Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

In December 2012, I bought a used 2008 Yamaha Electric cart. Never owned (or drove) a golf cart before, so really didn't know what I was getting. I noticed when I let off the accelerator that it sounded like a couple of golf balls were bouncing around somewhere behind me. Since December, the noise has increased and I must now have at least a dozen golf balls. I put the cart in for repair -- and the shop tried for 3 weeks to figure it out. They replaced the hubs and sent the cart back today. It makes as much noise now as it did when I gave it to them. Does anybody have any ideas to held this newbie cart owner out?

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

Did they take the differential apart to look for gear or bearing Damage?

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

They said they looked at the gears and they looked good. They didn't mention the condition of the bearings.

Someone (not from the fix-it place) suggested it might be the "input shaft." Thoughts?

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

i just did the input shaft bearings on one of my esgo's, that is a god awful grinding noise when they are bad.

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

This really sounds more like a huge rattle -- only if I'm not accelerating and only going forward. I live on an island and golf carts are the only form of transportation. I'm afraid that I'll be out somewhere in the dark one night and the cart will just give out on me. I'm frustrated that the shop (and supposedly the techs at Yamaha) can't solve my problem. I appreciate your willingness to help.

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

Sounds crazy,I know, but look to see if the roof rain tubes are rattling against the frame in the battery compartment. They should be "zipp tied" to the frame members.

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

I'll check-- but I'm not even certain that I've GOT roof rain tubes. I think that's something I'll look at in the morning...

I know the 'fixer' has tried replacing the oil with a heavier grade -- and I found today (since it's kind of cold -- that when I start out, there is almost no noise. As I go further, the noise gets louder and louder. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a mechanic, bu it seems to me that this could be a sign that as the oil warms, it gets thinner, and the noise gets louder. Anybody want to buy a Yamaha?

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

Uh-Uo, see my other post about "white tag" team axle. and associated gear hardness problem, bad news if you have a "white tag" , But problem solved in newer blue or green tag. If they only tightened the hubs and didnt fix the problem, i doubt they opened the axle to inspect the gears (the only true way to inspect them, requires removing the axle, splitting it in half, then reinstall after inspection, AT LEAST 2.5 hr labor if they are real fast.), the hub tightening job is about 15 minutes. How much labor did they charge?

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

No idea what they did -- only know it didn't work well. Latest try was to use 2 pennies (??) and some 'magic' grease from Yamaha. (I ended up calling Yamaha myself to get THAT suggestion). Surprisingly, that seemed to quiet the 'golf balls.' Since the place that sold me the dog of a cart was picking up the charges, I don't know what they did or what they charged.

Latest problem -- which appeared two days after I got it back, is a tremendous whine and a strange smell. I've given up and have sent the cart to another fixer in hopes the originals were just not terribly knowledgeable and didn't want to invest a bunch of time and money in a cart that had already gotten rid of to a sucker.

This is our first golf cart and we don't know a heck of a lot about them. We're learning, but it is turning out to be a painful experience. I think when this problem is solved, we'll sell the cart or trade it in on a different one. Since we're now a one vehicle family, we can't have it in the shop every third day.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Re: Cart sounds like loose golf balls in rear
 

That's out. We don't have roof rain tubes. Thanks, though!