While you may not have purchased your golf cart with plans to break any high-speed records, there are instances where you’d benefit from going a bit faster. Many golf cart owners are hoping to get a little more pep out of their vehicles, which is especially useful when riding around your community. Read our tips for increasing your golf cart’s speed, then stop by and see us at Beech Creek Golf Carts. We’re located in Cincinnati, OH, near Dayton. Click here to check out our golf cart inventory!
What’s a Good Speed for a Golf Cart?
If you’re about to purchase your first golf cart, you might be wondering about the right speed for this type of vehicle. Considering that golf carts are much different than passenger vehicles, the parameters aren’t the same. For example, golf carts designed for use around the course usually max out at about 15 mph. Most manufacturers will caution owners not to exceed 25 mph.
Golf carts are tall and narrow, which means they’re more susceptible to tipping over at high speeds. This is especially true when navigating uneven or rugged terrain. Additionally, these vehicles are equipped with small, economical engines that can only work so hard. If you go overboard when increasing your golf cart’s speed, you could put too much strain on the engine.
Speeding Up an Electric Golf Cart
So, how do you properly and safely increase your golf cart’s speed? If it’s an electric model, you’ll need to determine what type of system it has. Refer to the owner’s manual to find out whether your model has a shunt or a series system. This information may also be available online.
If it’s a shunt system, the engine is separate from the field circuit. This allows them to function independently of each other. All you’ll need to do is program a new speed parameter, which means you won’t have to upgrade any parts.
If it’s a series system, the engine is an all-in-one system. Remember that any performance upgrade must consider every part of the engine. This could be tricky as you may have to replace the motor, controller, cables, solenoid, even the forward/reverse switch to increase your golf cart’s speed. As you might’ve guessed, it’s best to leave this project to a professional.
Speed up a Gas Golf Cart
When you’re dealing with a gas model, you’ll need to take a different approach to increase your golf cart’s speed. The easiest way to do this is to remove the governor, which is a part that limits your vehicle’s speed by setting a numeric limit to how much the throttle can be opened. As you may know, opening the throttle lets more air into the engine, which increases the overall speed.
Another option to consider is replacing the air filter with one that offers a higher flow. This will ensure that more air is pushed into the intake system, which also helps increase the overall speed. Fortunately, both of these upgrades are relatively simple.
We hope our tips for increasing your golf cart’s speed have been useful. If you have any additional questions, contact the team at Beech Creek Golf Carts in Cincinnati, OH, for assistance. We also serve Lexington, KY.
FAQs
The quickest way to do this is to swap your heavy acid batteries with lithium which are oftentimes 5x lighter. Larger Tires If you have the standard 8” golf cart tires, you can upgrade your tires to the 20” or 24” which will increase speed by a couple miles.
How to increase speed on golf cart? ›
The quickest way to do this is to swap your heavy acid batteries with lithium which are oftentimes 5x lighter. Larger Tires If you have the standard 8” golf cart tires, you can upgrade your tires to the 20” or 24” which will increase speed by a couple miles.
How can I make my golf cart governor faster? ›
Find the governor spring. It's easy to find since it's wrapped around a metal rod and has two nuts, a small one and a large one. Step 4 - Loosen the smaller one and tighten the larger one to increase your cart's speed.
How to remove speed limiter on electric golf cart? ›
This can be done by loosening the screws that hold the cable in place. After the cable is disconnected, you can then remove the governor from the golf cart. Once the governor is removed, you will need to adjust the throttle cable to the desired speed. This can be done by adjusting the tension on the cable.
Will bigger tires make my golf cart faster? ›
Larger Golf Cart Tires Will Make Your Golf Cart Faster
On the other hand, larger tires may result in slower acceleration of your golf cart, and slower climbing speeds uphill, because it takes more engine power to turn larger diameter tires. That's the trade-off for higher top speeds.
How do you rig a golf cart to go faster? ›
Boost your cart's speed by adjusting the nuts attached to the spring. Loosen up the smaller nut while tightening the larger one. Tighten up the smaller nut once you're happy with your cart's overall speed. Improve other types of cart engines by adjusting the small metal rod near your clutch pedal.
How fast is too fast for golf cart? ›
If your golf cart is used primarily for golfing, by your kids or your older parents, you may be a-okay with the standard electric golf cart speed of 12-14 mph. Even golf course golf carts go no faster than 15 miles per hour.
How to make an electric golf cart faster without upgrades? ›
Making your electric golf cart faster without upgrades is possible! You can do this by focusing on aspects such as checking tire pressure, battery maintenance, managing weight distribution, optimizing the speed controller settings, and performing regular maintenance.
Can you turn off a speed limiter? ›
Many cars now offer aftermarket performance chips or engine computer reprogramming that alter the way the engine performs. These modifications can add power or fuel economy to an engine, depending on what the tuner desires. That programming can also include removing the speed limiter.
How fast can a golf cart go without a limiter? ›
Generally speaking, a golf cart without a governor can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. However, this is not recommended as it can be dangerous and can cause damage to the cart.
As a result, your battery cells will slowly dissipate if it is not charged in a prolonged period, which may negatively impact the overall performance of your battery. For these reasons, it is generally advisable to keep your golf cart plugged in all the time.
What psi should my golf cart tires be? ›
These tires typically use anywhere from 15 to 25 pounds per square inch (PSI), with the average being 20 to 22 PSI. For golf carts driven off-road or on rougher terrain, it's not uncommon to under-inflate tires to gain additional traction. However, under-inflated tires wear down prematurely.
Does a lifted golf cart go faster? ›
Increased Speed – With the increase in overall height produced by larger circumference rims and taller tires, there is an increase in top speed due to the wheels rolling further with each revolution. That said, owners often opt for gearing changes or choose a stronger electric motor for faster speeds.
Why is my golf cart so slow? ›
Weak batteries, incorrect tires, and wear and tear to the motor are all potential causes of your cart's slow speed. Tire Size – The size of your cart tires is another factor that may be impacting your speed uphill. The larger your tires are, the more work your carts needs to do to get uphill.
How can I make my fuel injected golf cart faster? ›
Another way to increase torque is to install a higher-performance clutch. The golf cart's clutch engages and disengages the motor from the drivetrain. A higher-performance clutch will engage the motor at a higher RPM, which will produce more torque.
What controls speed on golf cart? ›
Speed Controller Functions
As you might've guessed from the name, a golf cart's speed controller is responsible for adjusting the speed of your vehicle.
How fast is a 72 volt golf cart? ›
On hilly terrain, the cart may not be able to reach its maximum speed due to the increased resistance. In summary, the maximum speed of a 72 volt golf cart can range from 25 mph to 35 mph, depending on the motor, weight, and terrain.
While you may not have purchased your golf cart with plans to break any high-speed records, there are instances where you’d benefit from going a bit faster. Many golf cart owners are hoping to get a little more pep out of their vehicles, which is especially useful when riding around your community. Read our tips for increasing your golf cart’s speed, then stop by and see us at Beech Creek Golf Carts. We’re located in Cincinnati, OH, near Dayton. Click here to check out our golf cart inventory!