How to reduce the noise on Club Car golf cart
You can reduce the noise in a Club Car considerably by opting for an engine with lower HP, insulating or lining the engine compartment, opting for mufflers or addressing mechanical problems like loose screws.
Club car golf cart noises can be fixed by:
- Opting for an engine with low HP
- Insulating or lining the engine compartment
- Using a muffler in the exhaust system
- Fitting sound-deadening foam material under the seat
- Modifying the exhaust tailpipe so that the exhaust isn’t directed to the ground
- Looking out for mechanical problems like loose screws
Rattling noise (Club Car DS)
The rattling noise in a Club Car DS is often because of a worn out clutch, loose bolts, a rod knock, a loose top light, a dirty guide ring or a windshield problem.
- Worn out clutch
- Loose bolts
- Rod knock
- Loose top
- Dirty guide ring
- Windshield problem
Check the clutches for signs of wearing out and get them replaced. This is also a good chance to check if the clutch belt shows signs of wear and tear.
Tighten any loose bolts as they are a common cause of Club Car golf cart noises.
Seek the assistance of a mechanic to help in identifying if the cart has a rod knock due to an internal motor problem.
You need to tighten the top of the golf cart as much as you can. It’s worth covering the area where the roof frame is held in place by the roof support bolts with a bicycle inner tube.
Inspect the guide ring on the motor for accumulated dirt. Take it off and clean both the guide ring as well as the inside of the motor shaft. Remember to re-cement the guide ring back in place.
Also check the windshield to see if that is the source of the rattling noise. If the noise is from the middle of the hinge, you can apply some penetrating oil.
Alternatively, if the rattle is from its mounts, place a few pieces of sticky one-sided black foam weather strips on the windshield supports.
Rattling noise (Club Car 48v)
The rattling noise in a 48-volt Club Car is primarily due to a damaged bushing on the motor shaft, a worn out bumper or worn out splines.
- Damaged bushing on motor shaft
- Loose or worn out bumper
- Worn out splines
- Look out for wearing out of the plastic bushing on the motor shaft and replace it if needed. This is an easy fix but can be time-consuming at the same time.
- Check if the rubber drive unit bumper has become loose or worn out. If it’s loose, you must fix it back in place and if it’s worn out, get a new one installed. You’ll need to glue it in place in 1992-1999 models.
- Inspect the motor splines for damage and change them. You’ll have to take them out using a motor centering kit for inspection.
Rear end noise (Club Car DS)
The rear end noise in a Club Car DS is due to a faulty rear motor bearing, a loose center rim cover/hub cap, a non-engaging bent shifter cable or a low transmission oil level.
- Faulty rear motor bearing
- Loose center rim cover/hub
- Non-engaging bent shifter cable
- Low level of transmission oil
- Look out for a faulty rear bearing in the motor and change it. You’ll need to pull out the rear bearing retainer to do this.
- Check if the center rim cover/hub has become loose and tighten it.
- Watch out for a non-engaging bent shifter cable and take the necessary action to engage it forward and backward all the way.
- Check if the transmission oil level is as desired and do a top-up if needed. You can add some Amsoil lube if needed.
Front end clunking noise (Club Car DS)
The front-end clunking noise in a Club Car DS is due to worn out bushings under the spring and spindle, loose nuts on the spindle, a damaged rubber bumper or a cracked front leaf spring plate.
- Worn out bushings under the spring and spindle
- Loose nuts on the spindle
- Damaged rubber bumper
- Cracked front leaf spring plate
- Check the bushings under the spring and spindle. Do a replacement if they appear worn out. Consider inspecting all the other bushings as well.
- Check if the nuts above the spindle are loose at both sides and tighten them. It’s common to forget to tighten them after installing a spindle lift.
- Check if the rubber bumper positioned before the motor is worn out or has moved out of place. If it’s worn out, you must get it changed. On the other hand, move it back to its correct position if it has moved out of place.
