'87 EZ-GO 2 cycle clutch removal

[scubajoe]

Well, the PB Blaster finally broke it loose, after a couple weeks sitting there. The shaft is all rusted. Thinking about just cleaning what I can, and getting it moving again. Inside there are o-rings on the rollers that probably need replacing, and I'm wondering if all of the pieces aren't moving as freely as they should be. I'll mess with it some more before I decide if I should send it off for repair.

[scubajoe]

This is old, but finally, after soaking with PB Blaster for a while, I got the clutch plates to separate. I took it apart as far as I could, and it seems that the problem was just rust on the shaft, and it eventually caused the clutch plate to hang and not slide. Not wanting to dump too much into this thing, I spent some time with a dremel and a wire wheel and "polished" the shaft, cleaned up the rest of it real good, and put it back together. Installation was pretty easy, and now now it seems to be working OK. I need a new belt, but it goes, and this cart has been sitting for well over a year!

Next question, work on it, or sell?

[divot61]

well joe, it sounds like you have cut your teeth on this cart, why not stick with it and fix it up a little more and sell it if you want and get a newer year, but, the more you work on it the more you start to love it and it will be harder to get rid of it

[scubajoe]

OK, back from the dead. I was riding around on the cart the last few days, having to pump up the rear tire once an hour, and when I parked it last, I found the clutch bolt laying on the ground. Oops! I went to put it back in, and didn't really look at it. Not sure if this happened when I was trying to put it back in, but I suspect it did.



I have no idea how this could have happened, but in addition to a new bolt, I'm guessing I need to re-tap the shaft as well.

Assuming I can get this back together tomorrow, and I don't have to do some major surgery on this thing, I apparently need to add some thread locker on it. I thought I had it cranked all the way down, but there's not much to get leverage on to keep the shaft from spinning.

Unfortunately I now have a cart with new tires on the back (18's instead of the 20's that were on there), and I was really looking forward to finding out if this thing would climb hills better with the smaller tires. If it's not one thing, it's another.

[scubajoe]

I won't be getting this running today. I need a 7/16-20 bolt to either replace the stripped bolt, or at least use to press the clutch on. Lowe's only had 7/16-14, and everyplace else is closed today. Hope a new bolt does the trick. I was about to tap out the shaft, and it appears to be OK. Ran the bolt through a die too, but the missing threads on the end are preventing me from getting enough solid thread to put any pressure on it.

[cart around]

Delete.