EZGO Mid Rise 2" Lift Kit Installation

[golfdwc1019]

Originally Posted by golfdwc1019

Going the route of trying to find longer u-bolts to reach all the way above the axle about an inch so I can bolt the shock plate above the axle. I wasn't thinking clearly yesterday :) The springs definitely go underneath the axle using the stock mounts. Half of the rear lift is in the shackle and the other half is in the spring profile.

If there are any txt owners out there still considering this over a spindle or drop axle lift, I'll note this kit doesn't currently include spring bushings. The golf course I live on eats rear spring bushings.

If anyone reads this, it's worth noting that my kit came with new rear shock mount plates that were not included in the kit pictured in this original post. My main question is how these are installed (assuming they go above the axle). The u-bolts are not long enough and finding a match anywhere online seems difficult (3/8"-16, with a 2" square bend, and about 5" long). I'm not sure resting that mount plate on top of the round axle is such a good idea, anyway, so I'm thinking of just using shock extensions to mount the shocks to the original lower mounts.

I emailed textron this question, and they sent me a reply that sometimes you have to switch the brake assemblies to make this kit work. I assume that comment was well-intentioned, and will help people that don't have enough slack in their brake cables, but it doesn't help with the basic question I have about the shock mount plates.

[golfdwc1019]

Wrapped up the work on the mid-rise lift kit last week. Instead of using the supplied shock mount plates, I chose to make some extensions so the new rear shocks in the kit can attach to the stock shock bottom mount beneath the axle.

Here's my thoughts: the new shocks in the kit are approximately 1" longer than the stock shocks. With the added lift of the supplied springs and the supplied long shackles, these longer shocks would be fully compressed at rest if used with the supplied shock mount plates! (mount plates sitting on top of the axle would be about 2.5" higher than the stock mounting holes). However, they would have less than 1/2" of extension remaining in their travel if mounted directly to the stock mounting holes. Neither solution would work.

Instead, I chose to cut off about 1/2" from the top post of the new shocks, and connect them to some through bolts from the hardware store with a coupling nut (would have preferred threaded rod over a through bolt, but 3/8-24 is a hard size to find!) I had to tighten the through-bolt/coupling nut arrangement with the bushings installed first to properly compress the bushings. Then I put some locktite on the top post of the shock and screwed them into the coupling nuts by hand. The shock is effectively about 2" longer with this home made extension, and the shock is about mid-way through its extension/compression range of movement when the cart is on the ground.

I have no idea whether mid-way is a good position at rest without a load, but the cart rides really smooth now. I replaced all of the spring bushings (not included with the kit). Another thing I learned in the process: the sleeves that come in most bushing replacement kits are more than 2.24" long. They are all too long for the shackle mounts on my 2002 TXT. I found that with side-to-side play at the rear shackle mounts, the back end of the cart tries to steer itself in response to lateral forces (and it steers itself the wrong way at high speed) -- very unnerving. I just cleaned up the original sleeves and the cart rides really nicely now. I guess you could cut the sleeves down, but that sounds like a complete waste of time. I thought in my first test drive that the lift created the instability, but it all disappeared after I put the shorter sleeves back on.

I recommend this 2" mid-rise lift. A drop-spindle lift might be must easier to install, but you have to go at least 4" up to find a reasonably priced kit. A drawback of the spindle and axle lifts is that you still have you old front springs. I can't say I fully understand why, but my front end with the original leafs was rock hard while it's really comfortable with the new leafs, so I'm sure replacing the front springs makes a lot of sense after 20 years. I'd say keep that in mind unless you are already looking at an a-arm lift. With no lift, I was running 21" tires. The only clearance problem I had was full-lock to the right while moving (break pedal assembly), and it was very minor. I now have 2-3" of clearance because the front tires are further forward and lower. I think you could get 23" tires to work.