36v ezgo regen motor noise

[cgtech]

A limited slip diff does not work like that, it still has spider gears. If the frictions were toast, the only effect would be only 1 wheel spinning when in sand or mud. And, only "regular golf cart" to come from the factory with limited slip is the 48v AC RXV ezgo.

[Airpirate]

It's a M398 serial number 1142476.

[JohnnieB]

The serial number didn't return anything on the EZGO look-up site: https://shop.ezgo.com/customer-servi...ialNumber.html

The date code indicates it is a 1998 model, so my guess is it's either a 98 TXT DCS. (plastic body) or a 988 Medalist DCS (Metal body). In either case, no limited slip differential from factory.

Since you say the motor is running, but cart isn't moving, so something has to be sheared or slipping.

You said you checked the splines in the hubs, but there is a total of five sets of splines. One on each end of the two axle shafts and one that connects the motor output shaft to the differential input shaft.

Some of the gears in the differential are press fit only and others are pinned as well as press fitted. one of them could be slipping.

The end of the axle that goes into the differential gear carrier is more or less free floating, so if an axle shears fairly cleanly, the break can separate enough that the broken ends don't grind and make much noise.

The motor probably could use a good cleaning inside and a new set of brushes, so that is when I'd start.

[Airpirate]

Pull the motor and check the input shaft on the transaxel?

[JohnnieB]

Yes.

Use two wrenches and hold the bottom nut on the studs when you take the cables off.
Otherwise, the stud might turn and that can cause all sorts of problems.

[Airpirate]

Like snapping the wires off the studs inside the motor case?

[JohnnieB]

Yes.

[Airpirate]

I removed the entire rear axle and motor assembly. Removed the drive motor and checked t he coupling splines between the motor and transaxel, that seem fine. Turned the input shaft to the transaxel and no slipping noted. There is what appears to be a coupling on the end of the armature shaft with a rubber insert. Is this a permanent fixture or is it removable from the armature? The armature end of the coupling appears to have been overheated as it is blued midway on the coupling. Tried to pull from the armature, not vigorously but couldn't get it loose.

[JohnnieB]

The female spline is part of the armature shaft, but not sure if it is heated to install or welded. Either way, it is a "permanent" part of the motor.

The rubber insert (spline bumper) applies horizontal pressure to the differential's input shaft to keep it from moving in and out. The C-ring keeps it from moving towards the motor, but the bearing on the other end slides into the differential housing rather than being press-fit and the shaft length tolerance are loose enough for the input shaft to move in and out some, which would wear out the pocket to the bearing and the outer race could start spinning and the problem would snowball from there.

If the rear wheels are off the ground, there might not be enough mechanical resistance for anything to slip. Set the parking brake; Or put it on the ground and against something and try to spin the tires.

The gear ratio is 12.44:1 plus the lever length multiplier of the tire's radius, so with a 2 foot lever on the input shaft, you can probably apply enough force to make a slipping press fitting or unpinned gear, slip some, or a broken axle to turn.

I covered the splines on the input shaft with a thick piece of leather and clamped onto it with vice-grips and used a 3-ft piece of 2"ID PCV pipe when I was trying to find a noise coming from my differential.

I never found the source, so now I'm just driving it until something breaks.

[Airpirate]

The noise I previously had has discontinued. The cart now tries to move in fwd and rev but doesn't. You can hear the motor revving but something is slipping without any grinding noise. I thought the input shaft into the transaxel might have been stripped but once I removed the motor I can turn the input shaft of the transaxel and it moves the wheels and doesn't seem to slip. I was hoping the coupler was stripped and could be replaced. I see that for a GE motor with a 19 spline coupler the coupler is replaceable. I have a 36 volt Electric Vehicle Power Systems motor on mine, 19 spline.