2006 EzGo Txt PDS Sounds Like a Motorbike

[RXV Lover]

Hello Buggies,

I need your help once again.

I just replaced the leaf springs on my 2006 Ezgo Txt PDS. With this process, I had to take out the tires to gain access to all the bolts and nut, along with making sure that I don't ruin the brake line on the driver side rear.

The rear sides was done within 12 hours of each, but I don't think it matters.

I just got done with it and unfortunately, the rear sounds like a full throttled motorbike but not running. Seems I need to check the rear axle, as it is spinning but just grinding on something ( I hope not).

Please see the first attachment of something spinning (could be the brake drum), but I did not even unscrewed that thing.

Video 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W0JTCaBD9g

Driver Side Rear - something is spinning inside.

Video 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfLATTG59Lk

Passenger Side Rear.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[sthreatt]

Pop the wheel covers off and see if you can see the axle nuts that hold the drum on. Your cart may have dust covers that you'll have to unbolt the wheel to remove so you can see the axle nuts. If so, remove them. Try to drive again and see if one of the axles is turning inside the drum. If so, you have a stripped out drum spline. If the slipping isnt going on there, then you may have an input shaft spline stripped at the motor shaft. SOMETHING is stripped out, most likely a drum. UPDATE ! After taking a closer look at your first video, you can see the axle turning inside the drum. The drum spline is stripped out.

[RXV Lover]

Originally Posted by sthreatt

Pop the wheel covers off and see if you can see the axle nuts that hold the drum on. Your cart may have dust covers that you'll have to unbolt the wheel to remove so you can see the axle nuts. If so, remove them. Try to drive again and see if one of the axles is turning inside the drum. If so, you have a stripped out drum spline. If the slipping isnt going on there, then you may have an input shaft spline stripped at the motor shaft. SOMETHING is stripped out, most likely a drum. UPDATE ! After taking a closer look at your first video, you can see the axle turning inside the drum. The drum spline is stripped out.

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Strhreatt - Which is very odd as it was just running nicely before the leaf spring replacement.

But thank you. I will open and check that drum and update you.

[sthreatt]

Originally Posted by RXV Lover

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Strhreatt - Which is very odd as it was just running nicely before the leaf spring replacement.

But thank you. I will open and check that drum and update you.

Seen it happen many times. The splines will be stripped out of the drum but the axle is usually still good as it is made of much harder steel that the drum. Before you replace it, be sure to clean out the impacted metal that will be built up in the splines of the axle. An ice pick works well to clean out one spline at a time. When you put the axle nut back on, tighten it as tight as you can then get a cheater bar and tighten it some more, until you can get the cotter pin back in. The general reason they strip out is they werent tight enough.

[RXV Lover]

Originally Posted by sthreatt

Seen it happen many times. The splines will be stripped out of the drum but the axle is usually still good as it is made of much harder steel that the drum. Before you replace it, be sure to clean out the impacted metal that will be built up in the splines of the axle. An ice pick works well to clean out one spline at a time. When you put the axle nut back on, tighten it as tight as you can then get a cheater bar and tighten it some more, until you can get the cotter pin back in. The general reason they strip out is they werent tight enough.

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Streatt - you are right!!!! The splines on the drum are worn out but the drive side axle splines are in really good shape. Like what you suggested, I cleaned out the grinded metal from the axle splines. Ordered a brake drum which will arrive tomorrow.

My question though, are the axles running independently or do they still turn even without the drum? When I hit the "gas" pedal, the passenger side works (turns), but the driver side axle (without the brake drum) does not turn at all. I am thinking that the splines on the rear end (that attaches to the differential - just guessing based on some diagrams I saw) may be bad or could have damaged the other side (where it attaches to), but I hope I am wrong so I don't incur further expenses.

Thanks again for the response (and for future replies).

[sthreatt]

Originally Posted by RXV Lover

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Streatt - you are right!!!! The splines on the drum are worn out but the drive side axle splines are in really good shape. Like what you suggested, I cleaned out the grinded metal from the axle splines. Ordered a brake drum which will arrive tomorrow.

My question though, are the axles running independently or do they still turn even without the drum? When I hit the "gas" pedal, the passenger side works (turns), but the driver side axle (without the brake drum) does not turn at all. I am thinking that the splines on the rear end (that attaches to the differential - just guessing based on some diagrams I saw) may be bad or could have damaged the other side (where it attaches to), but I hope I am wrong so I don't incur further expenses.

Thanks again for the response (and for future replies).

