How To Get Your Golf Cart or UTV Ready for Spring
You may notice that the days are getting a little longer and that maybe it’s starting to warm up a bit outside. The warm weather is great news for those who enjoy spending time outdoors, especially if you have a golf cart or utility terrain vehicle (UTV). Now that it’s warming up, it’s the perfect time to dig your cart or coach out of winter storage and prepare to start driving around again.
If you’re wondering how to get your golf cart or UTV ready for spring, Ben Nelson is here to help. Read on for some helpful tips, tricks, and safety guidelines to ensure you seamlessly transition from winter storage to springtime fun.
Give It a Good Cleaning
One of the first things you want to do when you take your golf cart out of storage is to clean it. When you leave a cart in storage, it’s normal for dirt, dust, and other debris to build up. So grab a bucket of soapy water, a big sponge, and the hose. We recommend working from top to the bottom, scrubbing your cart, rinsing it, and giving it a nice waxing for that special shine. Ultimately, you’re more likely to enjoy that first drive around the neighborhood if you put in the effort to ensure your cart or utility vehicle is clean before you ride.
Check the Battery
If you try to start up your cart, but it won’t crank and start up, you may be dealing with a dead battery. Colder temperatures cause batteries to drain more rapidly, and if you didn’t use a charger throughout the winter, you might need to charge or replace the battery.
If your cart uses an older lead-acid battery, you may need to check for sulfation and balance the internal water levels to get it working. Lithium-ion batteries require less maintenance, but they’ll still benefit from some tender loving care after sitting around all winter.
Keep in mind that even if you did leave your cart’s battery on a charger all winter, you might have accidentally overcharged the battery. This can result in other problems, such as the battery struggling to hold a charge or a reduced overall lifespan. Many modern batteries and chargers have fail-safes to prevent overcharging, but it’s worth checking if your battery won’t hold a charge.
Examine the Tires
One way to get your golf cart or UTV ready for spring is to check the tire pressure. Colder temperatures often cause issues with tire pressure, making it lower than it should be. Driving with imbalanced tire pressure may result in tire blowouts, wheel warping, improper grip on the road, and slippery steering. Golf carts may not go at fast speeds, but any accidents caused by faulty tires may still result in serious injury.
Carefully examine the tires with your hands and eyes to see if there are any noticeable slumps or if they don’t seem sturdy. Then, we recommend using a pressure gauge to get a more accurate reading of the air pressure and see if it’s within a safe range. Many golf carts and other similar vehicles use tire pressures between 15 and 25 PSI, but you should check your cart’s manual for its specific requirements.
Work the Steering Wheel
It’s normal for some parts to stiffen up after being in storage for a few months, so take a few moments to see if the steering wheel is still in order. Your steering shouldn’t be too stiff, but it also shouldn’t be too loose and spin without any effort. We recommend checking that moving the steering wheel moves the tires at an appropriate rate and maintains a good balance to keep you safe and in control while driving.
Test the Brakes
Before going on any long drives, it’s always a good idea to test the brakes and ensure they’re in working order. To do this, drive your cart a short distance in your driveway or up the road, checking the brakes as you go.
Do you notice that you have to apply a lot of pressure to engage the brakes? Does your cart come to a slower stop than it should? Do they seem particularly strong, and barely touching them leads to an abrupt halt? You want to get a proper feel for your brakes before taking your utility vehicle out on the road to avoid any potential accidents. Testing also allows you to see if you need to make any alterations or repairs.
Try Out Extra Parts
After ensuring the major components of your cart are in working order, it’s a good idea to go through and check out some of the smaller things. We suggest checking that your taillights and brake lights are working properly. And on a less important note, you could check to see if the cart’s radio works and if you can connect your phone.
It’s easy to overlook the little things when you’re preparing to bring your cart out of storage. Therefore, we suggest making a checklist of everything that you want to examine while you’re getting it ready for the new season.
Complete Necessary Paperwork
One vital thing that you shouldn’t overlook is any legal paperwork that you may need to fill out. Is your golf cart or UTV registered? Do you need to get your annual registry on the cart? If you upgraded your golf cart to have street-legal status, you might also need to get some paperwork for that. Do you have any insurance policies on your UTV that need updating? Paperwork may not be the most exciting aspect of preparing your cart for the spring, but it’s an essential step that you don’t want to skip.
Getting your golf cart or utility vehicle ready for spring is an extensive process, but it’s one well worth the time and effort. It will ensure that you get safe, reliable use out of your cart throughout the year.
If you want to learn more about golf utility vehicles, Ben Nelson has been helping customers with knowledge and friendliness for over 10 years. Check out our online catalog to find the cart that’s best for you, or stop by one of our dealerships to meet with an associate who can help you out.
