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Electric EZGO Electric EZ GO Marathon, Medalist, TXT and RXV. |
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12-31-2020, 10:10 PM | #1 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 6
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81 Marathon Rebuild
I recently bought a 1981 EZGO Marathon cart that needs some TLC. I am planning on rebuilding it and using it at work to get around the job site, but I have a lot to do to get it ready. I am getting the motor rebuild by Plumb Quick and I am getting new batteries and I will have to probably replace all of the electrical components as they are all worn and corroded. But while I wait for my motor to return I am working on the brakes as when I bought it the brakes did not work. The brake pads looks like they are in really good shape, but the cables do not seem to be pulling hard enough or the components in the brake assembly are so old they are not working. I have been trying to find a brake backing plate assembly for this year, but I cannot find one.
Why will the 82 and newer ones not work, they look identical? Am I going to have to just replace individual parts rather than get a whole new assembly? Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. |
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01-05-2021, 11:09 AM | #2 |
Techno-Nerd
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 19,654
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Re: 81 Marathon Rebuild
Here's a couple of manuals that may be helpful.
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01-12-2021, 12:32 AM | #3 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 6
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Re: 81 Marathon Rebuild
Well, it turns out I didn't have OEM brakes on my cart after all. From the help of another user, Johnny B and going through manuals, my 81 Marathon should not have had automatic adjusting brakes on it, but it did. There was a part number on one of my brake assemblies which I found to be the model number for a '96 yamaha. After looking at my brakes and the replacement brake assemblies available for an '82 Marathon and mine, they looked identical and since I could not find a thread or any information about whether or not newer brakes would work on my cart or not, I decided to buy the replacement ones even though they were not listed to work with my cart. I received the new brakes assemblies and they installed perfectly. The auto adjusting mechanism is very similar, but much tighter, no slop in it like my old ones, and the drums went on just fine. I did need to adjust the brakes bads in a little from how they came, but my keyed drums went over the shoes and only a very slight amount of rubbing can be felt or heard which I presume will go away with a couple of revolutions of the brakes. The only noticeable difference I can see is the lever in the back of the brake assembly where the brake cables attach to is a little longer. I bought new brake cables and hopefully I can make these work, I know I will be able to make them work, but hopefully I can make them work with not too much tinkering. I will post some more photos of the brake cable assembly once I complete this, but for now, here are some photos of the body, somewhat disassembled and with new brakes installed.
I also put a lift kit on this weekend that went ok. The U bolts that came in the kit were not bent quite correctly and there were very few directions, so I did my best to get the back lift spacers in and with a hammer I was able to coax the U bolts into place. Unfortunately one of the threads of one of the U bolts got fowled, so I need to pull that one back out and I will probably need to use a die set to clean up the threads. I will then bore out the hole a little and make the installation a little easier. In hind sight this installation might have been a little easier with the use of a quick-grip clamp or something like it to pull the two threaded pieces in closer together to get them through the plate holes, rather than beat them through, rookie mistake. The back struts were not attached when I bought the cart and the front look very old. Do I really need the struts? My understanding of the struts is that they slow the bouncing down correct, like keep the cart from a prolonged bouncy ride and quite or easy the bumps down? Any tips or recommendations on if I need them or if I do what to replace them with. I do not need anything fancy, I am going to use the cart to drive around a large construction project when done. |
01-15-2021, 07:10 PM | #4 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 31
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Re: 81 Marathon Rebuild
Looks to me like you’re headed in the right direction. I have a Marathon cart as well, check all the rubber bushings in the leaf springs, rear of the cart. Mine were 1/2 worn away. There I a bearing in the top and bottom of the vertical idler, check that for excessive play, mine were both trash. How much of a lift are you installing? I went 5” so 23” tires would fit.
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01-20-2021, 01:31 AM | #5 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 6
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Re: 81 Marathon Rebuild
#Hi Proof - yeah I would say all of the bushings on the shock absorbers, I think i called them struts before, are old and smashed and cracked, although I didn't look at the leaf spring bushings. What is the vertical idler? Can you post a picture of this? I am trying to get this cart working without putting too much money into. I am trying to get everything working, but not super worried about making it cherry as it is for a construction site. I am trying to get a good working knowledge of how to work on these carts before I get a newer model and do a better job on that one, although i don't want to skimp too much.
I did notice that the bushings on the steering assembly look pretty shot, but again, I don't know if i have to replace these. Where did you get you the bushings that you did replace? I have to replace or repair the battery trays as they main 2 battery trays are completely rusted out on both sides, unfortunately I can only find the driver side for sale. WHY? it doesn't make any sense to me why only certain things are available on these older carts, like the battery trays. why would so many sites carry the driver side, but not the passenger side? I ordered two and am going to have a buddy cut off the mounting bracket and reverse it for me as they are mirror images of each other, i just don't understand why whoever is making these things can't do that, but whatever! Guess that's why we are all doing this right, if it was easy it wouldn't be any fun! |
04-24-2021, 09:40 PM | #6 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 14
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Re: 81 Marathon Rebuild
Im just gonna piggyback here, but have you removed the idler arm on this vintage of cart? I can't get the dang tie end out of the top *or* the bottom. I want to replace the idler arm bushing, my steering play is awful.
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06-15-2021, 09:09 AM | #7 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 37
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Re: 81 Marathon Rebuild
How's the build going?
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brake cables, brake issues, brake replacement |
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