Need advice on an off-road cart

[JohnnieB]

Here is a Voltage vs SoC chart.

37.0V is 67%, so your LED bar-graph meter is off by nearly 30%. (Replace it with a DVM type)

Going from 100% SoC down to 67% Soc in 6.5 miles, means the range is only 9.8 miles if you take the pack down to 50%.

That isn't much, so the T-605 batteries might be in poor health.

Also, when you take the "After" voltage reading, let the batteries rest for about half an hour before measuring the voltage. (The voltage will actually climb for over an hour after the cart has been driven, but most of the recovery happens in the first 30 minutes.)
If you got the 37V reading shortly after the cart stopped, the remaining charge was actually higher than 67%, so the range estimate would be greater.

Sounds like the cart does what you want it to, except for the range.

The maintenance history of the T-605 batteries is unknown, so put the T-105 batteries in, give then three or four back to back charges to dust off any cobwebs that my have formed while they have been sitting after the resistor cart failed, and try another range estimate run.

If the range still isn't acceptable, buy and install a seventh T-105 battery (It'll fit under the seat in front of the driver side rear tire)
You'll have to replace the solenoid and get a 42V charger also (recommend a DPI Accusense like I use)

I have smaller tires, but it is pretty hilly around here and my range is over 30 miles with a 42V-245AH battery pack, so you ought to get pretty close to that with a 42V-225AH battery pack.

Also, connect a laptop to the controller and turn of the Turbo node if it is on. It is an amp hog and only ups the top speed by 2-4 MPH.

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Post stuff about your Resistor cart parts for sale over in the parts forum.
http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/golf-carts-parts/
There is always a Marathon or two being rebuilt.

[coosa]

Thanks JohnnieB, you have really helped me a lot. I'm gonna put the 105s in and try to sell the other pack. The range is a little disappointing, but that 6-7 mile trip is probably the most I will ever do in a day, so I guess it really does meet my needs as is. I've got a one year warranty on it, so I think replacing the batteries is the only change I'll make in the first year.

[bronsonj]

Hey Coosa,

You said you might scrap the resistor cart... If you are really looking to scrap it I sent you a PM.

[coosa]

PM returned. Woodrow has contacted me and wants to look at my cart and see if he can fix it. I will hold off on selling parts until he can look at it. Thanks for the interest.

[coosa]

I thought I would post a few more pics for you guys that helped me so much in replacing my old resistor cart. After examining the resistor cart carefully, I decided to junk it, but I wanted to use whatever parts I could from it on the new cart. I was able to use the batteries, a 12 volt switch, and most of all, the rear bed. Here's a pic of the way the cart looks now:



I have little use for the flip rear seats that came with it, but need a rear bed often. Its on the first page of this thread, but here's a pic of the old cart with its rear bed back when it was still in good health:



The bed slid right into the racks for the rear seat and I just had to use 4 bolts to attach it. The TXT doesn't lend itself to enclosing the bag well, so I had to leave that open.

I installed a 3000 lb winch and used the 12 volt light switch on the old cart with it. It took some fabrication work to get the winch to fit, but I thought it turned out well. It was too bright for the pic, but maybe you can see what I did:


I put a fresh coat of paint on the rear bed, and used truck bed liner on it too. I actually like the looks of it better than the commercial beds. I spent the afternoon using the cart in a driveway project. Between the rear bed, front basket and roof rack, the cart will haul a lot of equipment around. I got a gobbler using it Monday morning that I would not have gotten without it. He was over 2 miles from the truck, and while I have walked that far this hunting season, I would not have had time to walk that far Monday.

Thanks to all who helped me with this project. I am really happy with the new cart, but I'm glad it carries something of the spirit of the old cart with the same bed. I do kinda wish that I had built all of it myself, but I would still be working on it if I'd gone that route.

This will give you an idea of how I turned a cart into a farm buggy without buying a lift kit:



The rear bed was attached to a couple of 2x4s that I bolted to the frame. The bed is made of pressure treated lumber and plywood and is still as solid as ever.

Who needs a lift kit when you have tin snips?



Now I need to do something with the old cart and all the extra parts I have. I have 2 motors and 2 rear ends, and all sorts of parts accumulated over the years. Is there any market for the motors?

Thanks again for all the help!

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by coosa

Now I need to do something with the old cart and all the extra parts I have. I have 2 motors and 2 rear ends, and all sorts of parts accumulated over the years. Is there any market for the motors?

Post them here: http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/golf-carts-parts/

There are always somebody looking for parts for their Marathon project.

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Great looking hunting/utility cart.

[kellybell]

Originally Posted by coosa

I've been running what is probably the ugliest cart of anyone that has ever visited this site. Doubt it? Take a look:





It is a 1984 EZGO resistor cart that I bought in 1998 and turned into a farm vehicle. The truck bed gave it a lot of versatility, and I've used it for all sorts of tasks around the farm. Unfortunately, the frame finally rusted in half and it has collapsed so that the batteries almost drag the ground. Keeping a resistor cart running for 16 years has been an adventure, so maybe its time to step up from the 1940s technology to something a little newer.

I've done several hours of research, talked to several cart salesmen, and am completely lost. I don't wanta buy a new $8k off-road vehicle. It sits at the farm all the time and is vulnerable to being stolen. I doubt that anyone wanted my resistor cart and never worried about it, but I'd hate to leave a nice one there. Also, the old resistor cart with its weak motor still had plenty of power to do everything I needed from it. I don't own but 400 acres, and this cart could take me from one end to the other in a few minutes.

There is a cart dealer close by that says he will fix up anything I want. I want some kind of cart with a lift kit, 22" tires, and an upgraded controller. He has a 2010 PDS for $2550 as the base price before any of the modifications. Would this make a decent cart to replace what I have? I just bought a new set of batteries and would like to be able to use them in the new cart. Every cart salesman says I need to go to 48 volts, but 36 volts has worked fine for me. Are the controller carts going to be so different that I really need 48 volts?

Any ideas would be appreciated. I'd really be thankful if those of you that know about such things would take a look at my old cart and consider which of the newer models would make a good replacement.

Thanks for any help!

Just needs a little 3-in-1 oild and some armor-all!