- Check if the plate through which the bolt that holds the front leaf spring in place is cracked. If so, replace it with a new one.
Front end clunking noise (Club Car Precedent)
The front end clunking noise in a Club Car Precedent is because of the wheels moving in the wrong direction or improperly mounted bearings. Loose lug nuts, damaged rubber bushings, loose cap ends and a bad steering box can too cause clunking noises on a golf cart.
- Wheel movement in the wrong direction
- Improperly mounted bearings
- Loose lug nuts
- Damaged rubber bushings
- Loose cap ends
- Bad steering box
- Check if the wheels of the cart move in a direction they aren’t allowed to go. To do this, you’ll have to set the cart in Tow mode and jack it up at its front end. You may need the assistance of a mechanic to correct this problem.
- Inspect all the bearings to see if they are mounted or seated properly. If not, remove them out and place them again correctly after de-greasing and cleaning them.
- Watch out for loose lug nuts and tighten all the nuts that appear loose or out of place.
- Check for splits or cracks on the rubber bushings and change those bushings that have these problems. Pay special attention to the bushings on the upper clevis and A-arm.
- Check if the cap ends have moved away from their position on the wheel bearings. Put them back in place.
- Look out for a bad steering box and get it changed if you notice that it’s defective or malfunctioning.
Noise when accelerating (Club Car DS)
The noise when accelerating a Club Car DS is due to worn out motor and/or wire brushes, a faulty guide ring or a low rear axle oil level.
- Worn out motor and/or wire brushes
- Faulty guide ring
- Low rear axle oil level
Inspect the motor and/or wire brushes for wear and tear and replace the affected bushings with new ones.
Look out for a defective guide ring and get it changed at the earliest. This involves removing the motor to carry out the task. If it has come off its place, glue it back in position.
Check if the rear axle oil is up to the desired level when the cart is parked on a level surface. When you take off the top fill bolt fastened on the differential, the oil level should be in line with the lowermost edge of this hole.
Noise when accelerating (Club Car Precedent)
The noise when accelerating a Club Car Precedent is because of damaged input shaft bearings and/or motor bearing, a bad guide ring or a problem with the electrical fittings or loose spacers or nuts.
- Damaged input shaft and/or motor bearings
- Bad guide ring
- Problem with electrical fittings
- Loose spacers or nuts
- Inspect the input shaft and motor bearings to see if they are damaged and get them replaced if there are traces of wearing out. The input shaft bearings are usually located inside the differential in a 2006 Club Car. You might want to check on the shafts too.
- Look out for a bad guide ring present in the motor and get a replacement done.
- Check for problems with the electrical fittings of the cart and correct them if the noise problem is when you move downhill.
- Watch out for loose spacers or nuts throughout the cart and tighten the ones that have become loose.
Noise when decelerating (Club Car DS)
The noise when decelerating a 2001 Club Car DS is due to a missing motor bumper or defective splines.
- Missing motor bumper
- Defective splines
Look out for a motor bumper between the opening on the back end and the motor drive spline. If you notice that it’s missing, get one fit in place.
Check for defective splines. One giveaway sign of a faulty spline is that the axle oil appears clean when you drain a little and check it. It’s recommended that you install the complete motor centering kit and install it in the correct order.
Noise when decelerating (Club Car Precedent)
The noise when decelerating a Club Car Precedent is because of a play in the drive mechanism or a belt downshifting problem.
- Play in the drive mechanism
- Belt downshifting problem
Check for a play in the drive mechanism. The problem could be with the bearing, motor or rear end assembly. Sometimes, all three or any two parts can also be at fault.
Check for a belt downshifting problem in both clutches. Align the belt and place it back in position. Then replace worn out or overly stretched belts.
Grinding noise (Club Car DS)
The grinding noise in a 2001 Club Car DS is because of worn out brakes, a bad wheel bearing, low transaxle oil level in the rear end or a worn out input shaft bearing.
