GOLFCART battery to gas ?

[nota]

anybody done or know of a battery golfcart conversion to a small gas motor

I just picked up an older [86] ez-go golfcart cheap
as our town and the next one over too have legalized street driven no tag or insurance
local golfcart use we just need to pay for a sticker to be legal and stay under 20 mph

it has bs 12 v deep cycle batterys and the older style coil speed controls
so limited range
swapping to 6v batterys and newer style box controller is expensive at about 600 each

and clone china copy's of hondas gas motors are only about $200 plus an other 100 or so for chain and clutch and bits
or I may just throw an older brigs & stration in there
or even an motorcycle motor for a real clutch and gears if one pops up
no desire to get standard golfcart motors and expensive rear ends & clutch CVC ect
besides that is boring

I have seen several YOUTUBE video's of chain drive adapted to an existing electrical rear end but no idea if that will last
but the looks to be the cheapest way to get going

so I thought I would ask others if they have done anything similar

[Red88Carrera]

Go to buggiesgonewild dot com and take a look around.
I have years of experience with modifying golf carts. You won't be happy with a chain-driven setup. I know it sounds cheap and easy to do, but the results aren't there. Since you started with an electric cart, your best bet is to sell it and get a gas cart. You'll be further ahead in the long run. These things are addictive. I am currently running a supercharged Briggs V-twin in mine at over 40hp.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by nota

...our town and the next one over too have legalized street driven no tag or insurance
local golfcart use we just need to pay for a sticker to be legal and stay under 20 mph...

You may wanna check to see if no tag or insurance applies to IC engines, too.

[Red88Carrera]

A standard, unmodified golf cart is restricted to 12mph, gas or electric.

[nota]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

You may wanna check to see if no tag or insurance applies to IC engines, too.

YES they do not care about power
just speed 20 mph here

btw this is city rules here
not county or state

[nota]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

Go to buggiesgonewild dot com and take a look around.
I have years of experience with modifying golf carts. You won't be happy with a chain-driven setup. I know it sounds cheap and easy to do, but the results aren't there. Since you started with an electric cart, your best bet is to sell it and get a gas cart. You'll be further ahead in the long run. These things are addictive. I am currently running a supercharged Briggs V-twin in mine at over 40hp.

the problem with a chain drive is ?
things breaking ?
chain falling off ?
other?

[whiskyb]

One of the issues is reverse, with the rearend that is in a battery cart

[nota]

I understand no reverse
and figure I can live with that
south fla is flat
and the cart less batterys is lite
so eazy to push backwards when needed

are there other problems with chain drive conversions ?

really like the look of the bigger honda or brigs v-twins
but costs are high on them vs the cheap china clones of the 6.5's

I have looked for gas carts but they tend to be higher costs
or sold before I can get to look at them
and the belt drive CVT pullys are about 600
plus the rare gas axles are hard to find used
and about a 1000 in the shops

my plan will be running at under 500
200 for the cart 200 for a new motor
and about a 100 for the centripetal clutch and chain

[Tilikum Turbo]

Sounds much cheaper to just take a car and sell the golf-cart.

[Red88Carrera]

Originally Posted by nota

the problem with a chain drive is ?
things breaking ?
chain falling off ?
other?

Chain drives are usually used when a motorcycle or ATV transmission is used. The transmission allows you to shift to get the required torque. If you use a clone with a chain drive, you can't control the required torque. The CVT does that for you.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

Chain drives are usually used when a motorcycle or ATV transmission is used. The transmission allows you to shift to get the required torque. If you use a clone with a chain drive, you can't control the required torque. The CVT does that for you.

Like the go karts we built as kids, they were either dogs off the line and bogged a lot but ran well at speed or snapped your neck when you hit the loud peddle but were slow.

[Red88Carrera]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Like the go karts we built as kids, they were either dogs off the line and bogged a lot but ran well at speed or snapped your neck when you hit the loud peddle but were slow.

This will be much worse. Even without the batteries and the driver, the cart will be over 500#.

[nota]

could go bigger with a 11-12 hp clone for a bit more then the cheap 6.5 clones

also found a go-cart Cvt set up much cheaper then the factory golf cart ones
on e-bay for 100-150 for the whole unit mounts and belts ect
they inc a jack shaft to a chain to the rear end
but if built for a go-cart I wonder if they are strong enough for the heavier
golfcart

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Like the go karts we built as kids, they were either dogs off the line and bogged a lot but ran well at speed or snapped your neck when you hit the loud peddle but were slow.

Ah, those were the days. I ran a single Porter Cable and the hot shot at our track had twin McCoulochs with twin carbs. I can still smell the alcohol and castor oil.

[pksystems]

Keep it electric.

Think of the polar caps, and PH levels of the oceans.

[nota]

cart will use far less gas then a car on short trips

ideal motor for me would be a 250 bike motor with gears
but small bike's look to be rare now
with lots of bigger 600cc and up bikes
and very few smaller bikes on the road today

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

Go to buggiesgonewild dot com and take a look around.
I have years of experience with modifying golf carts. You won't be happy with a chain-driven setup. I know it sounds cheap and easy to do, but the results aren't there. Since you started with an electric cart, your best bet is to sell it and get a gas cart. You'll be further ahead in the long run. These things are addictive. I am currently running a supercharged Briggs V-twin in mine at over 40hp.

I would take the advice of someone that is in the know.

I suspect it is just like buying a car to modify into a race car. It is WAY cheaper to buy a race car and modify it to your needs.

Sure you can modify you cart, but you will spend a lot more time and money and have a cludge. Just buy a used finished cart.

[yazhound]

Bicycle! Walkcycle?

[Red88Carrera]

Originally Posted by nota

could go bigger with a 11-12 hp clone for a bit more then the cheap 6.5 clones

also found a go-cart Cvt set up much cheaper then the factory golf cart ones
on e-bay for 100-150 for the whole unit mounts and belts ect
they inc a jack shaft to a chain to the rear end
but if built for a go-cart I wonder if they are strong enough for the heavier
golfcart

The average golf cart is between 8-13hp, and governed at the factory to 12mph.
All of that can change. It just depends on what you want to really use it for, and what your budget is. With a lift-kit and larger tires, they will give most ATV/UTVs a run for their money, at a fraction of the cost. Most ATV/UTV owners are in denial about that fact. We have proven it almost every time we go for a ride. Here is mine. It is on the extreme end of the spectrum. It's running a 16hp Briggs V-twin with an Aisin 300cc supercharger pushing 14 pounds of boost. I built it to run just over 30mph, but I wanted it to snap your neck on the way there.

[nota]

Think this will work?

Go Kart Torque Converter CVT Clutch 1" Comet TAV2 30 219554A Manco 12T 35 | eBay

with a 18 hp briggs that runs on natgas or propane ?
why propane ?
the new motor is 850 vs 1200 for the same motor on gas