Whether you are playing on a professional or amateur basis, it’s essential that your golf equipment is up to the task. There are several items of equipment that can make a difference in ensuring your experience is as good as possible. One of these items is the set of golf clubs you’ll use. Another important factor is the golf cart itself. Depending on the type of shot you want to make, how far you want to travel, and how fast you want to travel, you may need to adjust how the wheels are aligned and/or how they are locked. This article will walk you through an easy and effective way to make these adjustments on your Club Car golf cart. It will include illustrations where necessary.
Table of Contents
The Alignment Of The Different Axles
As the name would suggest, the camber of the four wheels sets the alignment of the vehicle. When a vehicle is in motion, the wheels will rotate around their axis and tilt forward and backward. This will cause the vehicle to lean either to the right or the left. The amount of tilt will determine the degree of lean and is expressed in degrees. This is measured by looking at the orientation of the vehicle as it approaches a perpendicular line from the front (see illustration below). For example, if you look at the front of the vehicle as it travels toward you, the four wheels will appear to be ‘tilted’ at zero degrees. This would mean they are aligned perfectly with the road and have no inclination to either go to the right or the left.
On the other hand, if you look at the front of the vehicle as it approaches you, the four wheels will appear to be ‘tilted’ at 45 degrees. This would mean they are aligned at a 45 degree angle to the road and are pointing slightly toward the right.
The Alignment Of The Different Axles (Continued)
To understand the camber of a wheel, think of a right triangle with the hypotenuse being the axle and the two legs being the two tires. The hypotenuse will always be at a 90 degree angle to the road (or other surface the vehicle is parked on). When you are driving on a level surface and pressing down on the gas pedal, the four tires will roll with the same speed. This means their camber (the angle they make with the road) will be uniform. If you were to stop the car and look at the tires, you would see they are indeed at the same angle because they are attached to one another at their center. This angle will determine how quickly the vehicle will accelerate and how much grip there is currently on the road. More on the topic of camber can be found in our glossary. For a more visual illustration, see the image below. For the sake of this article, we will assume each of the tires makes a 15 degree angle with the road. This would put the total camber at 45 degrees.
Aligning The Tires (And Avoiding Off-Roading)
The alignment of the tires will also play a role in the overall handling of the vehicle. This is because the height of the vehicle will change depending on the type of terrain you are driving on (hills will make the car appear higher than it actually is; deeper potholes will make it look lower than it is). The alignment of the tires will change how the vehicle operates on uneven surfaces. For instance, if you have mismatched tires and are driving on an incline where one is taller than the other, you will experience an ‘inching’ action as you climb the hill. This is because your weight will be transferred from one side of the vehicle to the other as you drive. This causes the load distribution to constantly shift, making the vehicle feel as if it is ‘walking’ (or jogging) on the spot. If you are to avoid this, you must check the alignment of the tires before every drive.
Locking The Different Axles
Another important factor that can affect the handling of your vehicle is how the different axles are locked. Each of the axles are attached to one another by metal pins and can move individually. If you were to remove these pins and allow the axles to turn independently, the amount of lean the vehicle would experience would change; the amount of change is referred to as toe-travel. Toe-travel refers to the amount the front wheels will deviate from being perfectly perpendicular to the road when going from a completely stopped position to a complete position of travel (this is the maximum amount of tilt the front wheels will make). The more toe-travel there is, the more the front end of the vehicle will wiggle which can cause the car to understeer (make a turn too quickly and lose control) or oversteer (make a turn too slowly and become unstable).
To avoid this, you must lock the different axles so they cannot turn independently. This can be accomplished by using one of two methods. The first is by using metal pins that slide in and out of the hub of the wheel. The second is by using a plastic or metal cap that clamps down on the axle and prevents movement (the cap method is usually preferred as it prevents the possibility of the pin becoming lodged in the bearing or causing other damage in the event of an accident).
Check For Damage
When you purchase a new car, you must make sure that it is safe to drive before letting your friends and family know you have them. You can do this by simply driving it on a test-drive before committing to any type of trade-in or sale. If you discover any issues during the test-drive, you will have the chance to remedy them before the end of the journey. For instance, if you discover that the car is sluggish or has other performance problems, you may want to take it back and get your money back. If you discover any preexisting damage to the vehicle, you will have to decide whether you want to repair it before giving the good news to your loved ones.
Summary
Depending on how you plan on using your cart, you will need to adjust the alignment of the wheels and tighten or remove the locking mechanism on the axle-differences. Alignment issues will cause the vehicle to hesitate and jerk when pressed down on the gas pedal. Toe-travel will increase the likelihood of accidents and in some case, injury. It’s best to have a professional examine the alignment of the vehicle before every drive. Finally, it’s important to remember that your car and its tires should be functioning in a state of good health otherwise, it may negatively affect your experience on the golf course. This is why it is important to always check the tires before every drive, especially if you notice any bulges or distortions. This will help ensure the safety of both you and your family.