systems in cars?

Today’s vehicles have highly engineered electronic safety systems: vehicle stability systems, ABS (anti-lock brakes), traction control, collision prevention control and automated braking. These all work together to keep tires in proper contact with the road and provide the most stability.

Why is my golf cart so rough?

Your golf cart ride can be rough because of tire problems, suspension problems or issues with the transmission. Tire Problem. Suspension Problem. Transmission Problem. Tire Problem: Incorrect air pressure and wrongly aligned tires are two key tire-related problems that can trigger rough golf cart rides.

How to reduce weight of golf cart?

Replace them with lighter springs so that they don’t drop much at the rear end. Using a lithium pack battery also helps to reduce the overall weight of the golf cart. Also, if the cart uses electric cart shocks, replace them with gas shocks.

Why does my EZGO RXV ride rough?

Why an EZGO RXV rides rough. Your EZGO RXV often tends to ride rough because of the following reasons. Too much air in the tires. If the golf cart tires have too much air and uneven pressure, the rides may be rough. You can consider checking this out and releasing the excess air or pressure.

How to make a golf cart ride smooth?

You can make your golf cart ride smooth by checking for the above-mentioned problems in the cart and attending to them. Correct tire pressure. Check if the front and back tires have the correct and even pressure according to specifications. They may need different pressures based on the conditions and seasons.

Why is my club car bumpy?

Club Car Precedent bumpy ride. You are likely to experience a bumpy ride in your Club Car Precedent because of the reasons given below. Heavy-duty leaves. Check if your golf cart is fitted with heavy-duty leaves. These are often known to cause bounce.

How to get smoother ride on Yamaha G16?

You can get a smooth ride from your Yamaha G16 golf cart by ensuring the following. Ensure that there is no air leak in the gaskets between the intake and the carburetor as well as the spacer. You can pull out the airbox and check for a damaged gasket or spacer.

How to tell if shocks are worn out?

One way to tell that your shocks and struts are worn out is that your car will bounce up and down when driving. Your car should move smoothly down the road absorbing most of the impacts and road imperfections as you drive.

What happens when shocks are worn?

As your shocks become worn they won’t allow your tires to make consistent contact with the road surface which can lead to uneven tire wear or cupping on your tires. Your shocks keep your tires planted to the road.

How to tell if shock absorber needs replaced?

Shock Absorber Is Leaking. One of the more obvious ways to tell that your shocks need to be replaced is that they are leaking hydraulic fluid. Shock and struts have hydraulic fluid inside of them that allows them to absorb bumps in the road.

What happens when shock absorbers go bad?

When your shock absorbers do go bad you are stuck with the decision of which shock absorbers to replace. If one shock absorber is failing you could opt to replace just the one shock or strut, or you could replace the shocks in pairs.

How to tell if shock absorber is worn?

Another way you can tell that your shock absorbers are worn is by noises when driving over bumps or potholes. When you hit a large bump or pothole your shocks should absorb the impact without making noises. If you are hearing noises when driving over large bumps this is also a symptom of a bad or worn shock absorber.

Why won't my car ride as well as it used to?

Your Car Doesn’t Ride As Well As It Used To. Over time as your shocks and struts wear out, your car won’t ride as well as it used to when it was brand new. Worn shocks and struts can cause your car to be upset by small bumps and undulations in the road surface and is usually a sign that your shocks are worn out.

How to tell if struts are worn?

The easiest way to tell if your shocks and struts are worn is by going for a drive and monitoring how your car handles bumps and potholes. Your car should go over bumps in the road without upsetting how the car handles or making noises. Your shocks and struts should absorb most of the impact of potholes and not allow the impact to transmit ...

How to tell if shock absorbers are weak?

The car should bounce up and return to its original position rather stiffly, without continuing to bounce. If it bounces more than a couple of times , this is an indication that perhaps the shock absorbers are weak.

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What to do if your height is below the minimum?

If the height is at or below the minimum specs, then you should take the car to a professional for further evaluation and repair. Being at the "minimum" is just that. It is no longer at the ideal, and something has changed. Push down on the front of the car to test for weak shock absorbers.

How to measure car suspension height?

1. Observe your car from the front. With the car on a flat surface, it should appear perfectly level, i.e. both sides being the same height off the surface. If you actually know the specifications of your car's suspension, you can measure the height. If the height is at or below the minimum specs, then you should take the car to a professional ...

Can shock absorbers be bad?

If present, then your shock absorbers could be bad. Once the seals begin leaking, the shock absorber becomes ineffective. You will need to get the car into a garage to confirm your observations and replace the shock absorbers.

Is a shock absorber a safety feature?

Surveys clearly indicate that most drivers don't realize that shock absorber condition is critical to vehicle safety. Providing a comfortable and pleasant riding experience is actually a by-product of shock absorber function, not the object.

What happens if my golf cart is not charging?

If you do not have any voltage in the batteries you will need to get some back into the battery bank before the golf cart charger will charge again .

What voltage do golf cart batteries work on?

All golf cart battery chargers usually operate on 110VAC but some have the ability to operate on multiple voltages for other power grids like in Europe vs US. 110/230VAC would reflect this feature on charger. Good DC side connection. This is the wire or cord with a connector that you would plug into the golf cart.

What is the third pin on a golf cart?

Then the third pin is usually a low voltage signal for a lock-out feature on these newer style golf carts. This is so the user cannot drive off with a golf cart “If the charger is still plugged in”.

What is a DC side connection?

Good DC side connection. This is the wire or cord with a connector that you would plug into the golf cart. DC stands for “Direct Current” as AC stands for Alternating Current” – and basically what a golf cart battery charger does. It converts AC power to DC power to charge or replace the electricity in your golf carts batteries.

Where to find battery in golf cart?

You will usually find the batteries to your golf cart under the front seat which opens or folds out towards the golf cart steering wheel on most Club Cars, Ezgo and Yamaha golf carts. Look for the two terminals with the most wires going to them. Usually this is the positive and negative most terminals in the battery bank.

Do golf cart batteries work the same?

Wiring batteries in a series style circuit is quite simple and always the same. No mater how many golf cart batteries you have it will always work the same.

Is electric transportation good?

Yet you just went to take it for a ride and it doesn’t go.

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