Winterizing Your Golf Cart: A Step-by-Step Guide
Preparing your golf cart for frigid, cooler temperatures and snowy days is crucial in order to prevent damage from the cold and extreme winters. Winterizing your golf cart also means that it will be crisp and ready once the spring comes around.
Follow this step-by-step guide on how to successfully winterize your golf cart:
1. Clean the golf cart
Prior to winterizing your golf cart, it is crucial to ensure an extensive and deep clean in order to remove all excess dirt and debris that could potentially be problematic during the winter season.
Here are the materials you'll need:
- Two buckets
- Mild soap
- Sponge
- Hose
- Optional: tire cleaner and tire shine
Then, in order to continue the washing step, prepare two buckets filled with water. Add mild soap to the second bucket exclusively. Soak the sponge in the soapy water, then begin to scrub the golf cart. Make sure to be meticulous on the areas that tend to collect dirt fastest, such as the golf tires and undercarriage.
For an extra step, use tire cleaner and tire shine to maintain your golf carts look throughout the winter, and have it ready and shiny for the spring once brought out of storage after a long month!
2. Change the batteries
Overtime, golf cart batteries diminish in charge, even when not used and stored. That being said, it is important the batteries are replenished to be sure the golf cart turns on when out of storage. This can also prevent internal damage from taking place.
3. Disconnect batteries prior to storing
If your golf cart will be stored in a location where temperatures are most likely to drop below zero, disconnecting the batteries would be ideal prior to doing so. This will aid in intercepting any potential damage low temperatures can cause, as well as ensure the golf carts maintenance and longevity once it is ready to be used in a warmer season.
4. Store in an ideal location
It is crucial to store your gold cart in a covered location, such as a garage or shed, during the winter, and at all times as a matter of fact. Not only will this help protect from natural elements in the winter time such as snow, ice, hail, and freezing temperatures, but also from extreme heats and the sun's strong UV rays.
5. Cover your golf cart
Although it is highly recommended to store your golf cart in an ideal location such as a garage or under a shed, it is even more suggested to cover your cart with a golf cart cover. Not only will this prevent accumulations of dust and other debris, it will also prevent animals from hibernating in the undercarriage of your cart since this is considered a warm area for them throughout the winter's extreme temperatures. Golf cart covers come in many different sizes and styles, so don't worry about not finding the perfect match for your cart!
6. Invest in a fuel stabilizer
If your golf cart runs on gas, in order to effectively winterize it, you should consider adding a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank prior to storing it for the winter season. This will prevent the current fuel in the tank from rotting and slowly decaying. Instead, the fuel will be ready for when it hits the road in the spring!
7. Verify the cart's tires
Prior to storing your golf cart away for the winter season, verify its tires for wear and tear. If you believe your tires are worn out and have experienced damage, it is highly recommended to replace them prior to storing your cart away for the winter. Changing the tires will prevent flat tires and other potential issues when taking out the cart in the spring time to put it to use.
8. Lubricate
To prevent parts of your golf cart from rusting when storing throughout the winter season, lubricate moving parts prior to storing: pedals, steering column, etc.
9. Verify the breaks
To adequately winterize your golf cart, prior to storing it for the snowy season, it is highly suggested to check the brakes to make sure they are in good condition and that they are up and running! If problems arise, be sure to have them fixed or changed before storing your golf cart for the winter.
10. Verify the hoses and belts
Winterizing a golf cart includes verifying that the belts and hoses on the cart are in good condition. If cracks appear on its surfaces or if you judge there have been other issues, have them fixed or changed prior to storing the golf cart for the season. This will only prevent the current issues from getting worse throughout the cold and winters many other elements.
11. Verify the engine
If your golf cart is gas-powered, it is crucial to get the engine checked prior to storage. In addition, it is highly suggested to check that all fluids are at adequate levels and that no leakage has occurred. Once again, if any issues arise, have them fixed prior to storing in order to assure the maintenance of your golf cart.
12. Verify the electrical system
Prior to putting your golf cart away for storage, verify its electrical system. These are issues that are worth attacking as soon as they are discovered. A golf cart's electrical system includes its tail lights, its headlights, and other electrical constituents.
13. Verify the accessories
To properly winterize your golf cart, prior to storing it, verify that all accessories are up to date and up and running. This includes, radio, GPS system, etc. Fix any issues that might arise so when you take out your golf cart in the spring it is ready to be driven!
14. Verify the roof
Before putting your golf cart away, the next step is to verify its roof. Check for any leaking, cracks, or anything else that might look suspicious. Consider replacing the roof or repairing it if you judge you should before storing it in order to avoid potential worse conditions.
15. Verify the seats
Lastly, before saying bye to your cart for the winter season, the last step to properly winterizing your golf cart includes checking its seats. Ensure that they are in mint condition (no tears or rips). If so, repair them prior to storage.
This step-by-step guide to winterizing your golf cart is super efficient, rapid, and effective, especially for beginners. All these steps are in favor of the protection of your golf cart while in storage throughout the cold temperatures we experience. Once you've done all the recommended steps, always use a golf cart cover during storage. By following this guide, you will ensure the lifespan of your cart as well as proper maintenance overtime.
Overall, it is crucial to winterize your golf cart properly in order to assure a successful spring season with your cart.
Cleaning your golf cart, disconnecting the batteries, storing it in a garage or under a shed, covering it, adding a fuel stabilizer, verifying its tires, lubricating the moving parts, verifying the brakes, verifying the belts and hoses, verifying the engine, verifying the electrical system, verifying the accessories, and verifying the seats are some of the steps you should take when winterizing your golf cart. These actions will assist to safeguard your golf cart from the winter elements and make sure it is prepared for use when spring arrives. In the long run, taking the time to adequately winterize your cart will help you save money on repairs and maintenance by extending its lifespan.
Although you may judge that many of these steps can be done after the winter season, prior to being used in the spring, it is crucial to be preventive as throughout storage, problems tend to worsen when unconsumed.
Be proactive in securing your golf carts!
