The Gover-nator

[PIB-My-Ride]

My cart has a zipped-tied governor spring and a functional rev limiter. This gets me to about 22 mph at 4100 RPM when the limiter kicks in. I would like to adjust the governor to keep the revs near or below 4,000.

I've also noticed decreased amount of torque lately. When carrying passengers, it needs a long stretch to reach max speed. I suspected a weak spring.

I discussed this with a local dealer, and he believes the zip-tie, not the driven clutch, is responsible for the performance issue. (I've never adjusted the throttle rod, and he didn't bring it up)

He recommended removing the tie and loosening and lubricating the governor arm at the post instead.

I'm willing to try the theory, but I'm not sure I fully understand how the governor works in the first place. It appears that the post from the gearbox turns with the axle, and friction from the clamp on the arm torques the governor arm against the spring to reduce throttle. It makes sense that by restricting the spring, or by loosening the grip of the arm on the post, that the governor function is relaxed or defeated. What doesn't make sense is that it seems crude - friction doesn't seem like a reliable way to control speed, yet governors are very consistent.

What am I missing?