Forward / Reverse lever very hard to turn

[rjwenter]

Hi. I have a 2001 EZ-GO. The forward / reverse lever is very stiff. I had it out yesterday and it was very hard to get into reverse. About a week ago I had it out and when I switched it from reverse to forward it was still going in reverse...but after moving the lever back and forth a couple of times it went in forward again. Is there something I need to lubricate to loosen things up? Any suggestions on how I should approach this problem? Thanks a lot.

[Wynelocked]

There's a black cover with a 10mm bolt thru it.Take it off an spay the whole thing with wd40.It will free up the shift lever.

[rjwenter]

Thanks. This is my first cart and I don't know a darn thing about it. Is that cover right behind the F/R lever? Thanks.

[Wynelocked]

Originally Posted by rjwenter

Thanks. This is my first cart and I don't know a darn thing about it. Is that cover right behind the F/R lever? Thanks.

follow the rods under the seat.You will see where they go.I believe the the box is under the passenger side.There are some nylon rollers.They get dry an make them hard to shift.I usually spray the swivel an the rear of the shift lever as well.

[rjwenter]

Thanks for your help. I will give it a try and let you know how it goes

[lynnsmailbox1@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by Wynelocked

follow the rods under the seat.You will see where they go.I believe the the box is under the passenger side.There are some nylon rollers.They get dry an make them hard to shift.I usually spray the swivel an the rear of the shift lever as well.

Thanks Wynelocked, I tried the WD-40 on the F/R on my 1989 & 2004 EZ GO's that were both very hard to move. The WD-40 worked magic on both. Lynn

[Redbirdman]

Just joined and learning the ropes here so please forgive me for resurrecting this post.
We bought a 2001 TXT to use as a 'neighborhood car' and also had the shifting problem. I found by repositioning the lever 90 degrees it became much eaiser to shift "up and down" rather than "right to left". Now, by we are lifting and pushing the lever rather than twisting it. Also, WD 40 is a great product. However, the WD stands for "water dispersant" and was originally designed ( after 39 tries) to prevent rusting, not so much lubricating. In the aviation field WD is good as a start, but lubrication is preferred with silicone since it does not let dust and grime build up as much. So, thats my contribution for now.
But one question re the lever. I can not find the so-called "detent" for neutral on the 2001 quadrant. I realize repositioning the lever has nothing to do with the actual shifting mechanism , so Am I missing something? I would like to be able to put the car in neutral for a minute while the engine warms up.
Thanks people, and thanks for a great site.

[meimk]

I'm not positive what year the changed, but your 2001 should have the neutral lock out on the back side of the shifter. There will be a small arm with a spring on it's pivot. Pull out on the arm to bring it out of the hole it parks in, and swing it around to one side. Then as you move the shifter between fwd & rvs it will lock it into neutral. Newer versions have a similar system located at the transaxle end of the cables.

[CP241]

My 2001 TXT did not have a detent for neutral. You just had to put it at 12 o'clock and it worked. Same applies to my 07 workhorse, no detent for neutral.

[meimk]

Originally Posted by CP241

My 2001 TXT did not have a detent for neutral. You just had to put it at 12 o'clock and it worked. Same applies to my 07 workhorse, no detent for neutral.

Not a detent, but a separate locking pin that keeps it in neutral for servicing. The 01 will be on the back of the shifter, the 07 at the transaxle end. Look closely and you'll find them. I've known owners who've had their cart for a decade or more and never knew it was there.