"Free" 1995 Club Car - Advice Sought

rcintx

New Member
Greetings all!

First post here but been lurking for some time. I was recently "given" a 1995 Club Car that "never worked quite right". I am not sure exactly what that means. There are no batteries in the cart. I did hook a single 12 volt battery up using instructions I found online and the motor/axle turned. However, it would only turn to a certain spot and then stop. I could force the axle to turn past that and it would turn again and then stop. I don't have any clue about the rest of the components.

I am trying to decide where to go from here. Part of me thinks I should just replace all of the components/batteries and have a functional cart for a few thousand dollars. The other part thinks I should replace one part at a time as I need to. However, I don't know what parts that will be without purchasing a set of batteries.

Is it worth it to look at this as a rolling chassis and just working through the issues? Any idea on why the axle only turns a partial revolution?

My goal is to put together a cart that my son and I can use on the course that is 1 mile from our house. We would store the cart at home and drive to and from. Much thanks in advance.
 

Golf Cart Wizard

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
Is it a 36 or 48 volt golf cart? Does it have a controller or resistor coils? Turning and stopping means either brake drums are getting hung up on buildup from non use or you have a worn out motor where the brushes lose contact as it rotates
 

rcintx

New Member
I believe it is a 48 volt from the motor tag. Apologies for my ignorance but how would I know if it had a controller or resistor?

Brake drums make sense. The cart didn't roll very good even with the motor out of it. I'll dig into the brakes.
 

Golf Cart Wizard

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
Between batteries and motor there will either be a bunch of coils (resistors) or a box with wires coming out, that will have a tag with a model number on it. If it's a factory 48v it has a controller. Look at the charger port is it round with 3 pins (48v) or trapezoid with 2 pins (36v)?
 

rcintx

New Member
The charging port has 3 pins and there is a controller. The tag on the controller says:

Curtis PMC Reconditioned Motor Controller
Model:1204-408
Voltage 46-48
Current 244
 

Golf Cart Wizard

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
So it's a 48 volt. How fast do you want to go, and are you looking to lift and accessorize or do you just want a basic golf cart to get around? The stock 48v system is more than adequate for most situations so I would just get a set of batteries and see if it runs.
 

rcintx

New Member
I just want it to be a basic cart that gets around, no lift necessary. I've got to repair some damage to the battery tray and then will get a set. Am I thinking about this correctly that even if I have to replace a few components it should be worth it instead of buying a used cart that I know works?
I guess I am trying to avoid spending $1k on batteries to find out that its a black hole of endless repairs. They seem pretty basic but I don't have much experience with them.
 

Golf Cart Wizard

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
Series DS golf carts are very basic and cheap to fix. A cheap multimeter is about all the diagnostic equipment you need and everything can be DIY if you have the skill set.
 

rcintx

New Member
I bet I can figure it out. I appreciate your input. I'm going to start working on it and see how it goes. I think it will be a fun project to take on.
 

Csimpler

New Member
I'd fix the battery tray and put a set of batteries in it, you may be surprised it's OK. Plus look for used carts. In my area a 20 year old cart in just barely acceptable condition goes for 4k.
 

rcintx

New Member
I'd fix the battery tray and put a set of batteries in it, you may be surprised it's OK. Plus look for used carts. In my area a 20 year old cart in just barely acceptable condition goes for 4k.
Same around here and you still don't know how good of condition it is in. My plan is to do just what you said 1) fix the battery tray 2) fix brakes 3) put a set of batteries in 4) see what happens. Even if I have to replace a few components and spend a few thousand I will still know that I have a good cart that should last a while.
 

Csimpler

New Member
I bought a used cart 10 years ago from a company that remanufactures them for street carts. Paid 1200. Did a frame off restoration, lots of fun. Now I have a 23 year old cart that looks new and works great. Enjoy.
 
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