Owning a golf cart definitely has its perks. It’s quicker, safer, and makes it easy to move from one place to another, especially when you live in a cart-friendly neighborhood or belong to a country club.
The advantages are double if you have an electric cart. First, they’re quieter than their gas-powered counterparts. Plus, they’re better for the environment and help you save money in the long run.
However, they’re not exactly ‘fast.’ This is why people are always on the hunt for ways to boost to get their cart moving faster.
To help you get the most speed out of your cart, we’ll show you how to remove the speed limiter on your electric golf cart.
While having a fast cart is a great advantage, there are still risks you should be aware of. So, follow our guide carefully to avoid injuring yourself or others, or causing damage to your cart.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
How to Remove the Speed Limiter on an Electric Golf Cart
The speed limiter is controlled by a small metal rod next to the clutch. It’s connected to the cart via a cable that runs from the gas pedal to the engine.
Removing the speed limiter means tightening one of the nuts holding the rod in place. It’s also how you can adjust the speed of your cart.
However, it’s worth mentioning that one wrong move can result in a slew of problems. So, take every precaution there is when performing the following steps.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
You probably already have most, if not all, the tools you’ll need to remove the speed limiter. Take a look.
- Different-sized wrenches
- A set of screwdrivers
- Resealable plastic bags or boxes with tight lids to hold screws
Step 2: Remove the Seat Cushions
Some carts come with engines in the front. It’s quite rare, but they do exist.
Other models place their engines under the back seats, covered by the seat cushions.
If yours is the latter, start by carefully removing the cushions to expose the black plastic cover underneath the seats.
Depending on the type of cart you have, you might be able to lift the cushions with your hands. Others, however, have them screwed down, so you might need a screwdriver to remove the screws first.
Step 3: Remove the Black Plastic Motor Cover
Now, it’s time to reveal the motor. Start by unscrewing the black plastic cover using the appropriate-sized screwdriver. There should be five screws in all.
As you remove them one by one, keep them in a resealable plastic bag or lidded box to avoid misplacing them.
Step 4: Locate the Speed Limiter Cable
The speed limiter cable sits on top of the motor and connects the gas pedal to the carburetor.
Once you find it, disconnect the cable from the carburetor. On most models, this cable can be easily pulled out. So, try giving it a gentle tug. If not, you’ll need to use a screwdriver to remove any screws holding the cable.
With one end of the cable loose, it’s time to remove the other end. Run your finger down the length of the cable until you reach its endpoint on the gas pedal. Then, disconnect it from there as well.
Next, re-route the gas pedal and connect it directly to the carburetor. Once that connection is secure, use a wrench to remove the bolt on the gas pedal shaft.
This gives the gas pedal a longer traveling distance, giving the carburetor more power. Hence, your cart gets more horsepower to run at faster speeds.
Step 5: Put Everything Back
Now, it’s time to tighten the small nut to secure the metal rod in place. Next, replace the plastic cover and seating. Then, take it out for a test drive.
If you hear whining or clunking sounds coming from the engine, stop the cart immediately. Give it a couple of minutes to cool down, then open it up again to see what’s causing the noise.
Is Removing a Speed Limiter Safe?
The speed limiter is a mechanical device that controls the cart’s maximum speeds. In other words, it prevents the motor’s RPMs from exceeding the preset speed specifications.
Case in point, it’s there to keep you, as well as pedestrians or other cart drivers around you, safe. By removing or disabling the limiter, you forgo this feature, thus allowing your cart to move faster.
However, don’t expect your cart to suddenly race up hillsides or run at breakneck speeds. All it can do is double the cart’s maximum speed.
For example, if your cart moves at about 5–10 mph, removing the limiter will take it up to a maximum of 20 mph. That’s pretty significant, considering golf carts are made to run on flat surfaces at slow speeds anyway.
Also, remember that these carts don’t come with seatbelts or any form of protection against crashes or collisions. In addition, they’re not designed to run at such high speeds. Thus, that extra speed will put a lot of strain on your cart, increasing the risk of irreversible damage.
How to Make Electric Golf Carts Go Faster
Let’s start by saying that golf carts are designed to run at specific speeds, depending on their motor power and size. For example, most carts with a 36-volt motor run at an average rate of 12–15 mph.
Alternatively, motors that run at 48 volts can run faster. On flat terrain, their top speeds can reach between 15 and 25 mph.
That said, there are ways of making your electric golf cart run at higher speeds. One way is to replace the cart tires with larger, wider models. The bigger the diameter of the wheels, the more distance they’ll cover in a shorter amount of time.
Here are other ways you can make your cart go faster:
- Upgrade the motor with a high-speed, high-torque replacement
- Get a change of gears
- Increase that battery voltage
- Upgrade the speed controller
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to remove a speed limiter from an electric golf cart, you can get your carting needs done in half the time.
Just be extra careful when disabling the limiter to avoid injuries or damage to the cart. However, as long as you follow the steps in this handy guide, you should be fine.
