Owning a golf cart comes with a lot of fun – and some responsibility. Once in a while, your golf cart wheels will have to be replaced. While you can take your little cart to a professional for the tire replacement, you can do it on your own on a Saturday afternoon. You’ll be relieved to know that changing golf cart tires is not that complicated. In fact, it’s quite similar to changing tires on a regular vehicle!
General Info about Golf Cart Wheels
A golf cart is a vehicle – electric or gas-powered – which transport golfers and their gear around the golf course. Created to meet the golfer’s needs, the carts come with several comfort and safety features. For instance, golf carts are designed low to the ground, which makes for a low center of gravity. That way, users won’t spill their drinks as they drive to the next hole on uneven terrain.
But what about the golf cart tires and wheels? They’re rather confusing if you’re trying to find the perfect replacement. There are many variations and styles to choose from, so you might need some guidelines to help you figure out which is right for you. With a little background info on the terminology of golf cart tires, replacing them will be an easy task.
The golf cart wheels usually come in 8″, 10″, 12″, or 14″ diameters. These measurements represent the distance between the outer outline of the wheel rim and the direct opposite edge of the outer outline. Keep in mind the wheel sizes do not influence the tire’s performance. Larger wheels are for aesthetic purposes only.
Meanwhile, an offset wheel means the hub mounting surface is not in the center. On lifted golf carts and those designed for off-roading, the wheels will always feature negative offsets. A negative offset means the wheel and tire assemblies are located further away from the center. This layout not only broadens the golf cart’s base for more stability, but it also allows larger, fancier tires and wheels to accommodate lift kits.
What Do You Need for Changing Golf Cart Tires?
Fortunately, you already have most of the necessary tools laying around the house.
- Floor Jack – Just make sure that the one you have fits underneath your golf cart.
- A large piece of wood, bricks, or another sturdy material – You will need this to wedge underneath the other three tires. It creates stability and prevents rolling.
- Racket, socket wrench, or another tire tool – You need it to remove the lug nuts.
- Fixed tire or replacement tire
10 Steps to Change Golf Cart Tires
The biggest difference between changing golf cart tires and regular vehicle tires is the type of jack you will need. Normal-sized jacks will not work because a golf cart is too low to the ground. And since a golf cart is so much lighter than a regular vehicle, a smaller floor jack will be able to bear the weight.
- Park the golf cart on level ground before changing the tire, and turn off the engine. Put the parking brake on for additional stability.
- Wedge the blocking material against the other three tires.
- Unscrew the lug nuts of the tire with the tire tool (turn in a counter-clockwise direction). Do not remove the pieces; just loosen them.
- Place the floor jack underneath the frame of the golf cart, in proximity of the tire you need to change.
- With the help of the floor jack, raise the golf cart so that the tire is slightly suspended. Now remove the lug nuts and the tire completely.
- Set the replacement tire on the wheel hub. Place it so that the tread looks like it goes toward the front. This way, the grass, mud, and dirt will be diverted away from the tire when the golf cart is in use.
Note: If you do not plan to replace the tire right away, make sure you lower the golf cart using the floor jack. Keep the golf cart leveled until you return and finish the replacement.
- With the replacement tire located on the wheel hub, begin tightening the lug nuts until the tire is secure on the wheel hub.
- Use the floor jack to lower the golf cart; this way, the tire is under some pressure that keeps it from spinning. Secure and tighten the lug nuts.
- Use the floor jack to lower the golf cart completely. Do not remove the floor jack before the cart’s weight rests on the tires.
- Remove the floor jack from underneath the golf cart. Also remove blockades from the other three tires.
Caution
Make sure your legs, arms, or other body parts do not get underneath the golf cart – not even when the vehicle is raised with the floor jack. The golf cart should be empty of passengers while you change the tire, so don’t let kids stay seated. Also, children should not play around the golf cart as you replace the tire.
Conclusion
Was this guide useful to you? Did it help you change your golf cart wheels successfully? Please let us know in the comments below if you have any other questions. Also, we would love to hear your feedback!
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