How to derestrict a golf buggy?

[craigybaby500]

Hi would really appreciate some help.

I am a builder. The site on which i work is spread out over a large area. We use golf buggies to get around on, and they are restricted and boringly slow.

Does anyone know how to derestrict them? They are the old type and run on petrol but there is no ignition its just press and go.

A step by step guide would be very helpful

Thanks

[GreyGoose006]

im not sure if they are restricted by anything other than the fact that the engine is either not powerful enough to go faster, or the engine is spinning as fast as it can.

if the engine is spinning as fast as it can, a gear swap would do the trick.

if the engine simply isnt powerful enough, then well, there are many ways of increasing power in an engine. pick one and go with it.

[curtis73]

The engine has a governor that limits RPM and therefore speed. Remove the governor linkage and link directly to the carb.

Governed speed is at or near max RPM, so you will be responsible for not over-revving the engine.

[GreyGoose006]

a 60 shot of nitrous and taller gears would help some.

[beef_bourito]

i worked at a gokart track where the gokarts had to be limited to 25mph. the governer was very easy to bypass if you wanted to do it. look at the throttle linkage and you should see something that doesn't belong (well it does but it's what you want to remove) our were adjustable so we could change the speed if they were running too fast or to slowly. there might be something that will shorten or lengthen the throttle cable, remove this and find a way to connect the pedal directly to the engine.

and as curtis said, you'll be responsible for limiting the engine rpm's, these don't have rev limiters or cooling systems so it's very easy to over-rev them and it's easy to overheat them. i wouldn't suggest taking it to top speed very often because you run a serious risk of damaging something. when we took them out for fun (well we were supposed to be timing them, we didn't have a dyno for the doubles so we had to run them along side a single and measure the speed like that) we'd take off the governor and run it full throttle for a few seconds but not much more than that, we never broke anything but i bet we reduced the life of them significantly. the owner had to replace a good 5 engines every year, with around 40 karts that's alot of engines.

[GreyGoose006]

the ones i've seen work like the second thing you described.
there is a thing that limits throttle travel.
its like adjusting your brakes on your bike by tightening the thing on the handlebars.
tighten it and you get full throttle. loosen it and you dont.

[beef_bourito]

yeah that's what they were like. the problem with that is that you might not get full throttle. we loosened the govenor as much as possible and still weren't getting full throtle. there was a leaver that would give you it so we attached a string to that, looped it around something and pulled it through a hole in the body. when we wanted full throttle we'd pull on the string and WHAM, your top speed went from 25mph to a blistering 45-50mph

[UncleBob]

Originally Posted by beef_bourito

when we wanted full throttle we'd pull on the string and WHAM, your top speed went from 25mph to a blistering 45-50mph

Better install a roll cage!

[GreyGoose006]

no, wouldnt want that...
too much weight.

DOH.


for those of you that missed that...
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=662609

[beef_bourito]

Originally Posted by UncleBob

Better install a roll cage!

haha they had roll cages, although those things had such little grip, stiff suspension (it was nonexistand), and low center of mass i really don't see how it would be possible to flip on without someone ramming you. the only time you get them on one wheel is when you hang off the side and go around a turn really fast or if some retarded kid rams the kart in just the right way.

as for the golf buggy, i actually would suggest having some sort of safety on because those things are REALLY easy to tip, i've come close to doing it on many occasions.

[craigybaby500]

Thanks for all your help guys. I am not mechanically minded at all but i did know how to adjust my brakes as a kid. So i will have a look and give it a go.
I will let you know how i get on.

Thanks again

[2.2 Straight six]

Originally Posted by beef_bourito

haha they had roll cages, although those things had such little grip, stiff suspension (it was nonexistand), and low center of mass i really don't see how it would be possible to flip on without someone ramming you. the only time you get them on one wheel is when you hang off the side and go around a turn really fast or if some retarded kid rams the kart in just the right way.

at the track i go to in spain a guy flipped one, no idea how he did it but he had it right over (these ones don't have roll hoops) and bent the steering wheel and all.

[craigybaby500]

I tried what was suggested. i followed the throttle cable, found an adjuster like one off a bike brake and adjusted it. All that happened is that when pressing the accelerator slightly, full speed is obtained. Which means that its harder to drive slowly. The restriction is definately based on speed obtained not from the throttle cable. The restriction seems to be something to do with speed of vehicle.

Anymore help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[GreyGoose006]

most of the gas golf carts i have seen use an inertial clutch, so low speed driving isnt really possible because the engine has to be spinning at high speed for the clutch to even engage.

i think that you may be on the right track tho.

i think that the string idea is probably the way you should go.

you could set it up so that say, a bike brake cable was attached to the throttle and when you wanted full speed, you pulled on the cable. you take a brake lever, or a gear speed lever from an old bike and mount it to the post that attaches the roof to the cart.
this way, you can leave the regular gas pedal operation alone and have a highspeed lever to go fast so that your low speed is not compromised.