81 ds brakes suck !

[ERV JR]

I have an 81 ds, lifted I had 20 inch tires and just went to 22" on ITP's this last week, the cart runs 16mph but the brakes are junk.
I replaced the shoes when I bought the cart but the brakes arent very good. I can tighten the adjusters and the brakes work ok for a bit but then get bad quickly. When I do adjust them they will lock the wheels up, normally on hard pack dirt roads. They fade away and even with them adjusted they require alot of force on the pedal. They have always been like that with teh 20" tires and even worse with the 22".
My ez go brakes work great and dont require alot of force like this cart. My wife and kids use the club car and its normally busy at the park so I need them to be safe

[OLD MEC]

When you replaced the shoes did you clean and lubricate the backing plates where shoes make contact, AND REMOVE GROVE WORN INTO BACKING PLATE so shoes can retract properly? While apart did you dissasemble and clean the brake adjusters with brake cleaner and use brake lub? Also did you remove the cables at both ends from arms at ( clevis pin ) on outside back of brakes and pedal connections and lubricate cables and make sure they are free traveling? Having cables or springs not retracting wears shoes down in short time and over heats brakes causing a glazing on shoes and drums enough to not have any stopping power. By removing drums and performing lubrication and repairs above and sanding shoe faces and drum surfaces you should have much better barkes. On a cart that old you could also have weak pedal return springs again allowing drag on shoes, and or worn brake pedal bushings that should have been lubed at least once a year?.
By going with lift and larger tires you also put more load on brakes made for only 8-12 MPH MAX speed at best? Club Car brakes on a stock cart working correctly will slide tires on hard stop at 8-12 MPH, but are not made for higher speeds?
My own personal CC with heavy custom body is able to slide 10" tires whenever needed.

[ERV JR]

Originally Posted by OLD MEC

When you replaced the shoes did you clean and lubricate the backing plates where shoes make contact, AND REMOVE GROVE WORN INTO BACKING PLATE so shoes can retract properly? While apart did you dissasemble and clean the brake adjusters with brake cleaner and use brake lub? Also did you remove the cables at both ends from arms at ( clevis pin ) on outside back of brakes and pedal connections and lubricate cables and make sure they are free traveling? Having cables or springs not retracting wears shoes down in short time and over heats brakes causing a glazing on shoes and drums enough to not have any stopping power. By removing drums and performing lubrication and repairs above and sanding shoe faces and drum surfaces you should have much better barkes. On a cart that old you could also have weak pedal return springs again allowing drag on shoes, and or worn brake pedal bushings that should have been lubed at least once a year?.
By going with lift and larger tires you also put more load on brakes made for only 8-12 MPH MAX speed at best? Club Car brakes on a stock cart working correctly will slide tires on hard stop at 8-12 MPH, but are not made for higher speeds?
My own personal CC with heavy custom body is able to slide 10" tires whenever needed.

Yes I did all the above, i did it like a normal brake job I would do on anything else. I lubed the backing plate surface, made sure the cables moved freely.
the shoes arent hanging up and dragging, I can drive the cart around and then coast to a stop and can put my hand on the drum and it isnt hot, also you dont feel the drag of a stuck shoe slowing it down and no exessive heat.
I am starting to wonder if the axle seals are seeping and getting oil on the shoes, but dont thing thats the case since I tighten the adjuster and they work better. I need to take more time and look at it the problem is the carts are out at our place at the river and I like to enjoy my time out there not the whole time there. I was very happywith the top speed with the new tires

[scottyb]

Stock brakes are not real good with big tires and higher speeds.

[ERV JR]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Stock brakes are not real good with big tires and higher speeds.

they plain suck, even if im just crusing around. they have to be better than they are, the ezgo brakes are fine

[OLD MEC]

If there was a seal leaking enough to cause problems you would see it on shoes and drum contact surface. I find that the return springs and shoe retainer clips on golf carts get weak fast and this would possibly cause part of your problems? I have found that alot of the after market brake shoes dont work as well as CC shoes ( old carts like yours used asbestos shoes originally are now outlawed ) but on that old a cart am not sure of what availabilty from CC? You might try sanding the shoe surfaces and drum surface with fine emery paper and see if that helps? Of course new shoes have to wear in and this takes some time as drum turning shops for golf carts is hard or impossible to find anymore?
As indicated before I will match any CC stock brakes against any other brand of golf cart for performance, but we all must face the fact that mechanical brakes will never stop like hydraulics, nor will 2 wheel barkes work like 4 wheel brakes?

[scottyb]

I'm a little surprised he keeps saying his ezgo brakes work better because typically the CC brakes are more effective. So there may a problem with them not actuating properly. 2 wheel hydraulic rears are a day and night difference over stock and 4 wheel is just a remarkable improvement. If you wish to pursue the stock breakes I would get new cables, shoes, drums, springs, & adjusters. That will get her back up to par. If the drum & front shoe are very worn you may not have enough travel left to press the shoe out as far as needed.

[ERV JR]

I turned the drums when I did the shoes. I did all this when I got the cart about 5 years ago. The cart stays at out vacation place and doesent see alot of use. I used the sand paper trick when I got the cart on the olde shoes to test the cart out. I then decided i didnt want to hassle with the brakes once I fixed the body painted it and brought it to the river. So I did the brakes as part of the build up. It seems like there isnt enough leverage and takes a ton of effort to make them work

[OLD MEC]

As SCOTTYB said its possible you dont have enough brake shoe contact since you already have turned the drums? It really doesnt take much loss to make a real BIG difference. You sound knowledgable on brakes so it might be worth removing drums to see how much surface really is touching Drums. A 1981 brake is some what different than modern 1992 and up so lets look for possible causes? Also have some emery cloth with you as drums can become really rusty with down time ( especially if covered with plastic tarp )
Just a thought on old style CC brakes initial set up requires that you
"A"-pull clevis pins on brake cables at backing plates,
"B"-then adjust brakes shoes with small 8 MM socket or wrench at top of backing plate ( under rubber boot if still there ) until brakes have slight drag,
"C"-Then adjust cables at front linkage to allow clevis pins to be installed at back easily. This gives you correct initial adjustments.
If contact is only on the top or bottom of shoe surface this could mean drums are too far out of spec's. While apart it would be good time to inspect anchor pins ( not factory name ) that are moved in and out by adjustment bolt ( under rubber boot ) and press against top of shoe web pushing shoes outward. I have seen some really stucking because of cheap metal used in castings that they run through. The brake actuator at bottom of brakes where braking action from cables are connected to lower shoe web should have no side slopp and only move in straight line against shoe web surface.
Final thoughts
#1 check cables for broken anchors and or broken cable housings at front or rear allowing cable to flex and loose brake action.
#2 inspect brake pedal assembly for worn bearings allowing loss of motion and or hanging up.
#3 inspect brake pedal assembly spring for good tension in at rest position that pulls cables back away from clevis pin arms.
Awful lot to do in cold weather so you may want to wait for spring depending on where you have cart stored?