Golf carts are not designed to function at a high speed to avoid damage to the golf course grass and the vehicle itself, and to prevent golf cart accidents. Yet golf carts are now frequently used off the golf course, such as around neighborhoods, airports, farms, warehouses and college campuses, as a means of transportation. In such cases, a golf cart that moves at a turtle's pace becomes a source of irritation and inconvenience to many people. Fortunately, undertaking a few simple steps can enable golf carts to travel at a faster pace.
Regulate the T-shaped governor that limits the cart's speed. To do this, remove the plastic covering at the back side of the seat, locate the governor (which is commonly found around the accelerator cable), and remove the silver, thick metal part in line with the metal bar placed behind it. Put the plastic covering back when you're done with the adjustment. According to Golf Cart Catalog website, adjusting the tension on the governor's spring mechanism will either increase or decrease your golf cart's speed depending on which way you turn it.
Replace the existing tires with bigger ones. Place a floor jack beneath the tire and turn it to raise the wheel off the ground. Use a ratchet wrench to loosen off the lug nuts as well as the tire. Replace with a larger tire with broader treads. Once done, tightly secure the lug nuts and get the floor jack off. Repeat the procedure to replace all the tires. According to Golf Cart Catalog website, larger tires roll farther with each revolution and, provided the revolutions per minute (rpm) remains constant, will increase overall top end, flat ground speed.
Substitute the factory fitted gear set (with the ratio 12.5:1) that provides for a speed of up to 14 mph with a lower ratio gear set (8:1) that increases speed to up to 20 mph. Follow manufacturer's directions on the instruction manual for replacement.
Install a high-speed controller for your golf cart that controls the electric pulses sent to your vehicle's motor, which in effect regulate its speed. The addition of such a controller can slightly improve overall speed as well as contribute to more torque.
Install a faster electric motor in your cart with a higher rpm. Before purchasing it, measure the dimensions of the chassis to make sure that new motor is the correct size and fits well into the available space.
Remove excessive weight from your cart. Unnecessary pieces of equipment may include extra seats, compartments, brackets and windshield. However, removing items apart from these might damage the performance of your golf cart and cause problems in its functionality later on.
