Welding Golf Cart Rear End To Make Posi-Traction
- Thread starter Grizzley
- Start date
wass1967
New Member
The only downfalls I would see is excessive tire wear, larger turning radius (golf cart fronts are extremely light)
I would not be able to do this. I would get yelled at, at my campground because I would have ruts in the stones, everywhere I turned. It is all stone drives. Lots of turns. But if I didn't use it camping and just used it for off roading, I would consider it. I would rather have the traction control system but it is way to expensive for Club Cars.
I would not be able to do this. I would get yelled at, at my campground because I would have ruts in the stones, everywhere I turned. It is all stone drives. Lots of turns. But if I didn't use it camping and just used it for off roading, I would consider it. I would rather have the traction control system but it is way to expensive for Club Cars.
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
I've welded two EZGO electrics for guys that wanted it done. One has stripped a couple hubs making sharp turns on streets. The other guy uses his for hunting and swears by it. As far as I know he's had no problems.
I used a arc/stick welder to weld both.
I used a arc/stick welder to weld both.
Hound Dawg Racing
New Member
We weld all the differental gears on our race cars. The positives are so much greater than running an open differential to the negatives. For starters, between two cars, we'd have to run five differentials with five different LSD units. That would equate to about $7k. That's bonus enough right there for us.
As far as the downfalls, it'll make it harder to push, that's for sure & take a little more juice to get around a slow corner. And, yes, the turning radius will decrease but golf carts turn so well to begin with it's not going to be noticeable. This is all negligeable compared to the overall traction you will gain.
I'm not sure what stripping out hubs has to do with the welded diff. For some reason I just can't associate the two.
The trick to doing this is, if in anyway you can have the axles in the carrier bearings while welding to help take up any slack. The other necessary thing is to basically spot weld it a little at a time and build the weld up as you rotate the gear assembly. That way the diff gears won't get too hot and carry the heat to the bearings. Other than that, clean out the slag real well, put it back to gether and romp the hell out of it.
Please keep in mind, I've never even taken apart the rear diff on a golf cart so it may be compeletely different than a regular automotive type application.
If you'd like, I can snap a photo of one or two of our differentials so you can see what I'm talkiing about if you're unfamiliar.
As far as the downfalls, it'll make it harder to push, that's for sure & take a little more juice to get around a slow corner. And, yes, the turning radius will decrease but golf carts turn so well to begin with it's not going to be noticeable. This is all negligeable compared to the overall traction you will gain.
I'm not sure what stripping out hubs has to do with the welded diff. For some reason I just can't associate the two.
The trick to doing this is, if in anyway you can have the axles in the carrier bearings while welding to help take up any slack. The other necessary thing is to basically spot weld it a little at a time and build the weld up as you rotate the gear assembly. That way the diff gears won't get too hot and carry the heat to the bearings. Other than that, clean out the slag real well, put it back to gether and romp the hell out of it.
Please keep in mind, I've never even taken apart the rear diff on a golf cart so it may be compeletely different than a regular automotive type application.
If you'd like, I can snap a photo of one or two of our differentials so you can see what I'm talkiing about if you're unfamiliar.
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
The EZGO rear brake drum is splined to the axle and is the weak point on the rear end by design. I figure that the added stress with the welded gears in sharp turns on the street caused the splines to strip. It may have had nothing to do with the welded spider gears seeing how the EZGO hubs will strip with a open rear end if punished enough or if the nut isn't tight enough.
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
Usually just the hub/drum strips. If the axle splines become worn it will cause the hub to strip easier. I've never stripped one myself but have fixed many for others. I tighten the nut with a impact and never back the nut up to align the cotter key.
If you were to weld the hub to the axle you'd have problems when it was time to work on the brakes or if you had to remove the axle for something.
Best bet is to check the nut every now and then and you shouldn't have any problems.
If you were to weld the hub to the axle you'd have problems when it was time to work on the brakes or if you had to remove the axle for something.
Best bet is to check the nut every now and then and you shouldn't have any problems.
Hound Dawg Racing
New Member
A week point in the construction is just that, a week point.
