Noises from left rear axle/brake

Peter W

I have recently bought an ex-hire fleet 2012 TXT and am looking for advice about some noises that seem to be coming from the driver's side rear axle or brake.

Firstly, after the buggy has been standing unused overnight or longer, it makes a short (1 second) regular dry squealing .noise with every rotation of the rear wheel for the first few minutes of operation, then it disappears. The noise occurs whether the buggy has been parked with the parking brake on or off. My guess is that it's coming from the brake drum but could it be anything more sinister, like a dry axle bearing?

Secondly, when the buggy has almost come to a standstill without applying the brakes, there is a weird noise from that same driver's side rear axle area that sounds like a spring or a rubber band being stretched. The noise is also made if I rock the buggy backwards and forwards with the brakes off and with the control lever in the forward position but disappears if I put the control lever into the central neutral position.

Are the two noises possibly related and should I be worried? I have 6-month warranty from the EZGO dealership where I bought the buggy but don't want to hassle them if my noises are normal and harmless.

BGW

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Cartmaster

If you have a warranty, use it. that is what it is for.

If it is as you think something to do with the brakes, it is a safety issue and needs addressing.

If you are not comfortable with tearing down your brakes, the dealer is your best option.

Not sure why it would disappear in neutral though, maybe it is just a dodgy clutch / belt. Can you get an audio file or video to give us an idea of the noise it is making?

Peter W

Thanks for your reply, Cartmaster. I am also in the UK. I shall be getting the EZGO service engineer from my dealership to have a look at the buggy after Christmas. My second noise is a kind of rubbery, spring-like creak. It's the kind of noise you can get when tightening a screw down on a spring-loaded joint when the spring is dry and makes a sort of pinging noise as it compresses. It's not dissimilar to the noise you get from holding a light metal object brushing agaist the spokes of a spinning bicycle wheel - a cross between that and a slipping rubber grunt. The buggy has a brand new starter motor / generator drive belt and the clutch belt looks to be in very good condition. I tend not to use the brakes very often on the golf course but I have tried them out on the car park and they definitely work, although I have the impression that the driver's side brake is a bit fiercer than the other side as the buggy pulls a bit to the left on wet surfaces but that could be down to the fact that my weight makes the buggy heavier on the left-hand side.

Cartmaster

where in the UK are you? feel free to PM me if you are local and i can have a look for you.
It sounds like maybe the retainer spring for one of you brake shoes has come loose. If so you will probably need a few new small parts. These do not usually come loose if fitted correctly so it may well be an idea to get it seen under warranty. If it is this, then do not use the buggy until checked as the brakes may suddenly lock up on you. MAY being the operative word! May NOT is not a chance i would take.

Take a look at this. If you are handy with a spanner, you could take a look yourself LOL

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9...kFiT1huRmNDbnc

I suspect on page D-18, part no 1 has come off allowing the pin part no 2 to fall out and the spring is floating around in the drum.

It is for a 2013 but the principles should be the same.

meimk

Another easy item to check is the axle nut that holds the brake drum/hub onto the axle. Those have a history of working loose and could allow the drum to shift and creak. In the long run the motion takes out the splines in the drum/hub and can cause the cart ti stop moving.

Cartmaster

both these checks can be done at the same time too which is handy. and both scenarios's are possible if the drum has been removed at any time for service work as anyone unfamiliar with these carts may not have done up the large hub nut tight enough. As meimk said, Its quite a common failure on these.

Peter W

Thanks, guys. It's a bit cold and damp for me to work on the buggy at present. My biggest suspect for the creaking noise is the generator / starter drive belt or the clutch. There is absolutely no creaking with the control lever in the neutral position and the buggy moves freely when pushed along, apart from the squeak from the hub area when it hasn't been used for a while.

I'll do some more investigating when I next get a decent, dry day.

I'm based in Lincolnshire, Cartmaster.

Cartmaster

No, I wont be popping round then LOL

If it has been standing for a while it may just be the belts slightly mishaped and will get better as you use it.

still worth taking the drums off and having a good clean up in there though.

Peter W

Okay, I've located the source of the rubbery creaking noise. It is the from the clutch drive belt when it gets warm and is under tension between the clutch and final drive pulleys, hence the disappearance of the noise when the drive lever is in the neutral position, which releases the tension on the drive belt. Is there a suitable belt dressing for the drive belt that would cure the creaking noise? It was an acoustic illusion that made it sound as though the noise was coming from the left side of the vehicle when it's actually coming from the right.

Cartmaster

Belt dressing will not really do any good. Measure the width of the belt accurately and give us the figure (in inches preferably) It may be that the belt is worn, or it may be worn sheaves on the clutches. Most likely the belt though. Do you have a local supplier if you need a belt?