lifted club cars - lifted ezgo
Home FAQDonate Who's Online
Go Back   Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum > Golf Cart Repair and Troubleshooting > Electric Club Car
Electric Club Car Electric DS, and Precedent golf cars



Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-18-2020, 02:15 PM   #1
JWreck
Getting Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 101
Default Squeaks and Rattles

Hi all!

Quarantine has caused me to run out of things to do, and I’ve been delaying some cart work. Appreciations to David @ Revolution for helping me identify some bushings needed!

I’m interested in what a “normal” cart sounds like...that’s a weird statement! I’d ask a neighbor but with social distancing, I’m trying to avoid that.

I captured a video of me turning a small circle off my
driveway, a little uneven. You can hear the various noises. I’m less concerned about the “noise” and more concerned things that may be worn out.

So far I’m getting new front shocks, tie rod ends, and spring bushings. I feel like something is creaking from the rear too, and you can hear it at the end of the video.

Anything else I’m missing based on the sounds you can hear?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DRX42z7kgk






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JWreck is offline   Reply With Quote
Alt Today
BGW

Golf car forum Sponsored Links

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum
   
Old 04-18-2020, 02:51 PM   #2
Jake_Daddy
Gone Wild
 
Jake_Daddy's Avatar
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Florida
Posts: 370
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

In the rear I would look to make sure the u-bolts that holds the rear end to the cart are tight, and by tight I mean real f***king tight or you will get creaks and squeals out of it. When I first did my lift kit I thought I had it plenty tight but I would get a knock if I accelerated aggressively so I cranked it down a few more threads and it went away then like a month later I got a few small squeaks and cranked it down again another thread or two and haven’t had an issue since.
Jake_Daddy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2020, 03:08 PM   #3
JWreck
Getting Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 101
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake_Daddy View Post
In the rear I would look to make sure the u-bolts that holds the rear end to the cart are tight, and by tight I mean real f***king tight or you will get creaks and squeals out of it. When I first did my lift kit I thought I had it plenty tight but I would get a knock if I accelerated aggressively so I cranked it down a few more threads and it went away then like a month later I got a few small squeaks and cranked it down again another thread or two and haven’t had an issue since.

I will check it out, thanks for the tip!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JWreck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-18-2020, 05:43 PM   #4
Dragracer_Art
Gone Wild
 
Dragracer_Art's Avatar
Club Car
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: GA
Posts: 352
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

I think these carts have alot of body flex.
When I cross over curbs or get in rough terrain, everything flexes and squeaks. Even the roof supports will crack and creak.
Dragracer_Art is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-19-2020, 08:26 PM   #5
JWreck
Getting Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 101
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

So I looked at the rear and the shock bushings are shot! I can’t find them anywhere...would be nice to have someone to call and get all the bushings from the same place. I’m used to that from the automotive world.

I guess this is what I’m looking at and can find so far:

A Arm bushings
Front shocks
Rear leaf spring bushings

I don’t know where to find these:

1 - Front central leaf spring bushings
2 - Rear shock bushings





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JWreck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2020, 08:53 AM   #6
Fairtax4me
Bonafide Nincompoop
 
Fairtax4me's Avatar
Club Car
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Charlottesburg Va
Posts: 8,987
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

Shock bushings don't squeak. They never move. Those could stand to be replaced, but it's not going to make any difference in noise. Don't forget there is a set of bushings at the top of the shock as well.

Those bushings on the front leaf spring that comes with the A-arm lifts are generic shock /anti sway bar link bushings. Those don't look bad to me, and they really don't move that much. If you want to replace them look in the performance/aftermarket section of any auto parts store for sway bar bushings and you'll find a couple different varieties of polyurethane ones. Or you can order a cheap kit of sway bar end links and just steal those bushings from the kit. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...6&gclsrc=aw.ds

On the Front you're most likely to get noise from the heim joints where the king pin is attached to the upper and lower control arms. That's a metal on metal joint, and any dirt that gets in there is gonna wear it out and make a hell of a racket. Those are generic and replaceable if you can properly measure them for size. How old is that lift and who made it? There are other bushings in the front control arms that wear out as well and those can be difficult to get new depending on who made the lift. Some people opt to just replace older lift kits with new ones.

