Trailering your EZ-GO

Kistler

New Member
I have a 5 X 10 trailer specifically for trailering our cart to a park for the season when it is warm here (about 200 miles in White Mountains). It has a wooden floor, single axle, and rear gate/ramp.

The EZ-GO has a front hitch point; can I use that and have an A-frame hitch welded to the front of the trailer?

Straps--instead of chains--with ratchets----can they be attached to the springs? Where do I grab on? AND will the front hitch suffice in the front. I can see that aiming the hitch to the receptacle on the cart will take a little "expertise".

I want the cart tied down with the least work (other than aiming at the hitch in front) possible.
 

gornoman

Well-Known Member
When I transport my cart I use 4 ratchet straps, 2 on the front axle and 2 on the rear axle.
100_0054.jpg
 

Kistler

New Member
Hi Gorno, nice rig--my cart is stock and a little hard for me to get to the rear axle......

I have no idea what AZ State requirements are for strapping down a golf cart but I really don't want to lose the cart. :)

When we move to the "summer place" we caravan. My wife drives her jeep and pulls the trailer (hopefully).......this all pre-planning :) She is usually pretty sensible (70-years-old). I will follow with the travel trailer.

It would be easier for me to attach the racheted straps to the springs in the rear of the golf cart. At speeds, never over 60, do you think I need to worry about force? There is a pretty deep canyon between Tucson and Pinetop, AZ --Salt River Canyon" and has some "nice" curves.

I don't wish to have to buy new spring shackles or springs. :)
 

gornoman

Well-Known Member
I would not use the rear springs as tie down points. They would compress too much and allow the straps to "lengthen". By using the axles the only way for the straps to "lengthen" would be for the tires to compress.

Also, be sure to set the parking barke, and remove the windshield.
 

JRay

Cartaholic
A lot of people haul them with one strap across the floorboard, tied down side to side. But i would have one in front and one in the rear also. I wouldn't trust just one strap, never know when one might let go. I tie off to the hitch in the rear and tows hooks that i have mounted on the front, plus i use the floorbaord strap.
 

Kistler

New Member
Thank you for helping me, guys.......OK will tie to axle in rear. "Windshield down" was thinking of covering the cart and hauling it under-cover. Maybe ropes around the whole thing to eliminate flopping in the wind.

I saw a fancy thing outa plexiblas in a V like a windshield on a trailer. We don't have unlimited $ here :) Arnold S. and CA may take it away at anytime. :(
 

gornoman

Well-Known Member
Windshield down is not good enough. Take it off completely, or arrive at your destination without it
 

DWS

New Member
As a hauler of antique auto's and motor cycles for many years, I would recommend that you use 4 good straps with rachets. I would recomend that you use straps rated for at least 1000 pounds to be on the safe side. Be sure to tie the rachet release down so that there is NO WAY of it coming loose. These should be attached to trailer ( Frame ) as near each corner as possible and also to the cart ( FRAME ) in the same way. In this way you are loading the cart so that the wheel bearings are not taking a beating and you stop the side to side as well as front to rear motion. The highway bounce or hop can cause serious accidents by causing the trailer to sway throwing the tow vehicle from side to side??
The bounce that you get by not putting the springs under load will shake loose anything not tied down good. I have seen cars with convertable tops unhook and tear apart, and interiors so damaged that replacement was needed? Some months ago I saw pictures of the damage done to a golf cart when an accident occured, and these included the cart going into the back of the tow vehicle. I have been in several rear end colisions and sure wouldn't want battery acid flying everywhere.
Mounting good loop brackets on the trailer frame to hook straps to is a great safety measure.
Another thing is to be sure that the straps are not rubbing on any edges that can fray and weaken the straps.
If I'm not wrong the road to White Mountains isn't the best road in the world by far??
 

Kistler

New Member
OK, think I understand. Yeah, the road to the White Mtns. is not nice but is the least miles......from Tucson to Pinetop. Bought some of those rachet tie downs from Walmart. Interesting that you should mention stress on bearings....believe you are right.

I sometimes wonder how I got into this; my wife is handicapped and she wishes to be mobile in the RV park. Well, I guess I answered my own ?

Thank you, you guys.

Larry R "Kistler"
 

JRay

Cartaholic
DWS good point on compressing the springs down some, thats how trailered snomobiles are tied down in the rear to avoid the bounce.
 

Kistler

New Member
How does one remove the windshield completely? It is attached by bolts on the bottom of each side but in the upper half of the bottom are fasteners I don't understand. If I remove them by pulling, won't I destroy them for future use.

It is a fold-down windshield.

If I take off the front windshield, do I also have to take off the back plexiglass?
 

gornoman

Well-Known Member
Kistler, your fold-down windshield shouldn't be any different than mine. It is held on to the roof supports by a snap-on black plastic rail which can be removed fron the roof support. First slide the whole assembly up an inch or so from the screws at the bottom, then push one rail off from the seating area side. Once you get one channel free the windshield will just slide out of the other channel.

I'm not sure what you mean by back plexiglass.
 

Kistler

New Member
The rear "window" is made out of the same stuff as the windshield. It is between the driver/passenger seat and the added rear flip-flop seat. It is bolted to the roof supports.
 

gornoman

Well-Known Member
Well, that sure isn't stock issue now is it? Remove it. 60mph wind will break it without a doubt.
 

hitmanharleyk

New Member
We trailer them around the south here with no tie-downs !! Our trailers are 5 x 10 or 6 x 10 with a 12" or 14" rail all the way around and a expanded metal tailgate to keep her hemmed up.

I guess we might get run over by our own cart if we rear ended someone, I might start strapping mine down.
 

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
Most if not all states have laws on tying loads down on a trailer. The rail around the trailer won't help much if you get in an accident and the cart isn't tied down. If someone gets injured from your cart flying off the trailer and it wasn't tied down you've got big problems...
 

gornoman

Well-Known Member
....so does the injured party! It's tough to go to work with a golf cart sticking out of your head!
 

Kistler

New Member
Which brings up the topic of insurance.......I don't think my cart is insured, except for maybe if it is stolen; it is insured under my homeowner's insurance....maybe.

For that matter I don't think the utility trailer is insured either. Oh well, what is another attorney bill :)
 
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