Preventative maintenance is the best way of ensuring that your golf cart will keep in great shape and retain any resale value if you choose to sell it in the future. Spending a bit of time and money on your golf cart will be well worth it in the long run. Here are some tips for keeping it maintained.
Batteries
When using electric golf carts, it is important to make sure that they are charged at all times ready for use. Get into the habit of charging it every time it is not in use, and never let it fully run out of battery. As well as making sure they are charged, it is also a good idea to keep an eye on the water levels of the batteries. If the lead plates are not covered in water, then the batteries will not work properly. By pouring distilled water into each battery cell to ¼ inch level once they are charged, you are preventing problems from occurring with your golf cart batteries. Depending on how often you use your golf cart, you may want to get into the habit of doing this monthly.
Tires
Another important part of your golf cart that you need to keep an eye on are the tires. Make sure the tires are part of your golf cart maintenance schedule, so be sure to inspect them regularly, and fill them up with air if needed. By making sure you do this you will prevent the tires from wearing out quicker than they should, and they will also make for a smoother ride.
Seat Covers
A comfortable seat is an important part of the golf cart, and if you are using it regularly then these could get worn. However, you can easily replace damaged seat covers if needed and have them looking as good as new again. You could even inject some new life into your golf cart with a different color or patterned seat cover.
Clean
One of the most obvious ways to maintain your golf cart is by washing it regularly and keeping it clean. Keeping it clean helps to avoid a build-up of grease, which is one of the main causes as to why the cart might stop running properly. A mixture of water and baking soda is the best way to clean the components of the golf cart so that they won’t corrode. It is also important to check that the connections in your batteries are clean too. Again, using the water and baking soda solution, you can clean any dirt coating the connections.
Brakes
Inspect your brakes at least once a year. Because golf carts are not driven very fast, obviously the brake pads are not worn out as quickly as on cars, but is it still important to check them, along with the brake drums and cables.
Oil
Keep an eye out for any potential oil leaks. If you ever see oil on the ground near your golf cart then it’s best to have a look underneath it. Check to see if there is any oil built up on the rear differential. Make sure any oil leaks are dealt with immediately in order to avoid any severe damage to your golf cart.
So, these are all things that you can do as part of your own maintenance program on your golf cart. However, it is still advisable to have it serviced yearly. There might sometimes be larger service jobs that you cannot manage on your own, and there may also be issues that you’ve not spotted that will get picked up on an annual service, so it’s well worth doing.