Is it worth fixing up an Elecric Marathon?

colochris

Hi to all,

Well here is my issue, I just bought a 1986 marathon a few weeks ago. Got it for 260. Not bad huh, but it had no batteries, so to me that was bad.

It had been painted black from the original white I assume.

My plans are to drive it around the farm, and maybe 6 times a year take it golfing.

So my question is, is it worth fixing up? I mean I know it has to drive and all that, but being that I can only get so much run time, which I think now is about 3 to 4 hours basically constant use, which may be good, maybe it is better to start looking for a gasser to play around the farm and lift it and such.

Just curious if many people use electric versions for off road playing, or mainly for campground and golf use.

Thank you so much for your insight and thoughts.

Chris

BGW

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barcloverranch

I use my 86 EzGo for the exact same thing, mostly toodling around the ranch and golf a few times a month. Many people will advise you to just upgrade the resistor cart to solid state, but in my experience it really isn't necessary. It really just depends on your budget and how you plan to drive it.

My cart is great on the golf course because I just floor it between shots and I can play about 27 holes of golf before I have to recharge, but on the ranch that resistor cart is tricky. I upgraded to 2ga welding cables all around and have 6 gel cell batteries so my cart peels out on dirt roads a lot, so it is just easier to keep it floored going from place to place. But if you want to drive slow for extended distances I would recommend upgrading it to solid state using one of scottyb's kits. As soon as I get the money saved up that's what I will be doing, but until then this works great for my budget.

Hope all this was helpful,
Josh

colochris

Wow I never knew of such a thing. So a solid state, see I am so new these things sound so great. I am excited. So the 2ga cables, where would I find them at and are you saying you hook them up to the batteries?

Thank you Josh so much for the help.

bartmann

IMO :

there money pits ... batterys 600+ change cables +$100+ solid state $200 or better ... and the thing still only goes 12mph ....

save up some $$ and just buy a better cart.. I just got a yamaha cart mint for $1,300 and it has a 4 stroke motor and does 28-30mph .. get where im comming from ???

p.s. I have one of them money pits im redoing in my shop now ...

barcloverranch

I will admit that the conversion to solid state is not a cheap upgrade, scottyb's kit will end up costing over $700 but he includes all the hardware, detailed instructions, and he is very helpful, so well worth the money if you have it.

The cables are easy, I actually got mine off ebay for $30, the guy custom made them for me I just emailed him all the lengths I needed and I replaced every cable in the cart. Most people just replace the battery cables but I went ahead and replace them all. You can really rebuild the entire cart for fairly cheap if you want to put the time into it, I got a new HD FR switch, solenoid, wiper board and contacts, new charging receptacle and harness, and new cables all the way around for right at $250. I realize that the technology of these carts are primitive compared to the carts nowadays, but my cart runs awesome with all these upgrades and was a cheap project.

And I have not actually clocked the speed of my cart but with the big tires and everything that I have upgraded it with I can easily outrun any cart I've come into contact with. It has enough torque to burn out those big aggressive tires on dirt roads and doesn't have any problem going over hills on the ranch.

Josh

colochris

So would you say that a gasser is way better then? So maybe use the electric for golf or messing around, but gasser for around the farm on more off road?

bartmann

for farm and off road yes for sure .... places were sound is a issue battery

colochris

So i searched craigslist over a 400 mile area of my home, but 800 will buy me worse than what I have. Now for 2000 or more I can get something nice.

I just want a bit more power and a bit more lift as I drive over tumble weeds and such.

I would like to use the original rims but add some bigger tires. A lot of research to do

yurtle

I had an EZGO Workhorse ST350, with a dump bed and I loved it. I also have a 1998 Series TXT. Both are a lot of fun, but my gasser would go through an ice storm better, mainly due to its tires. I got it with a seized up motor, and spent a couple of hundred bucks rebuilding the engine. I defeated the governor. I didn't have room to keep two, so I sold it.

I like the quiet of a sparky cart. If you run wide open, a resistor cart is probably fine, but if you run slower, you are burning up energy in the form of heat, versus a solid state controller cart.

juzplanekrazy

I'm rebuilding a 1985 EZGO Elec cart right now. Although it's not complete yet, I think it'll do what I need it for. Which is 90% pavement running and maybe a few run's on hard packed sand along Pismo Beach Ca..
I paid about the same as you did and may dump $1300 to $1500 in it by the time I'm done. I didn’t have $1500 to spend at first so I went the little by little method with this one.
I've looked around and found a few 1995 to 2000 year models local for around $1300 to $2000. But they'd need some work too. So I'm forging ahead with this one and if it doesn't work out, I'll go ahead and sell it. Hopefully not at a big loss, but maybe enough to upgrade enough to start the process all over again.
If I was off roading, alot of trails and hills I'd for sure understand a Gasser or newer Elec.
Good Luck, what ever way you go.;l