How to Increase the Speed of Your Golf Cart
OK, you didn’t buy your golf cart to break any land speed records, but if it doesn’t go much faster than those electric shopping carts at the grocery store, we understand your frustration.
Many golf cart owners want a little more pep out of their carts, and the good news is that your cart’s performance and speed can be improved in most cases. Here’s some info about how to make it happen, from the team at Revel 42 of Wilmington. We are your North Carolina golf cart dealer, at our two locations in Garner (just south of Raleigh) and Wilmington, North Carolina.
What’s a Good Golf Cart Speed?
Like any vehicle, golf carts have a top speed that they shouldn’t exceed. Carts designed for use on the course usually max out around 15 MPH, and most brands recommend your cart travel no faster than 25 MPH.
Why the limits? First, golf carts are tall and narrow, so they are prone to tipping at higher speeds, especially if they’re not on level ground. Second, these machines are built with small, economical engines that can only work so hard. Increasing the load or the speed can both overtax the cart.
If your cart is already going around 25 MPH, don’t expect much more. However, if you’re hovering around 15 MPH, you can probably gain another ten. The method depends on whether your golf cart runs on electricity or gas.
How to Speed Up an Electric Cart
The first step is determining what type of system your electric golf cart has, a shunt or a series. Check your owner’s manual, look online, or call your dealer.
In a shunt system, the engine is separate from its field circuit, allowing these items to function independently. You can simply program in a new speed parameter without upgrading parts. Yay!
If it’s a series system, that means the engine system is an all-in-one engine system. Any performance upgrade must consider every part of the engine. What does this mean? You might have to replace the motor, controller, solenoid, cables, and even the forward/reverse switch to get the speeds you want. This project should be done by a professional.
How to Speed Up a Gas Cart
The simplest way to boost the speed of your gas golf cart is removing the governor, which is designed to limit your cart’s speed to a set number by limiting how much the throttle can be opened. Opening the throttle allows more air to enter the engine, which makes it go faster. Replacing the air filter with one that has a higher flow will push more air into the intake system, which also ups the speed. Both of these upgrades are simple to do.
If you’re in a hurry to get in a hurry, bring your cart in to Revel 42 Golf Carts and Power Sports! We’ve got two locations in Garner (just south of Raleigh) and Wilmington, North Carolina. We’ve got an ace service department and we also offer financing!