- Worn out brakes
- Bad wheel bearing
- Low transaxle oil level
- Worn out input shaft bearing
- Check the brake components o for damage and get new ones fitted. The most affected parts are the brake pads and the brake shoes.
- Inspect the cart wheels for intact bearings. Replace the bearings that appear worn out.
- Check the transaxle oil level and do a top-up if it’s below the desired level.
- Look out for damaged signs in the input shaft bearing that is away from the clutch. You might need the assistance of a professional to help you ascertain this. It’s important to check if the spur gear has been affected as well when you remove the bearing.
Grinding noise (Club Car Precedent)
The grinding noise in a Club Car Precedent is due to rubbing motor brushes, a problem with the motor differential coupling, dragging brakes or faulty wheel and/or axle bearing.
- Rubbing motor brushes
- Problem with the motor differential coupling
- Dragging brakes
- Faulty wheel and/or axle bearing
- Check if the motor brushes are rubbing against each other and set this problem right.
- Look out for problematic signs in the motor differential coupling and take the necessary action. You’ll have to jack up the cart to do this inspection.
- Watch out for dragging brakes. One way to affirm this is the sliders that position the brake shoes in the middle of the brake drums don’t have free movement.
- Inspect the wheel and rear bearings of the cart and replace the affected bearings. The axle bearings are present inside the axle tube at the ends and don’t wear out as often as the wheel bearings.
Rear clicking noise (Club Car 48v)
The rear clicking noise in a 48-volt Club Car is because of a worn out bushing in the motor shaft, a worn out guide ring or spline or a damaged bumper.
- Worn out bushing in the motor shaft
- Worn out guide ring or spline
- Damaged bumper
Check for signs of damage in the bushing of the motor shaft and get a new one fitted. It’s a good idea to use this chance to check all the other bushings as well.
Look out for a worn out guide ring or spline depending on the type of motor and fit a new one in its place. There may be one or more affected splines. You’ll need a pair of needle-nose pliers to detach the glued guide ring by pulling on its snap ring.
Inspect the bumper between the transaxle and the armature for signs of wear and tear. Do a replacement of the same if needed.
Club Car DS makes a popping noise when turning steering wheel
The Club Car DS makes a popping noise when turning the steering wheel due to loose components in the front suspension, a cracked upper clevis, a worn out steering, missing bushings or lack of grease.
- Loose components in the front suspension
- Cracked upper clevis
- Worn out steering
- Missing bushings
- Lack of grease
- Check the front suspension for one or more loose components and tighten them.
- Inspect the upper clevis for cracks and get it replaced if needed.
- Get the steering checked for signs of wearing out and do a replacement if required. This is typically associated with rack and pinion steering systems.
- Look out for missing bushings on the leaf springs and get them fitted.
- Inspect the steering system if it has sufficient grease. If there is no lubrication, apply grease on it at the earliest.
Club Car Precedent makes popping noise when turning steering wheel
The Club Car Precedent makes a popping noise when turning the steering wheel due to worn out guts in the rack, a bent shock tower or a binding in the knuckle on the steering column shaft.
- Worn out guts in the rack
- Bent shock tower
- Binding in the knuckle
You can try the suggestions given below to overcome the popping noise in your Club Car Precedent golf cart.
- Inspect the guts in the rack for damage or wearing out signs and replace them using a wrench and a socket set.
- Look out for a bent shock tower and get a new one fitted in its place.
- Watch out for binding in the steering knuckle on its column shaft. If so, consider getting the knuckle replaced.
Clutch making noise (Club Car DS)
The clutch in the Club Car DS makes a noise because of a worn out clutch, damaged clutch belt, shaft or buttons or low oil level in the rear end.
- Worn out clutch
- Damaged clutch belt, shaft or buttons
- Low oil level in the rear end
Check both the drive and driven clutches for wear and tear and replace the affected clutch.
Look out for damage to the clutch belt, shaft and buttons. Change the damaged components.