The Rear leaf spring bushings on the precedents are bad about squeaking. My fix is usually to remove them and remove the center sleeve and coat it with anti-seize and that keeps them quite for a few years. If the bushings are too worn out or the centers are worn egg shaped than replacing them is the best fix, but if you're in a pinch white lithium spray grease, or heavy duty garage door silicone spray will quiet them up for a little while.
There are new polyurethane bushings that don't squeak. David sells them and any other bushing you need, except maybe those front spring bushings.
Fairtax4me is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2020, 09:04 AM   #7
Jake_Daddy
Gone Wild
 
Jake_Daddy's Avatar
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Florida
Posts: 370
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

X2 on those heim joints. Those look a bit more corroded than mine, I give them a shot of PB blast and 3 in 1 oil anytime I have them out and think about it.
Jake_Daddy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2020, 11:04 AM   #8
JWreck
Getting Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 101
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fairtax4me View Post
Shock bushings don't squeak. They never move. Those could stand to be replaced, but it's not going to make any difference in noise. Don't forget there is a set of bushings at the top of the shock as well.

Those bushings on the front leaf spring that comes with the A-arm lifts are generic shock /anti sway bar link bushings. Those don't look bad to me, and they really don't move that much. If you want to replace them look in the performance/aftermarket section of any auto parts store for sway bar bushings and you'll find a couple different varieties of polyurethane ones. Or you can order a cheap kit of sway bar end links and just steal those bushings from the kit. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...6&gclsrc=aw.ds

On the Front you're most likely to get noise from the heim joints where the king pin is attached to the upper and lower control arms. That's a metal on metal joint, and any dirt that gets in there is gonna wear it out and make a hell of a racket. Those are generic and replaceable if you can properly measure them for size. How old is that lift and who made it? There are other bushings in the front control arms that wear out as well and those can be difficult to get new depending on who made the lift. Some people opt to just replace older lift kits with new ones.

The Rear leaf spring bushings on the precedents are bad about squeaking. My fix is usually to remove them and remove the center sleeve and coat it with anti-seize and that keeps them quite for a few years. If the bushings are too worn out or the centers are worn egg shaped than replacing them is the best fix, but if you're in a pinch white lithium spray grease, or heavy duty garage door silicone spray will quiet them up for a little while.
There are new polyurethane bushings that don't squeak. David sells them and any other bushing you need, except maybe those front spring bushings.

Thank you! I probably will replace shock bushings just because I’ll have it all apart anyway. The lift kit is probably a knockoff of an All Sports one. It’s actually not bad, I noticed last night when I bounce the front end a bit, the central part of the A arms seem to be what’s squeaking. I may disassemble and grease everything up.

The heim joints are a mystery to me so I need to read up a bit more on those. I’ve used some lithium type grease on them but doesn’t seem to last long.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JWreck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2020, 06:25 PM   #9
JWreck
Getting Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 101
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

Update: I greased up the rear leaf spring bushings and that made a world of difference. We will see how long it lasts. I’m still going to order new front A arm bushings, and still need to figure out these heim joints.

I also pulled off the roof of the cart, fished out a couple small pieces of metal clanking around in the support frame, and lined all the touch points with felt tape. The top no longer makes a sound.

Still creaking on suspension flex, which I suspect is either the front A arm or leaf springs, time for process of elimination.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JWreck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2020, 08:03 AM   #10
JWreck
Getting Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 101
Default Re: Squeaks and Rattles

I continue to lube the rear leaf spring bolts and bushings, shown in red in the picture, to get rid of squeaking. Any way to permanently solve this? I’m happy to buy whatever parts are necessary.

Also I’m fairly certain these are heavy duty leaf springs but how can you tell? From what I see in bad images online the normal ones seem to look the same?

Cart is still pretty clunky overall, would love to make it more silent.

JWreck is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply
Go Back   Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum > Golf Cart Repair and Troubleshooting > Electric Club Car


Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Forum
RXV still rattles/clunks Electric EZGO
99 TXT new motor rattles under load Gas EZGO
G9 steering box rattles when driving on gravel Electric Yamaha
Radio rattles/ caused by roof? Electric Yamaha
road feeder rattles Electric EZGO


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:51 PM.


Club Car Electric | EZGO Electric | Lifted Golf Carts | Gas EZGO | Used Golf Carts and Parts

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This Website and forum is the property of Buggiesgonewild.com. No material may be taken or duplicated in part or full without prior written consent of the owners of buggiesgonewild.com. © 2006-2017 Buggiesgonewild.com. All rights reserved.