HD leaf springs? Or other options?

[CP241]

I’ve never had HD springs before so thought I’d ask before I go through all the effort of replacing them...

I’ve got a 2008 DS IQ. Basically a stock cart with a back seat, but I took out about 350-400lbs worth of lead and replaced it with 60lbs of lithium. Lost a lot of weight doing so. The ride did get a little harsher but certainly not bad. I could tell the weight was gone.

Problem I’m having is my rear leaf springs seem to be really worn and weak. If I climb on the step for the back seat the cart squats bad. I’m sure I could lose a few lbs at nearly 200 but ****! my issue is that when I have kids in the back seat the cart gets a little squirrelly at speed. It squats pretty good, taking the weight off the front wheels. This may be somewhat exacerbated by the weight loss in the center of the cart but I don’t think the rear should squat that much. It gets a good lean-sway pattern around turns and stuff too.

Question is, with the now lighter battery tray would HD springs make it unreasonably harsh when nobody is in the back? I’m sure it will stiffen it up and fix the sway and squat, but also worry about the ride when it’s not loaded down.

Or any other options? I don’t want to lift it any. Or maybe better to replace with new oem springs?

[Briboy]

What about replacing your stock shocks with a coil-over shock?
Just to stiffen it up a bit.
Typical motorcycle coil-overs have some adjustment from soft to stiff, not sure if direct replacement cart ones are the same.

[Out2Sea]

Google “golf cart add a leaf” and see if for $30 it might fix your problem.

Also what pack did you go with? Happy with your decision to go lithium?

[MaXeD-OuT-CLUB]

I’m not sure if you have read my lates thread about my rear leaf modification. this really helped my situation, yes it did lift my cart in the rear 2”, but it did stiffen it up a bit as well, it’s honestly a plush ride for what it is. If you are riding a stock cart with no lift mods 2” in the rear is not that bad, then depending on the kids weight, when they get on the rear you sit an inch lower or level.

[CP241]

Thanks guys. I really don’t want any lift at all on it. We ride through some fairly hilly ditches and I don’t want to raise the center of gravity any. I’m also really not looking to do a bunch of modifications or fab something up. I don’t have the time for all that anymore, just looking to stabilize the load a bit better.

I’ll look into the add a leaf. I hadn’t thought of that.

I don’t mind spending money for the right results. Maybe new (not 12 year old) oem springs would be better. Maybe HD is best. I’ve never had them, and don’t mind a bit stiffer ride. I just don’t want it to ride like a gator... which has no rear suspension at all

[CP241]

Originally Posted by Out2Sea

Google “golf cart add a leaf” and see if for $30 it might fix your problem.

Also what pack did you go with? Happy with your decision to go lithium?

I used the Allied drop-ins and have absolutely nothing bad to say about them. The cart is faster, stronger, and lasts twice as long as it ever did with the lead acid batteries. Lithium is pricey but worth every penny. And I’m a guy that’s always been a gas guy, I don’t think I’d even want another gas cart now. Except for maybe an off road clone powered cart, for the winter and pulling kids around through the snow on sleds :)

https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=174459 My findings/results so far with the lithium

[Goober11]

https://cartpartsplus.com/ Check them out he sales a few rear spring options that might work for you.

[BBBHC]

Yup, the dreaded harsher ride from ditching LA and going lithium. Many of us have experienced it. If you do a search on harsh ride you will find it talked about by many of us.

I just removed my dampeners and that seems to have worked for me. So far. However, I have not had mine out much. It's a little bouncy on bumps, but not as harsh as it was. I didn't not have a lot of hope that it would work, but figured since it was free to try. Why not.

Some folks have tried the heavy duty springs. Seems most are not happy with them, if they do not often have a load on their cart. Without a load, it tends to be harsh, with a load it seems to be good. I myself did not try heavy duty springs since I will not often have a load. So I am only sharing from what I have read on here.

Some folks have tried the dual action springs. This seems to be the best compromise, for folks that at times have a load, but other times do not. Again, I myself have not tried the dual action springs. This is just what I have read on here.

Hope this helps. If I can remember what threads it was talked about, I'll put a link in this thread.

[CP241]

Originally Posted by BBBHC

Yup, the dreaded harsher ride from ditching LA and going lithium. Many of us have experienced it. If you do a search on harsh ride you will find it talked about by many of us.

I just removed my dampeners and that seems to have worked for me. So far. However, I have not had mine out much. It's a little bouncy on bumps, but not as harsh as it was. I didn't not have a lot of hope that it would work, but figured since it was free to try. Why not.

Some folks have tried the heavy duty springs. Seems most are not happy with them, if they do not often have a load on their cart. Without a load, it tends to be harsh, with a load it seems to be good. I myself did not try heavy duty springs since I will not often have a load. So I am only sharing from what I have read on here.

Some folks have tried the dual action springs. This seems to be the best compromise, for folks that at times have a load, but other times do not. Again, I myself have not tried the dual action springs. This is just what I have read on here.

Hope this helps. If I can remember what threads it was talked about, I'll put a link in this thread.

Thanks for the input. I would say 90% of my driving is now on pavement... neighborhood cruising and such. So I don’t mind a stiffer ride as long as it’s not like a lawnmower with no rear suspension at all. I thought the lithium would help with the back seat weight, and it does. However with losing all the weight in front of the rear axle, when there’s a couple hundred pounds behind the rear axle it really throws it off. So really looking to stiffen it up to counter the sway. I believe with the loss of weight in the middle, with the addition of weight behind the rear axle is putting most the weight of the cart on that back axle. And very little on the front. My thoughts are stiffer rear springs will support the load better and while it won’t change the balance, should stop the sway from the springs being old and overloaded. I can always add some weight under the front cowl if necessary.

[minimac]

It would seem to me that some decent shocks would cure most of the swaying issue. I used some coil over type shocks from an old motorcycle that matched the length-compressed and extended- and it has worked well for my old CC.