The axles are driven by spider gears in the center section. When they are both on the ground equal torque is applied to both wheels but if you jack one wheel off the ground it will turn freely of the other wheel. Which seems odd in this case because if I am understanding you correctly you're saying that the good wheel is turning and the side with the drum off is not. That should not be unless you have another problem, maybe a bad or busted up axle bearing on the side with the bad drum. With both wheels jacked off the floor the motor will turn the wheel that turns the easiest. With the driver side drum off it should be the easiest side to turn. It should turn the empty axle rather than turn the wheel on the other side unless something is restricting that axle from turning. A bad axle bearing on the stripped side could have contributed to stripping the splines. You might want to look at the axle bearing on the stripped side before you put it back together. ALSO, remember to DON'T mash the brakes while you have a drum off. It will spread the brake shoes on their mounting pins and you'll have that to correct before you can get the new drum on.

[Farrier]

Originally Posted by sthreatt

The axles are driven by spider gears in the center section. When they are both on the ground equal torque is applied to both wheels but if you jack one wheel off the ground it will turn freely of the other wheel. Which seems odd in this case because if I am understanding you correctly you're saying that the good wheel is turning and the side with the drum off is not. That should not be unless you have another problem, maybe a bad or busted up axle bearing on the side with the bad drum. With both wheels jacked off the floor the motor will turn the wheel that turns the easiest. With the driver side drum off it should be the easiest side to turn. It should turn the empty axle rather than turn the wheel on the other side unless something is restricting that axle from turning. A bad axle bearing on the stripped side could have contributed to stripping the splines. You might want to look at the axle bearing on the stripped side before you put it back together. ALSO, remember to DON'T mash the brakes while you have a drum off. It will spread the brake shoes on their mounting pins and you'll have that to correct before you can get the new drum on.

The rear wheels are completely independent of each other. Not a locking or even a post diff in these carts. Since his brake drum splines are blown, all the power is going to the blown splined hub side which is why it sounds like a muffler and the cart is not moving.

[RXV Lover]

Originally Posted by sthreatt

The axles are driven by spider gears in the center section. When they are both on the ground equal torque is applied to both wheels but if you jack one wheel off the ground it will turn freely of the other wheel. Which seems odd in this case because if I am understanding you correctly you're saying that the good wheel is turning and the side with the drum off is not. That should not be unless you have another problem, maybe a bad or busted up axle bearing on the side with the bad drum. With both wheels jacked off the floor the motor will turn the wheel that turns the easiest. With the driver side drum off it should be the easiest side to turn. It should turn the empty axle rather than turn the wheel on the other side unless something is restricting that axle from turning. A bad axle bearing on the stripped side could have contributed to stripping the splines. You might want to look at the axle bearing on the stripped side before you put it back together. ALSO, remember to DON'T mash the brakes while you have a drum off. It will spread the brake shoes on their mounting pins and you'll have that to correct before you can get the new drum on.

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I was able to inspect the axle spline and it looks good. Checking the bearing, there is no hold and it just moves freely from the axle itself. I remember on my RXV when I replaced the passenger side rear axle, I had to yank it out with an improvised bearing puller so I think that is another issue and I need to replace the entire axle.

Below are videos of what I described above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMhl6_AA8iw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJP35D5dx_Y

Unfortunately, the brake drum hub assembly that I ordered from Amazon is not the correct one so I had to order a new set.

Thank you for the reply.

[sthreatt]

Originally Posted by Farrier

The rear wheels are completely independent of each other. Not a locking or even a post diff in these carts. Since his brake drum splines are blown, all the power is going to the blown splined hub side which is why it sounds like a muffler and the cart is not moving.

That's already been determined. He has the stripped drum ( drivers side ) off and it is completely wiped out but the axle splines are still good. What we're trying to determine now is why, with both wheels off the floor and the bad drum off, the motor is turning the passenger side wheel instead of the drivers side axle with no load on it at all. It should be turning the axle with the least resistance, and that SHOULD be the drivers side axle. Something unknown is binding the drivers side axle.

[sthreatt]

Originally Posted by RXV Lover

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I was able to inspect the axle spline and it looks good. Checking the bearing, there is no hold and it just moves freely from the axle itself. I remember on my RXV when I replaced the passenger side rear axle, I had to yank it out with an improvised bearing puller so I think that is another issue and I need to replace the entire axle.

Something is very wrong there. That bearing is supposed to be pressed on to the axle. It looks to me like sometime in the past somebody has replaced a bad bearing on that axle after the old one had locked up and turned on the axle, damaging it. I think you're right to order a new axle. Also, when the axle is replaced back into the axle tube it is supposed to be positioned between two lock rings inside the tube. The new bearing seal goes in first, then a lock ring, then the axle and bearing with a second lock ring to hold everything in place. I feel certain at this point that the bad axle and bearing assembly was the cause of the stripped splines in the drum. It was mounted in such a manner as to allow sideways movement of the axle, chewing up the drum. I couldn't see, was there actually TWO lock rings or had they left one out ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4wSXqJZ_m4