2003 DS rear suspension rides harsh

[R&TBabich]

We recently purchased our first cart, 2003 DS Pathway 48v, from the 2nd owner. It has 2 year old batteries and tires. The 2nd owner said he also had installed a 2AWG cable set and HD rear leaf springs. Everything else seems to be original. I have spent hours reading all the threads about the rear suspension, HD springs, dual action springs, shocks, etc. Lots of great info here. I think something is not right with the rear suspension on this cart. It looks like it has HD 4 leaf springs and still has the stock shocks. I think this would explain the missing bushings on the bottom of the lower shock mounts. But, from reading about the HD springs the rear end of the cart doesn't seem to be raised much. The trim along the lower edge of the body between the wheels is only 1/2" higher on the rear end compared to the front. Also, in the pic there is only about a 1/2" gap between the axle snubber and the frame rail. When I sit in the cart the rail is resting on the snubber, which doesn't seem right. When we take it around the block, which is fairly smooth, it feels like there is minimal rear suspension travel.

[jakesnake27]

Those HD springs are why your ride is so harsh. Since they're thicker, that's probably why the snubber is bottoming out. I would recommend some 'medium duty' leaves, which are a good combination of support and ride quality (link below).

http://www.cartpartsplus.com/club-ca...?search=medium

Also, here are the bushings that you need for the shocks: https://www.revolutiongolfcars.com/p...ck-cushion-kit

[R&TBabich]

Originally Posted by jakesnake27

Those HD springs are why your ride is so harsh. Since they're thicker, that's probably why the snubber is bottoming out. ....

I realize the HD springs will have much firmer action, but just sitting there the snubber seems too close. I pulled the end of one of the shocks up and the shock is at the fully extended position with the cart just sitting there unloaded. I'm sure that is why the lower bushings are gone. The shocks are too short.
What is the normal clearance between the snubber and the frame rail? On my cars the snubbers never hit. There is only 1/2" of suspension travel with the shock fully extended like that.

[Raystar57]

I used something like this to get some shock extension on my 03 DS.
Mr. Gasket 1290 Shock Extension
Gave me good shock travel. I am using Dual Action leaf springs.

[Fairtax4me]

The HD springs are probably not helping.
Is this a limo cart? 4 seater or 6 seater?
If its a limo cart it should have had factory HD springs, which are way better than aftermarket HD springs IMO.

The bump stops are usually petty close to the frame like that. The bump stops on the front shocks are the same way, only about 1/2" of room before they are bottomed out. It's like that on purpose.

The shocks should definitely have 2 bushings on the bottom. Kinda seems like they tried to put them back together with the cart in the air and the shocks wouldn't reach all the way. With the cart on the ground and weight on the springs there is plenty enough of the threaded shaft to put the bushings back on properly.

[R&TBabich]

Originally Posted by Fairtax4me

The HD springs are probably not helping.
Is this a limo cart? 4 seater or 6 seater?
....

The bump stops are usually petty close to the frame like that. The bump stops on the front shocks are the same way, only about 1/2" of room before they are bottomed out. It's like that on purpose.

The shocks should definitely have 2 bushings on the bottom. Kinda seems like they tried to put them back together with the cart in the air and the shocks wouldn't reach all the way. With the cart on the ground and weight on the springs there is plenty enough of the threaded shaft to put the bushings back on properly.

This a regular 2 seater DS model with the factory Pathway street legal kit.
The factory roll bar probably adds a little extra weight to the rear.
With the cart on the ground the shocks can easily be installed.
When attached the rear shocks are fully extended just sitting there.

With HD rear springs shouldn't there be a little rake with the rear end higher compared to the stock springs?
And if the rear end is a little higher wouldn't there be more than 1/2" between the bump stop and the frame?
After installing the appropriate bushings on the bottom of the rear shocks there is 1/2" of upward travel of the axle and 0" of downward travel.
When I sit in the cart the 1/2" gap goes away and the frame rail is sitting on the bump stop.
I think the previous owner drove it this way for 2 years on smooth asphalt roads in his 10MPH gated community so it wasn't a big deal.
I'm thinking the rear springs were only "working" on the ends and are now shot.
They are fairly flat in the middle half and at the ends they start to arch.
I'm going to install a rear seat so I'm also thinking of replacing the HD springs with dual action springs and the shocks with Monroes.
Getting a rear seat on there will require some custom brackets to work around the roll bar.
A couple of years ago I went thru a lot of this upgrading our 2002 Excursion to F250 rear leaf springs replacing the mushy OEM units.

[mrgolf]

Can you just take the snubber off?

[R&TBabich]

Originally Posted by R&TBabich

..... After installing the appropriate bushings on the bottom of the rear shocks there is 1/2" of upward travel of the axle and 0" of downward travel. ....

My son & I took another look at this setup with the shock absorber bushings installed properly.
There is actually no travel between the axle and the frame bump stop.
The only "give" in the rear suspension is the very ends of the leaf pack.
Whoever installed these HD springs must have had someone sit in the back when they connected the stock shocks.

[Winston Ellis]

I had the same issue when I put extended shackles on my cart. I had the rear shock installed and it was so tight that there was 0 travel in the rear due to the shock. I took off the rear bolt and let the shock float out back for a weekend and it was fine. It felt like I was driving in a semi. I ended up getting some shock extenders and that solved my issue. I now have a HD 3 leaf pack with those same extenders and its still fine.

[Fairtax4me]

Originally Posted by R&TBabich

This a regular 2 seater DS model with the factory Pathway street legal kit.


With HD rear springs shouldn't there be a little rake with the rear end higher compared to the stock springs?
And if the rear end is a little higher wouldn't there be more than 1/2" between the bump stop and the frame?
After installing the appropriate bushings on the bottom of the rear shocks there is 1/2" of upward travel of the axle and 0" of downward travel.
When I sit in the cart the 1/2" gap goes away and the frame rail is sitting on the bump stop.
I think the previous owner drove it this way for 2 years on smooth asphalt roads in his 10MPH gated community so it wasn't a big deal.
I'm thinking the rear springs were only "working" on the ends and are now shot.
They are fairly flat in the middle half and at the ends they start to arch.
I'm going to install a rear seat so I'm also thinking of replacing the HD springs with dual action springs and the shocks with Monroes.
Getting a rear seat on there will require some custom brackets to work around the roll bar.

Depending which rear seat kit you install it should add about 150lbs to the back of the cart which might help, but I agree you need to change something about the bump-stops and the shock/spring arrangement.
A regular DS cart doesn't have those bump stops and really doesn't need them. IMO you can remove those or cut them down and get some room between them and the frame and that will help.

Yes, with the HD springs there should be a bit more height in the back, but your roll bar might be enough weight to counter that.
I would try trimming those bump stops, and swapping out the shocks for the longer Monroe shocks before changing the springs.
Also try adding a few bags of cat litter or a bag or two of concrete in the back to simulate the extra weight of a rear seat kit and see how it rides with the HD springs.
The D/A springs are good for a standard cart, but most carts don't have a roll bar and that might be a bit too much weight for the D/A springs.


Whats being held on by the wing nut under there? Those are generally grade 2, and not meant for handling any kind of structural loading, so if it's holding something important that should be replaced with at least a grade 5 bolt.