Have you noticed a commonality when it comes to the hubs stripping? Was it the hub that was inside or outside of the turning radius? If it was the outside it would be the weekness in the hub regarldess of wetherornot the diff was welded. If it was on the inside of the turning radius...well, I still cannot honestly attribute the two unless they were turning so hard that they were pulling a wheel off the ground.
The only other explanation is that someone is pouring excess horsepower to a drive assembly that was only built to handle 9hp and the majority of it's life on turf or rolling cart paths.
I think maybe the conclusion to this is that carting has taken on a much different role than they were designed for thus the possibility and reasons for certain parts failure. I think it's the owners role to take responsibilty for the fact that these things are going to break when used for reasons over and above what they were originally intended for.
We deal with this alot. Our cars, for the most part (other than sway bars, uprated springs & shocks, axles and hubs) still have all the stock suspension points. They were not meant to handle 2 1/2 times the horsepower, twice the tire and speeds (both straight line and turning) over and above normal street use.
I say, if you want the full-time traction, just weld the sucker and deal with that fact that you might strip out a hub. You'll just need to be conscious of what you're doing.
That's my 2 1/2 cents and I'm stickin' to it
Have you noticed a commonality when it comes to the hubs stripping? Was it the hub that was inside or outside of the turning radius? If it was the outside it would be the weekness in the hub regarldess of wetherornot the diff was welded. If it was on the inside of the turning radius...well, I still cannot honestly attribute the two unless they were turning so hard that they were pulling a wheel off the ground.
The only other explanation is that someone is pouring excess horsepower to a drive assembly that was only built to handle 9hp and the majority of it's life on turf or rolling cart paths.
I think maybe the conclusion to this is that carting has taken on a much different role than they were designed for thus the possibility and reasons for certain parts failure. I think it's the owners role to take responsibilty for the fact that these things are going to break when used for reasons over and above what they were originally intended for.
We deal with this alot. Our cars, for the most part (other than sway bars, uprated springs & shocks, axles and hubs) still have all the stock suspension points. They were not meant to handle 2 1/2 times the horsepower, twice the tire and speeds (both straight line and turning) over and above normal street use.
I say, if you want the full-time traction, just weld the sucker and deal with that fact that you might strip out a hub. You'll just need to be conscious of what you're doing.
That's my 2 1/2 cents and I'm stickin' to it
We have pushed these things way beyond their original purpose and design. The hubs are soft to protect that $1300.00 diff. Good call the hub ie $50.00+ add to that some tires 25-27 inches tall and the stress is way above the design. Add to that a big block Vtwin and you had better watch those axle nuts often. Cornering with it welded will trash them in time but just normal driving with the setup a lot of us are running will also strip them eventually. I offroad a lot and the traction control (limited slip) that I have will do just fine in most circumstances. Bottom line is if you are scared to break something leave it stock and stay on the golf course.
Glen
Glen
Hound Dawg Racing
New Member
Exactly!!!!! If you want to run with the BIG DOGS you've got to quit squattin' like a puppy. 
Grizzley
Member
Thats actually part of the BU's Traction Control System, a limited slip sorta thing. That does just what you described. But under extreme conditions still lets one wheel spin. I was just wondering how to weld the axles up, but still be able to reverse the damage if I didnt like it.
Gregg
Gregg
HotRodCarts
Cartaholic
As far as I know Grizzley the only way to reverse the welding would be a new center section, spider gears and shaft. If you only weld the gears to the shaft chances are the welds or gears will break. When I welded the two I did I welded the gears to the center section then welded the gears together. Thats how we used to do the race cars back in the early days before spools were available.
There's also splined blocks available that replace the spider gears in car rear ends that lock the rear end. If you could find someone to make the blocks for you that would be reversible.
There's also splined blocks available that replace the spider gears in car rear ends that lock the rear end. If you could find someone to make the blocks for you that would be reversible.
I welded a rearend, and trick is to weld one spidergear to the ring gear, the other side you got yo u got to weld the 2 spider gears to the pin, and weld the pin at bith ends cause there is a small roll pin that holds the larger pin in, eventually if this is not done, the pin could breal in two and half of it will walk out and stop the rotation, which will make wip-lash.
A loss in horsepower also occurs due to traction.
A loss in horsepower also occurs due to traction.