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Electric Club Car Electric DS, and Precedent golf cars |
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08-20-2019, 06:49 PM | #1 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Island of Put-in-Bay, OH
Posts: 55
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Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
I’m new to the golf car industry, but I did plenty of research before purchasing a fleet of Club Car i2 Precedents. They will be complimentary for guests staying at my B&B on the Island of Put-in-Bay. The carts are all 2013 48 volt i2’s with the Excel drive system. I’m doing a full frame-off restoration and I’m currently working on thirteen of them, (picture attached)
Since this vacation destination is famous for its wineries, most of my guests drive drunk. There’s lots of accidents which require towing carts back home, so I’d like to convert one of the Precedents into a salvage wrecker with a forward winch and a rear tow-bed. The problem: I’m a one-man-operation. How can I safely tow a Precedent home using another Precedent without someone steering/braking the disabled cart? I’ve seen permanent tow bars for EZGo’s and Club Car DS models, but not for the Precedent. Plan (B) was to bolt on a mini tow-bed conversion kit, but it seems nothing like that exists. I don’t need to tow carts at high speed, but I do need to go around corners and stop at intersections. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks a lot for your help! |
08-20-2019, 07:39 PM | #2 |
Gone Wild
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 168
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
buy mine and convert it to a mini rollback, it already has a little yellow siren on top
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08-20-2019, 08:08 PM | #3 |
Not Yet Wild
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 12
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
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08-20-2019, 08:46 PM | #4 |
Bonafide Nincompoop
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Charlottesburg Va
Posts: 8,987
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
I’ve had the same idea for a while and unfortunately a cart frame is just not made to handle another entire cart (~950lbs) sitting on top of it. The best thing would just be a wheel lift arm. Something that will slide under and flip closed around the front wheels. Then use a small winch to raise it. My other idea was to buy a snow plow mount system like for a pick-up truck and use the plow hydraulic lift as the lifting device, and build a small up out frame to lift under the wheels. Have a set of small tow dollies for the “rear facing” wheels.
If you can lift it by the front wheels you can drag it anywhere you want assuming you put it in tow mode and disconnect the battery pack negative. But you’ll also have to make sure your tow vehicle doesn’t exceed the safe speed of the motor in the cart being towed. Towing a cart by lifting its rear wheels could be easier if you can come up with a way to lock the steering. Personally I would pick up an older series drive DS or longer wheelbase Carryall to modify into a tow vehicle. The frames are stronger on the carryall models and they have a few more places to make attaching mounts and such a little easier. The aluminum sides on the back of the carryall models aren’t meant for any structural support (they’re not attached as well as you might think), but they make conventient places to mount dollies, straps, tools/toolboxes, etc. They also have tougher suspension systems and the carryall’s especially are typically designed to have about a 1500lb weight capacity. I think the max for a precedent is something like 750. Another major thing to consider is brakes. With another cart behind you, stopping will be an issue. A lot of carryalls come with 4 wheel brakes. I’m not even sure if you can get 4 wheel brakes for a Precedent. Next would be drive system upgrade. No matter what you use, if it’s electric, you’ll want a high amp controller and a high torque motor. And depending how far you need it to go, you may need a larger battery pack. The stock stuff on any electric cart will feel horribly underpowered if you’re trying to pull anything, especially if you need to go up any sort of hill. A gas cart will handle pulling another cart no problem with only a few minor clutch upgrades and a heavy duty belt. If cost is not an issue, an AC motor upgrade and some extra batteries will make one heck of a tow cart capable of over 30mph. And if you can contain yourself, you’ll still have a range of over 50 miles. |
08-20-2019, 11:17 PM | #5 |
Gone Insane
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 14,214
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
Not a rollback or wrecker, and I don't have one but the golf courses have tow bars made just for this. in fact, I have seen several hooked together towed at once.
Doesn't have a "cool factor" for what you thinking about doing. And won't help if the cart is torn off the frame. But it works with the same type cart doing the towing. |
08-20-2019, 11:37 PM | #6 |
Gone Wild
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 168
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
seeing several pulled at once would look pretty cool to me
I like this thread |
08-20-2019, 11:45 PM | #7 |
Gone Insane
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 14,214
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
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08-21-2019, 01:05 AM | #9 |
Gone Insane
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 14,214
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
That's what i'm talking about Rib! Or very similar. They have something that quickly connects between carts and they move several at a time from the clubhouse to the cart shed in the evening. (And I suppose to the clubhouse in the morning but I'm never there that early )
These are nearly new gas Precedents i have seen at this one particular club. |
08-21-2019, 02:53 AM | #10 | |
Gone Wild
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 168
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Re: Precedent Wrecker (Tow truck conversion)
Quote:
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Tags |
48v, precedent, tow bar, tow bed, wrecker |
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