1983 club car ds electric. Steering question

Steelhammer

Hey guys, I'm disabled with rheumatoid arthritis and just picked up this cart basically to take my kids out trick or treating and maybe to the park a few times a week. My question is the steering, with my illness hand and arm strength comes and goes. Once moving the cart runs straight and solid, no wobble, not overly tight, it's great. Problem is trying to turn the cart when it's not moving is a chore! I basically lift my fat *** off the seat turning the wheel. I jacked the front end up and it steers with one finger. There's some play in the tie rod ends but no binding. I cleaned the old grease off and regreased all the nipples I could find.
Lowered the cart and steering sucked again as soon as the tires hit the pavement. This is the old steering worm box system, not sure exactly what the adjustment screw on the steering box does but being that it steers good while moving and with no load I'm guessing the adj. is good ?
Any ideas what to look at next?

Thanks for the help!
Here's a pic of a yamaha I built two years ago but unfortunately sold

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

Stevegrmich

. . these carts do not have power steering which is why it is difficult to turn wheel when standing still . . . plus the wide stance of the tires add to the effort needed . . . even my low profile tires, which are narrower than stock tires, require effort to turn when standing still . . .

mrgolf

Check tire pressure. I run mine at 20 psi.

Steelhammer

I'll check tire pressure tomorrow, didn't get out there today. I understand the whole manual steering thing but I also worked at a golf course for 8 years as an equipment operator/greenskeeper so I've driven hundreds, if not thousands of club car and ezgo carts, never have I had a cart that I almost had to lift my *** off the seat to turn the wheels. Even big ole cushmans were easier to turn than this. That was back in 92-93 when I first started I worked in the cart barn. So I drove carts for 50 hours a week. These were all club car ds and ezgo carts that I think the oldest we had was an 88. So they all had some sort of rack steering system if I'm not mistaken. This is my first experience with the pre 84 club car steering system so maybe it is normal behavior. Anyone have a cc from 76-83 that can add their .02 to this?
Thanks again!

mrgolf

My cart was a little stiff when I first got it. I have lubed it and drove it a lot.it is a lot better now.

Sergio

My neighbor has one of those 81 club car with a "Ross Box' steering, they are really hard to turn compared to the newer models...

Here is a link to a thread with photos, You may want to take it apart to make sure is well greased and readjust the pivot pin torque.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...tml#post620962

Steelhammer

I went out today and took the front body off so I can inspect the front end. With my son turning the steering right it looks like the top of passenger side tire pushes out about an inch then turns. Turn to the left and the top of the tire pulls in an inch then turns. There are no bushings left on the leaf spring or the spindle and the tierod is toast.

Steelhammer

Waiting for new bushings and tie rod ends to come in, have a dumb question. What does the adj screw on the back of the worm box do? I have read everything I could find on te internet and couldn't find one time where someone explains what it actually adjusts. Turning pressure? Wheel centering? Any ideas? The link that was given to me above explains it can be adjusted to maybe remove slop in the steering but my question is will it at the same time make a tight situation looser?

Sergio

The way I understand it is that the adjustment screw "pushes" that cone looking pin towards the worm gear.

If it is too far, you get slop in the steering, if it is too tight, you get a lot of friction.

That is assuming that everything is properly greased inside.

Also, if someone has over tightened that adjustment screw in the past, the pin may no longer look like a cone and it could cause binding problems as well.

The post says You can buy just the pin if it looks deformed.

Steelhammer

Thanks for the info. The adj pin is only a few bucks so I ordered one with the tie rods in case I needed it.