Cart squirrely at high speed

CartTrader

All of you that have really powered up your carts. How do they handle at the higher speeds? Mine is a 96CC running 48v, 36v motor (by the way what RPM should the 36v motor be doing on 48v?) (what would a PQ do for me over the 36v?), 8:1 rearend, altrax axe 500 amp controller, H/D F/R and Solenoid, and currently 4 gauge wires. Jakes 6" spindle lift, 22" tires on 10" rims Fastest speed so far is just shy of 32mph, according to the calculator should be doing 36. Thats not my problem. It gets real squirrely when it gets above 24 to 25 mph. What I mean is, it almost has a mind of its own and wants to take off right or left sometimes. Not real hard but enough to worry me. Has anybody else had this problem? It gets really hard to control. Have the toe in at 1/4" in and same with camber. Have tried camber at 0 with no difference. My gasser CC does 30mph but isn`t that hard to handle at the high speed.

CartTrader

BGW

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum

OLD MEC

You must remember that the complete cart was designed and built for 8-14 MPH when in STOCK CONDITION? You have altered the cart balance points by lifting 6" and adding larger diameter tires ( most often with very poor treads "LUG TYPE OFF ROAD" for hard surface use and definitly not for high speeds ). You dont want BOUNCE that allows tires to be off of road surface and off road or open treads are very bad for this. The center of mass in any type vehicle that moves at higher speeds needs weight at center of wheel axle level, NOT 6"-8" or more above? If your cart is electric you are moving battery load ( 450 pounds and up PLUS YOUR OWN WEIGHT ) above axle center causing the same action you would get if you add a 4'X8' sheet of plywood as a sail? Ever follow a truck and feel the side to side motion caused by air movement until you get up and draft ( ride the bumper ) when you can back off on throttle? This side motion is the same you get with load mass high in the air that will cause you to tip over very easily. The width and length of wheel base and tread track is very important and golf carts have neither.? Even though you are using one of the best lift kits around the design is still based on ORIGINAL steering design and is NOT made for the high speeds you are now at? If you were a old timer like me you would understand about suspensions and center of gravity as I drove auto's from model "T"s to near 200 MPH Bonneville cars and motorcycles. Ever notice how low a race car is to the track, there is a very good reason for this. We found that by dropping motor down low into frame rails and adding boxing to stiffin frame we had a much better controlling auto. ( Boxing is adding metal inside a channel "U" shaped frame to make 4 sides "BOX" instead of 3 ) Most golf carts only have "ANGLE FRAMES" that are not rigid enough for speeds beyond 15-20 MPH?
I am not knocking the "DIFFERENT LOOKS" created by altering a cart, just as I in my day lowered, chopped and channeled bodies, added larger "width tires" not diameter, HYDRAULIC BRAKES ( not disc but hydraulics before even some cars had rear brakes like stock golf carts ) added later model steering parts to try and hold a car down when at high speeds. I had a 1937 Caddilac 4 door convertable that at over 110 mph would swing from side to side over wheels like a snake until it became impossible to keep in straight line? By raising carts, adding windshields, tops, etc many owners are causing higher wind resistance and ruining the fairly aero dynamic design of CC bodies.
A few old tricks might get you closer to speeds that you want? MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL use highway "DOT RATED" tires that are made for highway speeds and have them balanced and if out of round have them trued by shaving tread. BRAKES you must have 4 wheel DISC in good working condition and even at that you will see brake literature shows NO HIGH SPEED USE. I have found that shocks which normally are of no real value on a carts need to be in good condition and if available larger diameter for better traction control. A shock is not made for lift unless its spring over, only purpose is to keep tires on ground by dampening up and down motion. CC has a aluminum frame that can flex alot and I have found that by running all thread 1/2"-3/4" rods through frame from side to side using large HD fender type washers and nuts on each side of frame helps stiffins frame much better.
If you really want to go fast look at the few drag carts and see how low and HD the suspension and frame and tires are? Like I tell my son "AS YOU GET OLDER YOU DONT BOUNCE LIKE YOU USED TOO" so be careful?

dougmcp

Well said Old Mec!
I equate this phenomenon to driving your everyday stock automobile at 180mph instead of 60mph and wondering why it seems so unstable.

CartTrader

Very nicely stated Old Mec. A lot of it I already knew. Some I should of known. On my gasser I do have coil overs on the front and gas shocks on the rear and that may be why it doesn`t wander as much. I was also wondering if others, that have tweeked their carts to the faster speeds, have the same problem with handling at the higher speeds.

CartTrader

SpoiledRotten

I only added 4" of lift and 22" diameter tires and mine is bad at those speeds above 20. I don't do those speeds on the road, but it handles like a well tuned off road vehicle when in grass. I don't go that fast on road and really don't need to except to "show off" a little here and there, but it's only for a very short spurt. As stated, be careful with that set up. I suppose an accident on the hard surface in a heavy cart going 30 MPH, would definitely create a bruise or two.

golfcarfixer

Maybe you could make up a steering stabilizer,and put some extra weight on the front end.

DOOmsman

have the toe in at 1/4" in
Try a 1/8" and see if its better.