Tipping your cart

[LBB]

Hi all,

Unfortunately a distant relative of mine was recently in a very serious accident when their ATV cart flipped over on them.

I know they are different vehicles (although his had a storage tray on the back and was used for hunting), but it got me thinking very seriously about safety.

I've been driving my kids around, and also teaching them to drive it (although not alone).

I think I'm a pretty good driver, but of course the most fun with the carts is making a u turn a little faster than usual.

I may now install seat belts in the cart (both front and for sure when the back seat is installed). I'm also wondering if slightly wider tires that I may soon get will also help a little.

Would appreciate any feedback from the members here. Have you ever flipped your cart?

Sorry for the solemn topic, but I've been a little spooked.

Thanks,

LB

[Sir Nuke]

carts are short wheel base vehicles.....just like a Jeep, a Bronco, or the original
Blazer.... when you put bigger wheels/tires and/or lift them or even just make them go faster you increase the potential of a rollover or flipping. its the nature of the beast.

Yes i have flipped a security cart ... yep too fast a U turn
wider tires and spacers will help
i dont think seat belts help in a flip ( usually you land the cart on its side )

You Tube

You Tube

[meimk]

Originally Posted by crash test dummy

Yes i have flipped a security cart ... yep too fast a U turn
wider tires and spacers will help
i dont think seat belts help in a flip ( usually you land the cart on its side )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwy3qdLe-vY

Agreed. I've never personally seen anyone turn a cart full upside down. Yes it could happen rolling down a hill, but mostly they just lay over on the side. corners too fast, u-turns, and the occasional side crash have been the main culprits. The hip restraints that come on the seat do a pretty good job of keeping people from being thrown off, but seat belts wouldn't hurt - particularly for kids.

[2016CTD]

I have seat belts on the back seat only. The kids use them, some untrusting adults use them also!

[JohnnieB]

As mentioned, carts are short wheelbase vehicles, but more importantly for tipping, they are narrow track vehicles also, plus they have a high center of gravity.

Wheelbase = 65.5"
Track - Front = 33.5"
Track - Rear = 38"
Center of Gravity = No CG data is published, that I can find, but max recommended tilt is only 14°.

Since both the batteries and motor are above the center-line of the axles, my guess the CG is between 1/2 and 2/3 the up the height of the batteries. That makes it from about 14.5" to 16.5" off the ground on a non-lifted cart, 18.5" to 20.5" with a 4" lift and 20.5 to 22.5" with a 6" lift.

If the recommended max tilt angle is only 14° for a stock (non-lifted) cart, I wonder what it is for a lifted cart!!!!

[blekenbleu]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

If the recommended max tilt angle is only 14° for a stock (non-lifted) cart, I wonder what it is for a lifted cart!!!!

Rough calculation: Sin(14) ~ 0.24
Top of batteries (stock) ~ 24 inches
Vertical projection from outer corner of tire @ 24 degree tilt ~ 5.75 inches inboard
Adding 6 inch lift raises battery tops to ~ 30 inches
arcsin(5.75/30) ~ 11 degrees

Max tilt might be more about spilling battery acid than falling over, though.

[blekenbleu]

Originally Posted by meimk

The hip restraints that come on the seat do a pretty good job of keeping people from being thrown off

Did not work well enough for folks visiting our beach. http://www.colletonfire.com/20130830.htm

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by blekenbleu

Rough calculation: Sin(14) ~ 0.24
Top of batteries (stock) ~ 24 inches
Vertical projection from outer corner of tire @ 24 degree tilt ~ 5.75 inches inboard
Adding 6 inch lift raises battery tops to ~ 30 inches
arcsin(5.75/30) ~ 11 degrees

Max tilt might be more about spilling battery acid than falling over, though.

Thanks for breaking out the sliderule.

I suspect you're right about EZGO's recommended Max tilt angle being about spilling the electrolyte rather than rolling the cart, but no matter how you slice it, carts aren't designed for "high" speed cornering.

Something I didn't take into consideration was how much the weight of the driver/passengers raised the CG.

[cgtech]

Yep, I have laid mine on its side. At low speed, "4 wheeling" at steeper angles than I should have been. No serious injury, but I did land on top of my brother (neither of us wearing seatbelts).