8 Steps: How to Jack Up a Golf Cart
Meet Jake
Jake was a competitive golfer for over a decade dating back to the days of being the Captain of his high school golf team. He has played more than 200 courses across 32 different states in the US. Now semi-retired, Jake continues to golf 3-4 days a week with a current 2 handicap, gives golf lessons to his friends and family, and provides a wealth of knowledge to Golf Circuit from his competitive playing days. Jake combines practical expertise with technical knowledge to create golfing strategies and training techniques for both beginners and scratch golfers.
There may be instances, such as changing the tires or doing some work/installation that requires you to jack up your golf cart.
While you can take your golf cart to the local shop or get a professional to do it for you, it can be an expensive proposition.
Jacking up the cart is not all that difficult, and you can do it very easily on your own.
However, it is very important to jack the cart up correctly without damaging it or putting yourself in danger.
This article will give you a step-by-step rundown of how to jack up a golf cart easily and properly.
Tools Needed to Jack Up a Golf Cart
The first step before you get to jacking up your golf cart is to gather the tools needed for the job.
These will help you to jack up your golf cart easily and safely.
Make sure that you have all you need at hand before you begin so that you don’t need to stop time and again to get stuff.
To jack up a golf cart, you need the following:
● Jack
● Jack Stand: The jack stand is helpful to raise the cart off the ground, provide support, and help stabilize the golf cart when it is jacked up to prevent it from falling over while it’s lifted.
● Chocks: The chocks will help to block the tires of the vehicle.
● Tools for the work you will be performing.
● Floor Mat: Using a floor mat is optional and can offer stability if required.
Ideally, it is best to use a jack stand to hold your golf cart. But, if you don’t have one, you can use cinderblocks instead.
However, we don’t recommend using cinderblocks because they may not be very safe and provide the necessary stability.
Golf carts can be really heavy, so jacking up your golf cart correctly is important. See our post on how much a golf cart weighs to give you a good idea of the weight that these vehicles can have.
How to Jack Up A Golf Cart
Once you have all the tools and things necessary for the job, you’re set to begin.
Find Solid Ground
You need solid compact ground to jack up your golf cart.
Jacking up your golf cart on your lawn or loose sand can be rather unstable. It is recommended to do it in your garage, on your concrete driveway, ground, or on the road.
However, if you don’t have the option of taking your golf cart away from the lawn, you can work on it carefully.
Turn Off the Cart, Engage the Brakes and Chock the Wheels
The most important thing is to first turn off the golf cart before jacking it up. Turn off the power and remove the key. You can remove the golf cart battery if you want to be extra safe.
Next, engage the brake and chock the wheels you don’t want to jack. This will prevent the golf cart from rolling away.
If you want to jack up the rear tires of the golf cart to work on the rear part of the vehicle, you must chock the front wheels and vice versa.
Ensure that you block both the tires so that there is not too much pressure exerted on a single tire.
Many chocks are available, which can be made with rubber, wood, or metal.
However, if you don’t want to spend money purchasing chocks, you can use wooden blocks that you may have lying around.
Ensure that the golf cart wheels are locked properly and do not move while you’re jacking it up as it can damage your cart. You can also get injured if the cart starts rolling.
Locate Proper Jack Points
Once you have chocked the wheels of the golf cart, the next important step is to locate the proper jack points underneath the golf cart.
You can do this by lifting the frame rail of the golf cart.
Typically, in most vehicles, the jack points are located near the wheels; however, the jack points are under the frame in the golf cart.
Typically, the best jack points are usually under the frame rail of the golf cart, either in the front of the rear end of the vehicle.
Take care to use the jack points under the frame rail because the rail is strong and can handle the weight and pressure applied.
Using any other area can damage your golf cart. However, if you cannot locate the jack points, you can refer to the vehicle manual, which can be helpful.
Fit the Jack and Pump It Up
Fit the jack under the jack point that you have chosen by sliding it under the golf cart frame.
Golf carts are pretty lightweight, so you can easily elevate them by using a hydraulic jack. You can either use a floor jack or a bottle jack.
Floor jacks have a lower height and better hydraulic systems, making them good for lifting carts.
On the other hand, bottle jacks are much taller and are best for lifted golf carts.
If you want to use a bottle jack, then the height of the jack should be lower than the ground clearance of the golf cart.
Before you slide the jack stand into place, the cart must be off the ground, so there is a good place for the stand to get in.
To do this, you must lift the golf cart very slowly. Ensure that the cart is firmly in place and does not move.
Lift the cart by using the handle of the jack-up and down. Doing this will make the jack, as well as the golf cart, rise.
The jack only raises the cart but does not hold it.
And for this purpose, you need to install a jack stand that will support the weight of the golf cart, enabling you to change the tire or complete any other repair work needed.
