Welded Spider Gears Differential Information

[Jcooley380]

Looking for any information from folks who have welded the spider gears in their electric Club Car to make it a full locked rear end. I am considering doing this to my cart as it is primarily used around the farm and for hunting. During the summer it will be used maybe 4 to 5 miles per week on pavement at my camp.
Most all of the older and lots of newer 2wd ATV's are basically set up this way. Any information you have from personnel experience would be appreciated.

Thanks,
John

[_ogre]

if this were stricly a drag strip cart, i'd say go for it. if your going to turn the front wheels on pavement at all, don't. it'd be like my 4x4 truk with hubs and gearbox in 4x4 hopping and dancing on pavement. if you do, buy lots of tires

[dundeebarnbuggy]

Unlike your ATV, 70% of the weight of an electric cart is on the rear wheels. Good luck getting it to turn much on any hard surface or slippery conditions especially if you have her shod with good bitin' tires on the rear.

[Jcooley380]

Thanks for the replies. I'll know how she acts in a few days. Putting in torque motor with Alltrax 500 amp controller. Going to convert to lithium soon as my batteries are shot. That will remove about 300 pounds and should help with turning issue. We shall see as I have welded it together and just reassembled the differential.

Thanks,
John

[Wakko47]

Cool, I'd like to see how it works.

[NoleFan4Ever]

Originally Posted by Jcooley380

Looking for any information from folks who have welded the spider gears in their electric Club Car to make it a full locked rear end. I am considering doing this to my cart as it is primarily used around the farm and for hunting. During the summer it will be used maybe 4 to 5 miles per week on pavement at my camp.
Most all of the older and lots of newer 2wd ATV's are basically set up this way. Any information you have from personnel experience would be appreciated.

Thanks,
John

It will not work on asphalt. Already been there. Unlike automotive gears, the cart gears are not strong enough and it will shell the whole rear end. I have done it twice with good success, until I took them on asphalt and with in a few weeks/months, they both failed.

[rib33024]

Originally Posted by NoleFan4Ever

It will not work on asphalt. Already been there. Unlike automotive gears, the cart gears are not strong enough and it will shell the whole rear end. I have done it twice with good success, until I took them on asphalt and with in a few weeks/months, they both failed.

[dundeebarnbuggy]

Originally Posted by NoleFan4Ever

It will not work on asphalt. Already been there. Unlike automotive gears, the cart gears are not strong enough and it will shell the whole rear end. I have done it twice with good success, until I took them on asphalt and with in a few weeks/months, they both failed.

Curious. What make of rear ends did you weld up?

[Jcooley380]

Got it back together today along with FSIP torque motor and Alltrax 500 amp controller. Initial impression is it's going to work pretty good but it's still kind of early to say. Probably induce some steering difficulty with passengers in rear seat on pavement but that isn't going to happen too often. In the dirt, mud and grass where I'll be 90% of the time it's going to work fine.
I can't imagine the rear coming apart as it looks pretty beefy and I welded it really well. Welded the gears together and then put a metal tab in between the gears on both sides and welded it all the way around.
Will be a week or so before I get any more time in it but will report back on any issues.

John

[Wakko47]

It's alot of stress on both the housing and the gears themselves. Perhaps you'll have better luck with limited pavement use than Nole has seen. In the mean time, if you see a spare rearend at a garage sale for cheap, you may want to toss it in the attic. :)