PDS cart wheels locking up - NORMAL ?

[blueextc3221]

New to carting - recently purchased a 2004 Western (EzGo platform)

When I let off the accelerator in F and REV - wheels will instantly lock up. Going in forward - if I shift switch to neutral - it will coast.

I am under the impression - the cart should slow down before any anti-runaway feature engages.

Is this an issue with the controller? Or is it an adjustment I can make?

Help??

[gornoman]

Welcome to BGW!

When you say lock up, do you mean tires screeching or simply deceleration? If the cart has a RUN/TOW switch it is a Regenerative drivetrain and will not freewheel at all.

[blueextc3221]

Oh - thanks for that. Yes as soon as I let off the accelerator - the tires stop dead in their tracks.

If this is normal - then i guess thats normal.
No way to change it? Jumper the controller or something?
Kind of dangerous to be going full speed, and assume you're going to coast (or minimally slow down) - only to be greeted with the smell of burning rubber because the tires lock up.

Thanks for the heads up!

[gornoman]

Hold on! Screeching tires IS NOT NORMAL for ANY drivetrain. If your cart is doing this there is a SERIOUS PROBLEM with your cart.

Can you show us some pix of the battery bay, controller, solenoid, and motor?

[dougmcp]

Which controller do you have in it?
Check that the speed sensor on the back of the motor is seated properly and the connections are good.

[blueextc3221]

It happens in both directions - FWD and Rev - but if i flip the switch to neutral - it coasts fine. Like something is telling the brakes to apply NOW.

Let me take a look at the speed sensor - maybe there's a "hill lock" engaging if the sensor is reporting 0 rpm?

[todo_brane_ded]

Originally Posted by blueextc3221

It happens in both directions - FWD and Rev - but if i flip the switch to neutral - it coasts fine. Like something is telling the brakes to apply NOW.

Let me take a look at the speed sensor - maybe there's a "hill lock" engaging if the sensor is reporting 0 rpm?

Hill lock? Never heard of any such thing.......I think you need to do some reading, both Maintenance Manual as well as familiarize yourself with the cart by reading the owners manuals....

Someone can comment on the EZ vs. Western fidelity. I'm not sure how "alike" they are.....

As Gorno says, there's likely something seriously amiss if the wheels are leaving rubber on the road when taking your foot off the pedal.....

[dougmcp]

Originally Posted by todo_brane_ded

Hill lock? Never heard of any such thing.......I think you need to do some reading, both Maintenance Manual as well as familiarize yourself with the cart by reading the owners manuals....

Someone can comment on the EZ vs. Western fidelity. I'm not sure how "alike" they are.....

As Gorno says, there's likely something seriously amiss if the wheels are leaving rubber on the road when taking your foot off the pedal.....

If you are familiar with how a regen controller works, a "Hill lock" is actually a thing called "Walkaway", it sets the field current to maximum and will keep the cart from rolling any faster than a creep and usually has a beep attached to it as well. It is used in conjunction with plug braking that sets the amount of current applied up to the maximum of the controller.

The Western Cart and the Ezgo PDS carts from 2004 are identical in operation, the only difference is the body and the accessory wiring.
It is just an Ezgo cart with a Western custom body on it.

Gorno is right, wheels should never be locking up unless your standing on the brake pedal.

[todo_brane_ded]

Originally Posted by dougmcp

If you are familiar with how a regen controller works, a "Hill lock" is actually a thing called "Walkaway", it sets the field current to maximum and will keep the cart from rolling any faster than a creep and usually has a beep attached to it as well. It is used in conjunction with plug braking that sets the amount of current applied up to the maximum of the controller.

The Western Cart and the Ezgo PDS carts from 2004 are identical in operation, the only difference is the body and the accessory wiring.
It is just an Ezgo cart with a Western custom body on it.

Gorno is right, wheels should never be locking up unless your standing on the brake pedal.

I am throughly familiar with regen systems but what you describe, locking the wheels 'hard' to the point they leave rubber, isn't exactly what one would expect......

I wouldn't think it had the braking torque required to do so......Regen systems simply create drag to be used in conjunction with the brakes, as well as putting some energy back into the batteries (not all systems do both).....

It's hard to believe that it could actually lock the axle and leave rubber.

What happens when you let off gradually? Normal slowdown?

[Andy4639]

I would say you have a controller problem. If the speed senor is in good order then it would have to be in the controller.
I have had senor magnets come loose and not have the wheels lock up.
Not to say it couldn't happen, I have seen a lot of stuff happen that I don't understand on these things.