If you want to enjoy your golf cart to the fullest and be able to avoid breakdowns, you have to know how to maintain it. A properly maintained golf cart can literally serve you for decades. The issue is that many people don’t know how to keep their cart in good condition and make mistakes either when using it or storing it. They may also misuse some of its components. If you want to avoid mistakes that will affect your cart’s lifespan negatively and know what steps you should take to keep it in pristine shape, here are some useful golf car maintenance tips you can follow.
Clean it Often
The first thing you have to do is make sure that you keep your cart as clean as possible. Dirt and grime build-up could start eating away at your cart’s components and lead to widespread damage. You have to make sure that grease doesn’t accumulate and clean the cart with a mixture of water and baking soda to prevent corrosion.
Take Good Care of the Battery
The battery is probably the single most important component on an electric cart. It’s also one of the most expensive, so you must look after it and use it properly. The most important thing is to not let your battery discharge completely too often. Constantly letting a battery run out and then charging it is what causes damage to lithium batteries the most. So, make sure that you charge your battery every seven miles and fully charge it once you’re done using it for the day.
Another thing you have to do is make sure that the battery water levels never get too low. Not keeping the plates properly submerged is the quickest and easiest way to destroy a golf cart’s battery. Make sure to water the battery right after you charge it and pour distilled water until there’s about ½ inch of space from the water to the top of the battery.
Look After the Brakes
It’s also very important that you don’t neglect your brakes. One of the ways to keep your brakes in great condition is to clean them regularly. To do so, you will need to lift the front or back axle using a basic car jack. You will then need to remove the tires and use an aerosol brake cleaner to remove rust and dust. Afterwards, soak a rag in WD-40 and remove any grime or dirt that’s left.
You should also test your brakes before any session. Just let your cart run at a low speed and brake abruptly a few times. If you notice that the brake pedal feels soft or is lower than usual, then it’s a sign that your brakes are beginning to wear down. You also have to pay attention to any squealing or squeaking sounds. If you notice any of these issues, you must have the brakes inspected as they could give out any minute.
Store Your Cart Properly
Last, but not least, you have to be very careful with how you store your golf cart. You should never leave it outside for long periods as bugs and other pests could start using the cart as a shelter. If you’re going to store away your cart for the winter, you must charge it fully, disconnect the main connection and the charger, and refill the battery.
This is all you need to know if you want to keep your cart looking nice and running great for a long time. You should view your golf cart as an investment and maintaining it properly will extend its lifespan while reducing running costs.