Inspect the oil level in the rear end and top it up if it has dropped to less than the desired level.
Electric motor noise
The electric motor noise on a golf cart is likely due to a bad bearing, worn out bumper or guide ring or lack of gear lube.
- Bad bearing
- Worn out bumper or guide ring
- Lack of gear lube
Check for a bad end bearing in the motor end case and change it as this can result in a siren-type noise.
Look out for a worn out bumper or guide ring and replace it to get rid of a marble kind of noise.
Check if the lube on the gear and bearing has run dry and do an application with Club Car grease, especially if you have a cart that is more than five years old.
Transaxle noise
The transaxle noise heard on a Club Car golf cart is often because of a lack of a lube, bad input shaft bearings, metal flecks in the differential or no proper backlash in the gears.
- Lack of lube
- Bad input shaft bearings
- Metal flecks in the differential
- No proper backlash
Check if the transaxle has run dry of lube and apply some synthetic lube or 30w oil for lubrication if needed to eliminate the whining noise.
Watch out for bad input shaft bearings and replace them as soon as possible to cut off the noise.
Check for metal flecks in the differential and clean it thoroughly to get rid of the flecks. You can also drain the axle oil to look for flecks in them and do a top-up with 80-90 gear oil.
Inspect the gears for proper backlash and get this set right at the earliest.
Gas golf cart making squealing noise
The gas golf cart tends to make a squealing noise due to a loose or worn out starter/generator belt, a loose drive and/or alternator belt or a dusty clutch.
- Loose or worn out starter/generator belt
- Loose drive and/or alternator belt
- Dusty clutch
Check the tension of the starter/generator belt and tighten it if possible. Alternatively, if it’s too loose, very dry or crumbly, do a replacement.
Check the drive and alternator belts for damage or incorrect tension. Replace extremely loose or worn out belts with heavy-duty ones if the squealing is when the cart is under load or tighten them if not very loose.
Blow out the dust from the clutches so that the internal parts move easily, fully and without any restriction.
1997 Club Car noise troubleshooting
The noises in a 1997 Club Car are often because of a damaged snubber or a faulty or out of place guide ring.
- Damaged snubber
- Faulty or out of place guide ring
Inspect the snubber for signs of damage or malfunctioning and do a replacement if it has any of these issues.
Pull out the motor and check if the nylon guide ring has come off its position. If so, put it back and glue it in place using an adhesive like Loctite. In case of fault or damage, opt for a replacement.
1999 Club Car noise troubleshooting
The noises in a 1999 Club Car are usually due to a defective bushing in the motor shaft or an improperly placed carburetor.
- Defective bushing
- Improperly placed carburetor
- Adulterated gasoline
Check the motor shaft for a worn out or defective plastic bushing and do a replacement if required.
Inspect the carburetor and see if it’s fixed the way it should be. Remove it and put it back properly if it’s placed back to front.
Drain off the gasoline from the cart and refill it with good quality or unadulterated gasoline.
2001 Club Car noise troubleshooting
The noises in a 2001 Club Car golf cart are generally because of low battery voltage or a worn out bushing.
- Low battery voltage
- Worn out bushing
Check the battery pack voltage and the voltage of each battery voltage individually using a voltmeter. Correcting the problem for the battery with the low voltage or changing the battery should help.
Inspect the bushings on the motor shaft and the driven clutch for wearing out signs. Replace the affected bushing.
2006 Club Car noise troubleshooting
The noises in a 2006 Club Car are often due to a slipping starter belt, loose splines or worn out bearings or motor brushes.
- Slipping starter belt
- Loose or worn out splines
- Worn out bearings or motor brushes
- Check the starter belt to see if it’s firmly seated or slipped from its place. Adjust the tension if it’s not very loose, else do a replacement.
- Inspect the splines in the coupler as well as on the motor shaft to see if they are loose or worn out. Tighten them if loose or change them if damaged.
- Check all the bearings and motor brushes for wearing out signs and get new ones fitted if needed.