Replacing Shocks and Upgrading to HD 5 Leaf Springs

[barcloverranch]

Hello,

I am just curious how much of a necessity it would be to have the HD rear springs? I have an '86 Ez Go with a lift and 22s. I play golf in it a lot and drive it around the ranch more than anything.

The deal is that I am working on putting a removable bed on the rear of the cart to hold anything from 50lb feed sacks to 300+ lbs of drunken idiots, I don't know how much 2 friends weigh. I've read several complaints of the stiffness of 5 leaf HD rear springs and that worries me because usually its just me and my girlfriend in the cart toodling around the ranch and I don't want to turn my cart into an even bumpier ride. But at the same time I also don't want to overload it once and end up seriously hurting something. What would ya'll recommend in this situation?

Another question, how do you know when your shocks or leaf springs need replacing? Its a pretty smooth ride I suppose, not sure how much I can really expect from a golf cart on dirt roads, so I'm just curious. Any advice on smoothing up the ride on bumpy dirt roads?

Thanks, Josh

[madoc1]

if you have a rear seat or bed and carry a lot of weight, you should use hd springs. mine are 4 leaf. the po of mine did not use them and you visibly see where the stock ones were bent in a W shape. unless you can see fluid leaking out of them or they are bent, your shocks are probably good. they really don't do much on a cart anyway.

[Scooter B]

The 300-400 LBS of drunk idiots (aka my buddies) turned my stock springs into the familiar W shape that Madoc is referring to, it only took three weeks after adding my rear seat, I'm picking up some 4 leaf HD's on Friday.

I don't know much about the shocks, I would like to find some cool looking coil overs that would fit

[LizardLeg]

Originally Posted by Scooter B

I don't know much about the shocks, I would like to find some cool looking coil overs that would fit

Same here....

[barcloverranch]

Yeah I've seen some coil overs that are wicked looking. Wish I could afford that kit from Imaginative Manufacturing, they have that great looking independent front suspension.

Okay I'm gonna throw another question onto there, so does this talk still apply with a 70 lb dog? Or would the stock springs hand him fine?
The dog would be riding the cart maybe once a week and the drunk friends maybe twice a year. Still recommend the HD springs?

Like I said before, more than anything my girlfriend and I cruise around the ranch or play golf. These things happen several times a week, so comfort is a big issue as long as the very seldom occasion of heavy weight isn't going to destroy anything.

Sorry for being a pain in the butt,
Josh

[barcloverranch]

And where is everybody finding 4 leaf rear springs?
The only ones I can find are 5 leaf and I'm sure are overkill that will make for an extremely bumpy ride.
Josh

[madoc1]

if you are just carrying the dog and gf, you should be fine with stock set up. check with everything carts, they have the 4 leaf ones.

[SHRINER]

Put a set of air shocks in the back, then you can adjust to the amount of weight at the time.

[barcloverranch]

And where do you go to buy air shocks?
And how expensive are they?

[SHRINER]

any auto parts store for around 70.00. use the search on this forum, a lot of our members have did it. also Google air shocks for golf carts, you will get a bunch of hits