03 EZGO won't move in forward or reverse

[Bamarep]

New to the forum guys. My employer gave me an 03 (I think) cart because they bought a new one. When I got it home, I discovered the passenger axle/hub was stripped so I replaced those. When I had it on jack stands the rear wheels would spin fine in forward or reverse. Set her down and went to the end of the drive way and she died when I hit the brakes before going out into the street.

I got her back in the garage and jacked up again and in either forward or reverse the wheels will just barely turn. Put a meter on the batteries with the throttle pressed and none of them drop very much. I'm showing 38.9V so I believe the batteries are fine.

Help!!!

[yurtle]

Welcome.

First, it's good to know which drive type you have.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...en-system.html

To clarify, when it died, did the solenoid click, yet no movement? Did you place the run/tow switch in tow before pushing it? It may not have one if it's a series.

You say batteries didn't drop much, and your pack voltage looks good, does this mean the motor is turning, but very slowly?

[Bamarep]

Mine is a series. It also has a Curtis controller. It made no noise when it stopped. It didn't really "stop" I pressed the brake to slow down and it just wouldn't move after that. I didn't put it in "tow" when I pushed it back in the garage. When off of jack stands, you can hear the solenoid engage in either forward or reverse but you feel just a slight surge where it tries to move. Off of jack stands, the wheel will turn but just barely.

I'm new to electric rigs but I'm a fairly decent wrench so forgive me if I miss something simple on the electric rigs.

[yurtle]

Series has no run/tow. So the solenoid does click every time? There is a small microswitch below the floor that makes a quiet click, so see if it's coming from the passenger side, under the rear plastic cover. That's the controller and solenoid.

Don't hold the pedal down for more than a second or two if it's not moving, as things could overheat.

So to clarify, does the solenoid click? When you say off the jack stands the wheels will turn but just barely, are you saying the motor is turning (which means solenoid IS clicking)?

[Bamarep]

No, the wheels only will turn if it is ON the jack. One the ground, there just this slight motion and then a faint jerking/shaking but it won't move.

The solenoid is definitely "clicking" like it normally would. I can hear the foot switch making a sound when the pedal is depressed.

[yurtle]

One quick thing to test is a four wire Molex connector that connects the throttle box to the wiring harness, usually located between the controller/solenoid the the forward/neutral/reverse (FNR, F/R, F&R) switch, as seen in the attached. Try unplugging it, spray contact cleaner, WD-40, or even alcohol, plug, unplug, plug a few times, then try again. Let us know.

Also, make sure the FNR is fully in F or R when you try and go.

[Bamarep]

Thanks. Did make sure that connector was plugged in tight. I'll take it apart this afternoon and spray with contact cleaner and plug back up.

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by Bamarep

Thanks. Did make sure that connector was plugged in tight. I'll take it apart this afternoon and spray with contact cleaner and plug back up.

If you've already looked at it, I wouldn't hold my breath. With mine, once I found it, it just took wiggling it to get it to go. I put off fixing it far years, as I could literally just bang it even in the dark. I finally just cut it off and soldered the wire pairs. I've heard of folks cleaning it to get it to work.

Gotta go. Charger board just came. Third times a charm? Nope. This is its forth.

[Bamarep]

If that plug is that big of a PIA (which reading some of the other threads it is) I'll just eliminate the dang thing.

I downloaded the parts and service manual so I'll have those on hand.

[scottyb]

It could be the F&R contacts are bad just letting enough amperage by to run the wheels with no load, but not enough to go on the ground.
You can remove the center nut on the rear side then slide the center pivot shaft and switch cam out enough to see the 8 contact points inside. They should all be the same shiny copper color. Any discoloration is suspect as is any burned areas.