Heads up about lift kits

[mrgolf]

I installed 4 inch lift kits and 22 inch tires on both my golf carts this past summer. I really like the way they look and they made it posiable to do a good alignment on the front wheels. They give me good clearance when loading on my trailer etc.

Here is the problem. I am 70 inches tall. When I get in the carts my right hip most always bumps the seat handle as I get on the cart. Back in November it finally made me pay. My right leg and knee went out on me, I fell and could not walk, the doctor said it was a pinched nerve in my right hip. It seems that all this bumping the hip pinched the siadic nerve. I was down for two weeks before I could even set upright. I'm doing just fine now but I changed the tires on my DS back to 20 inch and stopped carrying my wallet in my rear pocket.

Hoping someone reads this and Learns from my mastake.

[william h]

Explains some things

[BlueandWhiteRV]

Wallet in pocket is huge. I changed how I carry mine.

[Tom47]

I too am 70" tall, and also 70 old!

I love my 18" tires for that exact reason. I rode in a few lifted carts and decided to keep mine stock.

[jsmith294]

Ouch, makes my leg hurt just to read your post!

I'm 6" taller than mrgolf so my fat arse would clear the seat arm, but because of stability issues I, too, prefer an unlifted cart. Stock carts are reasonably stable at low speed and when not overloaded. A lift and large diameter tires can raises the c.g. by a huge amount. Hit a bad bump or break a suspension component and a lifted cart may tip. Lifted carts are often fast carts, and lateral acceleration in high-speed turns can also cause tipping. Finally, I am not convinced that all lift kits are created equal from an engineering perspective. A lifted suspension should be tuned to provide compliance values and damping ratios consistent with the higher mass center. Instead, some kits seem to reuse the original springs and shocks. I've seen several carts that have tipped over. All were lifted. Thanks to soft roads and low speeds nobody to my knowledge has been seriously hurt.

The stability problem for lifted carts will be exacerbated when we begin retrofitting LI battery packs to old carts. Losing several hundred pounds of lead ballast low in the cart will also raise the center of mass....

[Htownblue]

That’s why 6 inch lifts are better. Requires Your effort to consciously avoid the arm rest when entering cart. At least that’s what I’m telling myself because I don’t want to lower my rides. Hahahaha

[Rooster59]

Get in the cart on the passenger side. More room over the seat bar with no steering wheel in the way.

[dundeebarnbuggy]

Originally Posted by jsmith294

Ouch, makes my leg hurt just to read your post!

I'm 6" taller than mrgolf so my fat arse would clear the seat arm, but because of stability issues I, too, prefer an unlifted cart. Stock carts are reasonably stable at low speed and when not overloaded. A lift and large diameter tires can raises the c.g. by a huge amount. Hit a bad bump or break a suspension component and a lifted cart may tip. Lifted carts are often fast carts, and lateral acceleration in high-speed turns can also cause tipping. Finally, I am not convinced that all lift kits are created equal from an engineering perspective. A lifted suspension should be tuned to provide compliance values and damping ratios consistent with the higher mass center. Instead, some kits seem to reuse the original springs and shocks. I've seen several carts that have tipped over. All were lifted. Thanks to soft roads and low speeds nobody to my knowledge has been seriously hurt.

The stability problem for lifted carts will be exacerbated when we begin retrofitting LI battery packs to old carts. Losing several hundred pounds of lead ballast low in the cart will also raise the center of mass....

WELL said.