02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse

paoutdoorsman · 08-11-2016, 12:55 PM

I have a 2002 Club Car / Ingersoll Rand CarryAll 900 with a key start Kawasaki FS290 gas engine. If I start the cart in neutral, then attempt to shift to forward or reverse, it will often grind into gear rather than engage smoothly.

I originally thought the issue was that the primary clutch was not releasing at idle, and therefore the belt was turning the transaxle all the time. However I bought a brand new Club Car primary clutch (Part # 101833902) and installed it, and there was no change. The clutch still engages slightly as soon as the engine is started. I have the idle set as low as possible. Did I get the wrong clutch, or is this correct behavior? Or is there something else that would be causing this?

meimk · 08-11-2016, 08:24 PM

If the clutch is closing on the belt, your idle speed is still too fast. Your clutch should have an idle bearing that the belt can turn on before the plates of the clutch start to move.

paoutdoorsman · 08-12-2016, 08:52 AM

My clutch does have an idle bearing, but the sheaves close at idle and grab the belt. Both the old and the brand new clutch did this.

I was told last night that this model was never intended to be able to shift gears at idle, and that the primary clutch sheaves engaging at idle is normal. So I ordered a stiffer primary spring that will raise the engagement RPM's. Should be here next week so I can try it out.

rayjayy · 08-12-2016, 09:05 PM

I wonder if you could just shim your existing spring ?

HBR · 08-13-2016, 06:49 AM

I have just recently gone through this. Looking back on it part of my "problem" was that I was testing the clutch behavior without the belt in place. And when I installed the belt for additional testing, I was doing so with a brand new belt.

With the stock spring, I couldn't set the idle low enough to keep the drive clutch from engaging.

I had an aluminum spacer from a set of mx forks that fit perfectly in the clutch where the spring rides. This preloaded the stock spring. It made a small difference but the clutch still engaged at the lowest idle.

I then got a 200 rpm spring and it definitely fixed the "problem" of the clutch engaging at idle. The only thing now was that I didn't like the shifting characteristics of the heavier spring.

So I went back the stock spring and gave up on being able to idle in gear. Once the new belt broke in the cart is now able to idle in gear and I can shift between idle and F/W with no problems.

Bbr · 05-28-2021, 08:10 PM

Mine hard to shift at idle also, have to pump the gas so motor almost stalls then shift quick while idle is down

Bbr · 05-28-2021, 08:14 PM

Oh lol old post, id like to know if it solved problem, if it mad take off jerky?

08-11-2016, 12:55 PM	#1
paoutdoorsman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2	02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse I have a 2002 Club Car / Ingersoll Rand CarryAll 900 with a key start Kawasaki FS290 gas engine. If I start the cart in neutral, then attempt to shift to forward or reverse, it will often grind into gear rather than engage smoothly. I originally thought the issue was that the primary clutch was not releasing at idle, and therefore the belt was turning the transaxle all the time. However I bought a brand new Club Car primary clutch (Part # 101833902) and installed it, and there was no change. The clutch still engages slightly as soon as the engine is started. I have the idle set as low as possible. Did I get the wrong clutch, or is this correct behavior? Or is there something else that would be causing this?
paoutdoorsman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2

08-11-2016, 08:24 PM	#2
meimk Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 2,827	Re: 02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse If the clutch is closing on the belt, your idle speed is still too fast. Your clutch should have an idle bearing that the belt can turn on before the plates of the clutch start to move.

08-12-2016, 08:52 AM	#3
paoutdoorsman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2	Re: 02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse My clutch does have an idle bearing, but the sheaves close at idle and grab the belt. Both the old and the brand new clutch did this. I was told last night that this model was never intended to be able to shift gears at idle, and that the primary clutch sheaves engaging at idle is normal. So I ordered a stiffer primary spring that will raise the engagement RPM's. Should be here next week so I can try it out.
paoutdoorsman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2

08-12-2016, 09:05 PM	#4
rayjayy Not Yet Wild Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Buford Ga Posts: 25	Re: 02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse I wonder if you could just shim your existing spring ?

08-13-2016, 06:49 AM	#5
HBR Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 623	Re: 02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse I have just recently gone through this. Looking back on it part of my "problem" was that I was testing the clutch behavior without the belt in place. And when I installed the belt for additional testing, I was doing so with a brand new belt. With the stock spring, I couldn't set the idle low enough to keep the drive clutch from engaging. I had an aluminum spacer from a set of mx forks that fit perfectly in the clutch where the spring rides. This preloaded the stock spring. It made a small difference but the clutch still engaged at the lowest idle. I then got a 200 rpm spring and it definitely fixed the "problem" of the clutch engaging at idle. The only thing now was that I didn't like the shifting characteristics of the heavier spring. So I went back the stock spring and gave up on being able to idle in gear. Once the new belt broke in the cart is now able to idle in gear and I can shift between idle and F/W with no problems.
HBR Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 623

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05-28-2021, 08:10 PM	#6
Bbr Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Past where the pavement ends Posts: 86	Re: 02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse Mine hard to shift at idle also, have to pump the gas so motor almost stalls then shift quick while idle is down

05-28-2021, 08:14 PM	#7
Bbr Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Past where the pavement ends Posts: 86	Re: 02 Club Car Grinds when shifting into Forward or Reverse Oh lol old post, id like to know if it solved problem, if it mad take off jerky?

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