6 Methods for Upgrading Club Car Onward Golf Cart Speed

The Club Car Onward is an excellent golf cart with one little drawback; i.e the speed. Fortunately, there are ways in which you can tweak this cart to make it go faster. So if you have been seeking a way to upgrade the speed on your Onward, we think we can help.

Your Onward comes with a max speed of 19.6 mph from the factory. But this can be increased to about 25 mph with a handheld programmer or by tweaking the throttle cable, and even to 30 mph with a motor upgrade.

There are plenty of other ways to achieve a higher speed by club car onward speed upgrade which we will look into in a bit. Now, grab the toolbox, follow the steps and let’s get ready to put some speed on your Onward.

What Can You Upgrade On Club Car Onward To Increase Speed?

As we have said earlier, there are various ways by which you can achieve a higher speed on your Onward. Most of which involve changing parts or modifying them.

Following we have a list in which you can upgrade the speed on your Club Car Onward-

  1. Tweaking the Throttle Cable
  2. Using a Handheld Programmer
  3. Upgrading the Tires
  4. Installing a High-Speed Motor
  5. Putting High-Speed Gear in it

Now that we have it all jotted down, let us look into how we can bring out these changes and make your golf cart speedier any minute now!

Upgrade Club Car Onward Golf Cart Speedpsd

Club Car Onward Speed Upgrade

This is the most important section as we look into the steps by which you carry out the process of upgrading.

But, before we start, you need to grab some basic tools real quick that will help you do the work more efficiently.

Tools Required:

  1. Wretch Set
  2. Screwdrivers
  3. Safety gloves    

Now that we have all the necessary things in our hands, without further ado let’s get started!

1. Throttle Cable: Adjust the tension

This is one of the easier and simpler fixes. Adjusting the throttle cable will get you to a speed of around 27-28 mph.

Start by pulling the floor mat back which will reveal a black plastic cover in the center. There are two cords visible when the lid is removed.

One is the brake and the other is the throttle cable. Two nuts are attached to the throttle cable.

Loosen those so the cable’s end still has about a centimeter of thread. To secure the cable in place, push it back down into the slot and tighten the second nut.

Reinstall the cover and floor mat, and take her for a spin. Enjoy your considerably faster cart.

There is no significant cost associated with this method. If you do not have a proper set of wrenches and screwdrivers, you can grab those from a local hardware store, and should cost you around $5-$10.

2. Using a Handheld Programmer: Change the Speed Setting

Your Club Car Onward’s speed setting can be tweaked to gain you a couple more mph. This can be done with the help of a handheld programmer.

When working with the speed codes, we advise taking help from a local golf cart dealer as this makes the job much easier and is a much cheaper option than buying the handheld programmer yourself. Also, availing service from a local dealer gets you speed codes 1-3 for free. 

However, Speed codes 4 and 5 will need to be purchased. Code 4 will make the motor run at a higher RPM while code 5 removes all rpm limits. But, it is safe not to install speed code 4 since it has led to motor burn cases in the past.

Now the cost for setting up speed codes 1-3 from your dealer should charge a fee of around $75-$100. On the other hand, getting a handheld programmer yourself might take around $650.

3. Tires: Changing the tires to a bigger size

This is a more cost-efficient and easier method when it comes to increasing the speed of your Onward. In simple terms, installing a tire with a larger diameter on your golf cart will result in a higher top speed.

Stock Onward comes in with a tire size of 18 inches. So, what we will do is- replace the stock tires with a size between 20-24 inches (22 inches is better). This should add about 2-4mph depending on the type of tire you are using. 

Also, try to get your tires unlocked if possible. This can add some more speed to your cart.

Getting all your tires upgraded can cost you a bit around $350 which can vary depending on the size and tire that you put on. Also, keep an eye on discounts as they can help you save a few more bucks.

4. Upgrading the Motor: Installing one with more rpm

The motor on your Onward is rated as a 250 Amp DC Motor with a peak horsepower of 13. Upgrading the motor to more horsepower will result in more torque which will eventually put more speed on your cart.

Now we do recommend taking expert’s help to carry out this step. This is because changing the motor takes a lot more than knowledge; it takes skill and expertise. Upgrading the motor should give you around 6-7mph extra.

However, while upgrading the motor, try to get your hands on Speed motors as this will help you get better top speeds while torque motors produce more torque and as a result, more power.

Upgrading the motor is one of the costlier options when it comes to achieving high speed.

The cost of a high-speed motor should be around $600-$650 while the service charge can be a couple more hundred bucks.

5. High-Speed Gear: Installing better Gears

This too is a complicated step. However, being able to carry this out successfully will result in getting an extra 10 mph on your golf cart.

Now like we have said, this is a complex method and will require you to visit the service center. To carry out this step, the existing gear system will need to be dismantled and tweaked by installing several other components to the current system. 

Some chances of trying to work this around without proper expertise can damage your gears completely. So taking your cart to a local service center is advised. The cost of changing into high-speed gears can be well around $325 while the labor cost may vary.

Maintenance Tips To Make Club Car Onward Golf Cart Go Faster

Apart from replacing parts and upgrading, there are some simple tips free of cost that can help you get some extra speed on your Onward. These steps are associated with the maintenance of your golf cart.

Keeping it Clean

While this might seem such an insignificant option, keeping the tires and undercarriage mud-free and away from the buildup of pebbles and stones can help you get a faster ride. So keep in mind to clean your cart every once in 3 weeks and you’ll be just fine!

Tidying up

You must keep the unnecessary “junk” right out of your Onward. Keep in mind that the lighter your cart is, the faster it will go. So you must get rid of the excess weight.

Keeping the Tires Inflated

You should check whether your tires are properly inflated every once in a while. The ideal PSI might vary based on the size and type of tire that it is using. Your golf cart’s proper PSI levels should be labeled on the sidewall of your tires.

FAQs.

Below we have collected the most frequently asked questions related to upgrading the speed on Club Car Onward. We hope that this section helps you solve some of the questions that you had on your mind.

How much speed can you get after applying all the methods above?

You can get a significant increase in speed, say up to 25-27 mph just by putting on a bigger-sized tire and after adjusting the throttle cable which is very easy to pull out.
Further applying speed codes, changing motor, and installing gear will get a max speed of 32mph which is pretty good when compared to the base of 19.6mph.

Is it safe to apply all these to your cart?

Absolutely. Except for the speed code “4” which has resulted in cases of motor burning, all other processes of changing the motor and gear are fairly safe to carry out and will result in a faster speed. Keep in mind to take help from an expert as these can be quite hefty tasks on your own.

Getting a jerky throttle response after fixing the throttle cable. How to fix it now?

This can be due to adding too much tension to the throttle cable. If you are having such a jerky response, this means that you have tightened the nut to the point where the engine is now being affected. Cut some slack on the cable by loosening the nut and you should be good to go.

Conclusion

Now that we have come toward the end of it, let’s wrap things up. Upgrading the speed on your Club Car Onward is no big deal. All it takes is a little motivation, the rest can be done by following the steps above.

There is one more thing to add- that is the battery upgrade. Getting your battery upgraded to a higher amperage rating which will result in higher speed. However, this will cost you around $1750 more.

Also do not forget to keep your cart clean and free of excessive weights. These tips will make your cart significantly faster. If you have still not upgraded your cart, we recommend that you give it a try. Because at the end of the day, you will surely grant yourself a faster ride.

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