Upshifting too soon and not downshifting for hills

[BuggieMaverick]

I recently bought a gas 1984 Club Car. Its in very good condition overall but it sat for many years. Thankfully, the previous owner did most of the work to get it going again but I'm having problems with the clutches. Initial take off is great but then it upshifts too quickly. Its like skipping from 1st gear to 4th gear (if it had gears). The biggest problem is that it doesn't downshift for hills or after slowing down. I also have a mild vibration that I'm guessing is coming from the driven clutch, which has some play and rust on the pulley surfaces. If it matters, I already replaced the belt but it didn't solve the shifting issues.

I'm suspecting that my driven clutch is the biggest issue but is there a simple way to know which clutch is responsible for most of my problems? It looks like the driven clutch would be easy to rebuild but the schematic of the drive clutch looks like it involves some sort of voodoo. I'd like to try taking the clutches apart, cleaning them up, and replace the wear parts. Does my driven clutch have a bushing, and if so, who still sells them? Also, is the drive clutch really that complicated once you get it opened up?

I would order up a new driven clutch because I'm suspecting that it would help the most but I have 1st generation with the skinny belt and I can't find a new driven clutch for the skinny belt. I used my toy money reserves to buy the cart so I don't have the funds right now to buy a newer style new drive and driven clutch set.

[BuggieMaverick]

I forgot to ask, but how do I know if my belt tension is correct, and could that be causing my problems? I was able to get the old belt off and the new belt on by hand but it was a struggle. I read that the belt is supposed to be loose enough to get it off by hand but I'm not sure if its supposed to be easy or not.

[Springbok]

That belt should come off relatively easy by hand. You get the belt up on the edge of the driven clutch and then turn it by hand to peel it off. It's been awhile since I've removed one, but I'm pretty sure it's the same as the newer ones.

I would hold off on ordering a new driven clutch, because if you order a new-style driven clutch to run with your old-style drive clutch, the belt centerline will be off. Your best bet (if you're not ready to replace both) is to try and rebuild if possible, but that old drive/driven clutch setup on it's best day...still sucks. There's a reason they only used that configuration for only 3 years (Club Car updated both clutches to the new styles halfway through the 1987 model year).

Here's what it looks like when an old-style Salsbury drive clutch is paired with a newer-style driven clutch:

[Springbok]

Another advantage to the newer drive clutch is the idler bearing for when the belt is at rest, makes for smoother operation over the older system.

[BuggieMaverick]

I was aware of the alignment issue if I replaced one clutch but not the other but thank you for making sure I knew. I wish I could find a used '88+ clutch set so I replace both without spending an arm and a leg.

To you, does my problem sound like a drive or driven clutch problem?

[Springbok]

One clutch or the other isn't jumping out at me as the obvious culprit without me being there to see it. Can you duplicate the issue in maintenance mode? Try to watch the belt as the engine revs. It should rise up in the drive clutch and sink down into the driven clutch.

[chevydmax6]

I would say the driven clutch spring is vary week and that is why is won't back shift

[Springbok]

That does make sense. The belt sinks down into his driven clutch too easy due to the weak spring...and the same weak spring isn't strong enough to push the belt back up out of the sheaves while rolling. He should be able to visually see that happening by watching the clutch while running the motor.

[chevydmax6]

Originally Posted by Springbok

That does make sense. The belt sinks down into his driven clutch too easy due to the weak spring...and the same weak spring isn't strong enough to push the belt back up out of the sheaves while rolling. He should be able to visually see that happening by watching the clutch while running the motor.

Agreed
Maybe post a video of the clutches working

[BuggieMaverick]

In maintenance mode, the clutches operate like how it drives. It holds first gear for a bit but then they both quickly go into high gear. The engine has to slow down considerably before they downshift again. I'm agreeing that I likely have a weak spring somewhere in the system thats allowing things to open up too quickly but I don't know enough to know if its in the drive clutch or the driveN clutch, but I'm hoping its the driveN clutch spring for ease of repair.

If it were a 5 speed manual transmission, the shift pattern would be 1-3-5, 5-1 (1st to 3rd to 5th, and 5th to 1st).

I forgot to mention it but I get a mild belt screech when I come to a stop. Its like there isn't enough belt tension.

Does anyone know if the '84-'87 driveN clutch spring is the same as the '88+ spring or is the early spring specific to the early clutch? I'm planning on replacing the driveN clutch buttons and the spring because its the easiest and cheapest place to start.