EZ GO Electric parking break shattered

[Crabb]

Hi
I was just told that the new electric parking break shattered. How can this happen?
TIA

[kgsc]

Usually from it slamming closed from either the battery voltage dropping or from the brakes being applied too hard and the cart tries to do an emergency stop.

[Crabb]

We also had new batteries put in it at the same time. When the break would not engage when we stopped I lifted the seat to see if I could see anything. There was this electronic smell. Could the new batteries have caused this to happen?

[kgsc]

A bad connection can. Was the brake just replaced? If so it might have been too tight or not indexed when installed.

[sthreatt]

A solenoid going bad is a common culprit. If it drops out while running can cause the brake to lose power and slam shut, possibly shattering. Also I hear too often about brake failure shortly after adding new batteries. A weak spot in the harness waiting to happen seems to get pushed over the edge with renewed amperage. "Something" caused it and you wouldn't want to repeat. 99 times out of 100 it wasn't the brake that went bad, it was a failure in the power that keeps the brake open.

[Crabb]

It was just replaced. We also replaced the batteries and tires. When I popped the seat after I could smell a burning electric smell. I also noticed on one of the batteries the connection was a burnt brown color. We had driven it a few times at our trailer park then this happened.

[Crabb]

The mechanic said it was either being driven at full speed then the breaks slammed on or driving fast and it was just turned off. Neither of which were done.

[kernal]

As alluded to by kgsc in post #4 there is a procedure that should be followed when replacing the brake. Over tightening the 3 bolts that hold it on can result in almost immediate failure.
Battery issue could be similar. There is a torque spec for the bolts attaching the cables. Too loose can result in high resistance and melting of connection and too tight pulls the bolt loose inside the battery with the same result.

My personal experience with the brake is I've had to engage the brake at high speed (panic stop) 3 times since early 2016. It did what it is supposed to do and both wheels locked immediately. Don't know how many times you can do this before it fails but no ill effects on mine yet.