How To Make A Golf Cart Ride Smoother?

Depending on your golf cart, most new golf cars ride very smooth these days. Even some of the older models now that I think of it rode nice and straight for me as well. Back then, those were really built like a tank but parts need upgrades every now and again.

The easiest way to make any golf cart ride smoother is by installing brand new shocks which will upgrade the golf carts ride quality. You can then adjust the suspension on most new shocks with a simple twist to raise or lower the suspension firmness.

If you are not prepared to swap out golf cart suspension parts then there are a few other things you can do to help make your golf car ride better.

One easy way to help a golf carts ride soften is to let air out of each tire. You need to make sure and stay within a couple pounds of the recommended psi ( pounds per square inch ). Just like with offroad tires ( like what jeeps run ), to get a smoother ride many will “air down” their tires so it is less bumpy on the trails.

 

Can You Put Shocks On A Golf Cart?

You can absolutely add shocks to your golf cart. Most people will end up modifying their golf cart at some point so why not start with ride quality?

You can put on a number of shocks from various brands. There are specific golf cart lift kits and golf cart suspension setups purpose built for most golf cart models and brands.

Make sure and think about what it is you are trying to accomplish. If you are wanting to lift your golf cart as well as installing new shocks, do not forget to think about tire sizing as well. As you lift your golf cart, it can actually then accommodate larger tires which can help with ride quality as well.

 

How Do You Know When Your Golf Cart Needs New Shocks?

Over time most any suspension part in any vehicle will wear out. We have all dealt with old shocks in our vehicles ( especially us older folks ) and sometimes it can almost sneak up on you. I used to have a set of rancho shocks on my rubicon and it took a buddy riding with me ( fellow jeeper ) to bring up how shot my shocks were lol.

You can do the common “bounce test” where you push down on the golf cart with your hands or your feet. If your golf cart immediately stops “bouncing” then your shocks are in perfect working order. If you bounce your golf cart up and down and it continues to move even after you stop “bouncing it” then you need to replace your shocks.

In all honesty, shocks for golf carts are inexpensive and very easy to put on. Each year before your golf season starts why not give your cart a once over and replace parts that will soon need replacing versus waiting for them to break or worse break other parts.

How Often Should You Replace Golf Cart Shocks?

This was one of the best upgrades I ever did with my golf cart. Unlike offroad vehicles, you do not need to spend an arm and a leg to get a decent ride on your golf cart.

 

How often do you drive your golf cart per year?

 If you are only golfing a couple times a year then your shocks will last you 5+ years. For those who use their golf cart on the golf course as well as to drive around town, rv park or campgrounds then it is recommended to change golf cart shocks out every 2-3 years.

You can get stock height shocks and a ton of aftermarket suspension kits for golf carts. Just remember to check tire and rim options IF you get your cart lifted. They tend to look funny with a large lift and tiny little tires.

 

How Do You Soften Golf Cart Suspension?

There are actually plenty of ways to soften up your golf carts suspension. You can diy it by adding weights to the front or back to even out the weight distribution of the golf cart. There are also plenty of adjustable shocks to choose from nowadays that make it as easy as clicking the shock adjuster up or down depending on what style of ride you are after.

Most newer shocks are adjustable and only takes a wrench to tighten or soften the ride as well as lift or lower the ride height of the golf cart. For older shocks you can add weight to the front or back of the golf cart to counterbalance weight and allow the shocks to ride flat versus being uneven.

If you went overboard and bought remote reservoir shocks for your golf cart then there are air valves that you can adjust to really dial in your rig. These style of shocks would be closer to what side by sides and offroad rigs tend to run.

 

Why Do Golf Carts Wobble?

Your golf cart tires can wobble due to many different reasons. One of the main ones is one tire is very low or very high in air compared to the other 2 or 3 tires. If your tires have different heights between them it can easily lead to a “lob” type of ride. We have all had that issue when you are grocery shopping and you get that one cart with the bad wobbly wheel?

Check the psi ( air pressure ) of each golf cart tire. Verify that they are within the recommended pounds per square inch. If one tire is low or high in tire pressure, adjust it to even it out with the rest of the tires. Once all tires air pressure and ride height is even the golf carts wobble will be fixed.

One time I overfilled my tires on mine. It felt as if each and ever bump, rock or speed bump was the hardest thing that my golf carts ever gone over. Overly filled tires can not only make your ride bumpy but it could also be dangerous and lead to it popping or coming off the rim.

 

What PSI Should My Golf Cart Tires Be At?

Most golf cart tires PSI will be in the 15 psi to 25 psi range. Before you fill up any of the tires verify by looking at each tire itself and see the recommended and maximum tire pressure amounts.

Locate the small writing on the side of one of your golf carts tires. You will be able to see that specific manufactures recommended psi ranges. The majority of golf cart range from 15-25 psi per tire.

For the most part I run my tires air pressure more on the lower end. I find that it is far less bouncy. The only time I keep it closer to recommended is when I have a couple friends in the cart with me. Have a couple bigger boys in the cart with you can make a low psi tire unseat from the rim.

If you have had a tire unseat before then you know what a pain in the butt it can be to fix especially when you are out on the golf course. At least it isn’t a full size vehicle and most “golf cart fixes” can be done with basic hand tools or duct tape.

 

How Often Should I Rotate My Golf Cart Tires?

If you only drive your golf cart a couple times per year and it spends more time on a battery tender versus out on the green then tire rotation only needs to happen once every 2 or 3 years.

For golf enthusiasts who play golf once a month or more per year it is suggested to rotate your tires at the beginning of each years golfing season. Rotating your golf cart tires will allow them to wear even and offer a smoother ride.

In April I rotate my vehicles and offroad toys tires each and every year. It makes my life easier and allows me to show the kids how its done. Talk about a win win for me.

Do Bigger Tires Make A Golf Cart Faster?

You bet bigger tires can make a golf cart faster. Now it does depend on if you are running a 36v or 48v system. If you have a low wattage or small battery bank powered cart then larger wheels can actually slow down your cart. The larger the diameter the harder it is for smaller motors to turn them.

In new golf carts running 48v with a large battery bank larger tires can increase the speed 10% to 15% or more depending on the motor and batteries used. With gas golf carts larger tires will most always make your cart faster.

The added benefit to running larger tires is the fact that all the bumps and dips will practically disappear. Think of it like when you ride a skateboard and a wheel hits a rock and immediately stops compared to a bike tire which can easily ride over most bumps, rocks and dips no problem.

If you end up lifting your golf cart and tossing on some big tires make sure and take a picture so we can check it out! Now I need to go checkout what the biggest lift kit for golf carts is…