Smashed up my front end - need advice

[dsiomtw]

After closer inspection I think the whole front end of the frame is bent. You can see in the new picture below how the bottom of the body has been pushed back and up away from the side panel, and that's exactly what happened to the frame underneath. I can see in a few different places on each side where the actual frame of the cart has "wrinkled" or slightly bent. Bummer.

I posted up another good pic of the front end showing the damage. That's what happens when you hit a solid object head on going about 25mph!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to scrap this entire cart. I don't think it's even worth trying to straighten it all out, is it? At this point I figure I can buy an old beat cart for around $1,000 or so, buy the Jake's long travel front end for $700, swap all my goodies over, spend $300 or so on some other misc. upgrades and have a new cart for around $2,000 total. Maybe if I'm lucky I could sell what's left of this for parts and maybe get at least a few hundred for it ...

[Sir Nuke]

Originally Posted by dsiomtw

After closer inspection I think the whole front end of the frame is bent. You can see in the new picture below how the bottom of the body has been pushed back and up away from the side panel, and that's exactly what happened to the frame underneath. I can see in a few different places on each side where the actual frame of the cart has "wrinkled" or slightly bent. Bummer.

I posted up another good pic of the front end showing the damage. That's what happens when you hit a solid object head on going about 25mph!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to scrap this entire cart. I don't think it's even worth trying to straighten it all out, is it? At this point I figure I can buy an old beat cart for around $1,000 or so, buy the Jake's long travel front end for $700, swap all my goodies over, spend $300 or so on some other misc. upgrades and have a new cart for around $2,000 total. Maybe if I'm lucky I could sell what's left of this for parts and maybe get $500 for it?

Actually .... that sounds like a good plan.

The Master of All Things has Spoken

[eflyguy]

Thinking of installing a seat switch that disables the vehicle if no-one is sitting in the driver's seat. My lawn tractor has one.

I always turn the cart off, but I'm not the only driver..
..a

[dsiomtw]

Not a bad idea! I'd consider it good insurance. Replacing my smashed up extremely customized cart is going to be quite a bit of hassle, time and money.

[DaveTM]

Can't you just take the key with you? Or if your concerned about someone else having a cart key, just get a custom key and take it with you. You can also install a kill switch\button so even with the key in, you have to know where the kill switch is in order to run it.

To keep it from free wheeling should the brakes be let off, just lock it to the nearest big tree, post, bike rack (choose your fixed object). Or, I'm sure some crafty mechanic can come up with a way to lock your brake peddle down and secure it with a combo lock or a key lock.

Just some thoughts.

Dave

[Johno7656]

I keep looking at your pictures and I cannot help but think that the front end looks repairable to me, although I cannot tell about the rest of the frame. I do not know what it would cost for a shop to repair it, but if you are anywhere around SE Texas (Houston / Huntsville / Brenham area) shoot me a PM. And definitely, before you trash it, give me a holler as I am planning on building an independent front end suspension for our cart over the winter. John

Originally Posted by DaveTM

Can't you just take the key with you? Or if your concerned about someone else having a cart key, just get a custom key and take it with you. You can also install a kill switch\button so even with the key in, you have to know where the kill switch is in order to run it.

To keep it from free wheeling should the brakes be let off, just lock it to the nearest big tree, post, bike rack (choose your fixed object). Or, I'm sure some crafty mechanic can come up with a way to lock your brake peddle down and secure it with a combo lock or a key lock.

Just some thoughts.

Dave

he just got off for a second to sign for package .. we've all done it .. the seat kill switch sounds great ..

[dsiomtw]

Originally Posted by Johno7656

I keep looking at your pictures and I cannot help but think that the front end looks repairable to me, although I cannot tell about the rest of the frame. I do not know what it would cost for a shop to repair it, but if you are anywhere around SE Texas (Houston / Huntsville / Brenham area) shoot me a PM. And definitely, before you trash it, give me a holler as I am planning on building an independent front end suspension for our cart over the winter. John

That's what I was thinking at first, but upon closer inspection it really looks like the frame is bent. Perhaps it could be straightened, I'm just not sure if I want to go down that road. If it was something I could do myself I might take a stab at it, but I'd be way out of my league trying to tackle something like this. I just figure by the time I find someone who can do it and pay them, it might just be less hassle and not much more money to spend ~$2k or so putting together a new cart - one that I would know is straight and solid.

[dsiomtw]

Anyone know if it's worth the time to consider buying a gas cart and converting it to electric using my existing cart for parts? I found the perfect replacement cart - only problem is that it's gas. I absolutely need electric. Anyone have any idea what this would cost me in terms of time and money? I have all the parts I'll need from my existing cart so I guess really it's just a bunch of time and maybe some custom fabrication?? I search on the board but pretty much everything I found was about electric to gas conversions...

i would think you could just use the gas frame and transfer your stuff to it
but last time i thought i got an ex wife