Protective Care for Your Golf Cart This Spring

With spring just around the corner, it is time to get your golf cart ready for another season out on the course. This means taking protective measures to ensure your golf cart functions at its best. Whether you drive your golf cart year-round or only during the warmer months, here are some protective care tips to consider when springtime rolls around.

Tire Care

You may be familiar with putting tire cleaner on the tires of your car, but this is also helpful when getting your golf cart ready for spring. Through the winter months, the rubber in golf cart tires can become dried out, which can lead to leaking and cracking of the tire walls. This can cause the tires to deflate and may cause them to rupture, making for a dangerous situation.

By adding tire protectant, you can keep the tires in good condition. In addition, assessing the condition of the tires will give you an opportunity to check they are properly inflated and that there is adequate tread.

Clean the Battery

Whether your golf cart is electric or only relies on the battery to start, keeping the batteries in good condition is critical. Over time, batteries can corrode and become dirty, and this can hinder the amount of power transferred by the terminals. The spring season is the perfect time to make sure the battery is functioning properly.

This can be done by wiping any grease off the battery and using battery terminal cleaner, such as the Technicians Grade Battery Terminal Cleaner from CNC, to make sure there is no corrosion on the battery cable terminals. If you feel the battery is not putting out an adequate amount of power, use a battery tester to test it and check the water level in the cells.

Wash and Wax

In many ways, a golf cart is no different from your car, and there are many similarities in keeping them properly maintained. When the warmer weather hits, it is important to give the body of the cart a thorough cleaning to get rid of any accumulated dirt.

Clean the golf cart with soap and water, and use a wax finish to ensure corrosion is minimized. Cleaning the underbody of the golf cart is also very important. There are many components under the cart, such as the undercarriage that can collect a lot of dirt.

Enclosures

It can be great to get out on the course in the early spring before it starts to get too busy. However, the cooler temperatures of spring, combined with the increased moisture in the air, can be rough the golf cart and the passengers.

If you are itching to hit the course and the weather is not yet optimal, consider adding an enclosure, such as the Madjax Universal Enclosure. An enclosure will help protect the inside parts of the cart—such as the seats and dashboard—while helping to keep your body warm.

Clean the Seats

The seats on a golf cart take a lot of abuse, as golfers are continually getting in and out of the cart, and this can cause them to crack and tear. Wiping down the seats with a protective moisturizer is a great way to keep the seats in prime condition and prevent them from drying out.

If your seats are in a poor state of repair, you may need to replace them. This may be the perfect opportunity to add some of your personality to your cart because seat cushions and seat covers are available in a variety of styles. This spring makeover will instantly upgrade your cart.

In addition to wiping the seats down, hose down floor mats and thoroughly clean the interior of the cart, paying special attention to all the nooks and crannies.

UV Protectant

If your golf cart has been sitting idle all winter long, you will want to ensure that the body of the cart is well protected before going out in the beating sun. UV rays from the sun can wreak havoc on the outer shell of the golf cart, and this could lead to the material cracking.

In addition, UV rays can cause deterioration of the paint. When you are getting you cart ready for spring, consider using a UV protectant on the outer body. There are multiple types of protectants on the market that will help to keep the paint looking as fresh as it did the day you bought the cart.

Clean the Windshield

While most golf carts do not travel at high rates of speed, they do collect their fair share of bugs on the windshield. It is not uncommon for windshields to get dirty from the pollen and dust circulating on the course. For these reasons, it is important to give the golf cart windshield a thorough cleaning and apply a windshield polish and protectant to help repair minor scratches and repel dirt. If your cart has an acrylic windshield, consider using Glass and Dash cleaner to help make that windshield crystal clear.

Final Thoughts

The spring months are the perfect time to make sure your golf cart is properly protected and ready to go for another great season of golf. Taking steps such as checking fluids and testing the battery will help to ensure the engine is protected.

It is also important to make sure the components of the body are clean, as this will help inhibit corrosion. Always make sure to check the tires for wear and consider adding a moisturizing cleaner to prevent them from becoming brittle.