Install the Jack Stand
To install the jack stand under the golf cart, you must raise the cart high enough so that the jack stand fits underneath.
The jack stand that you use should have the load capacity to support the weight of the golf cart.
Adjust the jack stand’s height as required; however, there must be sufficient space to install it.
The jack stand should also be installed under the cart’s frame, just like the jack.
It is a good idea to raise the cart a bit higher than the height of the jack stand.
When installing the stand, do it quickly and safely by just reaching in and setting up the jack stand, and moving back. There’s no reason to get under the golf cart.
Ensure that the jack stand is at the height you want the golf cart to be above the ground.
For instance, if you want to change the cart’s tire, you need to lift the cart only a few inches.
Take care not to raise the golf cart more than required as it can do more harm than good, and in case of an accident, you could get injured, and your golf cart can get damaged.
Lower the Jack
Once the cart is raised, place the jack stand next to the jack and then slowly lower the jack.
The golf cart will now rest on the jack stand, and its weight will be supported by the stand.
Shake the cart a bit to ensure that it is resting securely on the stand and does not roll, after which you can start working on your golf cart.
When the cart is on the stand, ensure that you don’t have any extra weight by leaning on it or sitting in it while it is raised.
Lower the Golf Cart
You must follow the same steps as raising the car to lower the golf cart. Slide the jack under the cart’s frame and raise it by pumping it.
Once the jack is raised sufficiently so that the weight of the golf cart rests on the jack instead of on the stand, carefully remove the stand.
Then, rotate the handle of the jack in the counter-clockwise direction so that the jack is lowered, thus lowering the golf cart along with it.
Move To the Next Tire
Suppose you’re planning to replace all your golf cart tires or need to repair any other part. You must adjust the jack and move it to the other areas using the same steps as described above to raise the cart.
While you can raise the entire golf cart at one go, you will require 4 jack stands, which is not a feasible option.
The best thing is to work on one tire or one part of the cart at a time and move the jack/stand accordingly.
However, you must take care and ensure to lift the golf cart and lower it very slowly and carefully to prevent any damage.
When you finally lowered the cart after you have completed the work on it and it is on the ground, you can remove the chocks holding the wheels and turn the power back on.
Safety Tips When Jacking Up the Golf Cart
When the golf car is jacked up, it will not be as stable as when the vehicle is on the ground. Here are a few safety tips to follow when jacking the cart up:
● When the golf cart is jacked up, prevent kids or pets from playing around the vehicle.
● Before you begin jacking up the cart, do some research on the type of golf cart you have and check out how the vehicle’s underside is. Ensure that you pinpoint the safe jack points where you can place the jack that can support the cart properly while you work on it.
● When placing the jack or the jack stand under the golf cart, ensure that it is placed on a strong and sturdy part of the cart, i.e., on the frame that can handle it. Otherwise, there can be significant damage to the cart.
● When you’re changing the cart’s tires, if you notice the cart moving or shaking when it is on the jack, this may not be the best situation; however, as long as the golf cart is not slipping off the jack/stand, it should be fine.
● Always raise the golf cart only to the minimum height required to complete the job and avoid raising it more than needed.
FAQs
Is there a difference between jacking up a golf cart and lifting it?
Lifting a golf cart off the ground is when it is raised so that there is better clearance when you’re driving the vehicle.
Usually, people who prefer a higher ride or off-roading lift their golf carts. You need a special lift kit and tires for the golf cart to lift a golf cart.
On the other hand, jacking up the golf cart is essentially raising it a little bit off the ground so that you can replace the tires of the golf cart or work on it.
Often, the terms jacking up and lifting the golf cart are confused by people who use them interchangeably; however, these are quite different.
Where are the jack points located on an EZGO golf cart?
Whether you’re driving an EZGO RXV golf cart or any other model, the jack points are usually located at the front and rear of the vehicle.
Usually, the jack points will be a metal bar with arrows pointing to them with “Jack” printed.
There will also be a fixed bracket where you can put the jack under when jacking up the vehicle.
Will jacking up the golf cart cause any damage to the vehicle?
While it is not harmful to the golf cart to be jacked up and will not cause any damage to the vehicle, it is not recommended to jack your golf cart up and leave it that way for long periods.
It is good to jack up the golf cart only when it is time to replace the tire or work on the vehicle.
And, if you follow the proper procedure properly, install the jack in the proper place, lift and lower the cart very slowly and carefully, you will not have problems.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, as you can see, jacking up a golf cart is a very easy process.
There is no need to get a mechanic or professional to do it. You can jack the cart up easily by yourself, as long as you follow the steps carefully.
So, what are you waiting for? Just get the appropriate tools you need and get started.
