Golf Cart Drive Belts: Size Chart and Prices!

If the drive belt on your golf cart is faulty or damaged, it will affect the performance of your cart. You might also hear it feeding through the pulleys when you’re driving the cart, which is frustrating, to say the least.

While it can be tempting to ignore seemingly minor issues with your cart, it’s really important to do something about it if you notice an issue with the drive belt. You can take your golf cart in for a service, or you can try and replace the drive belt yourself.

In this article, we provide you with all the information you need if you plan on replacing your golf cart drive belt yourself and explain why this part of your golf cart’s engine is so crucial.

Golf Cart Drive Belt Size Chart

The drive belt is the larger of the two in a golf cart. However, it varies in size from manufacturer to manufacturer, so you need to make sure you order a drive belt that fits your make and model of the cart.

You can use this table below as a guide for your research:

As you can see from the table above, different branded golf carts require specific drive belts, so you need to make sure that the belt you order fits your cart.

If you’re struggling to find the right drive belt for your golf cart online, it’s best to take your cart to a dealer or mechanic, as they can advise you on the correct belt to order and perhaps even order it for you.

But if you manage to get hold of the right belt for your cart, the following sections explain why this is such an important component of a golf cart and illustrate how you can replace the belt yourself should the need arise.

Are All Golf Carts Belt Driven?

The vast majority of golf carts are belt-driven. In fact, the drive belt is one of the most integral aspects of any golf cart, as it transfers engine power into different gears and enables your golf cart to move forwards and back.

Sometimes, the drive belt on a golf cart can become damaged, worn, or even loose, which affects the way that your cart drives. If this is the case, you will need to investigate under the hood of your golf cart and take the necessary steps.

You might be able to simply tighten the belt, but if it is frayed or damaged in any way, it’s a good idea to replace it.

After all, running your golf cart on a damaged drive belt will negatively impact its general performance, and you may even damage other parts of the cart as a result.

What are the Two Belts on a Golf Cart For?

The biggest belt on a golf cart is the drive belt. This is the belt that is responsible for the transfer of power between the engine and the gears. Without it, your golf cart wouldn’t be able to move, and when it is damaged, the performance of your golf cart will be negatively impacted.

The other belt in a golf cart is the starter belt.

This connects your drive clutch to the starter generator and is the smaller of the two. Its job is to help your golf club start and is just as important as the drive belt.

However, it’s important to distinguish between the two, as they play notably different roles within your cart.

You should also be aware that they are different sizes, so be mindful of this when you’re ordering a replacement for either of the belts.

As a general rule, the drive belt is always bigger than the starter belt, but you should measure them before ordering a replacement to ensure the new belt fits the make and model of your cart.

How Do You Measure Golf Cart Belts?

Measuring golf cart belts is a tricky procedure. First and foremost, you will need to pop the hood and locate the belt. You can then take a tailors tape measure and measure the length of the belt around the drive clutch.

You will also need to measure the width of the drive belt, as certain models require different lengths and widths from one another. Once you have the measurements, note them down on a piece of paper and begin your research into a replacement.

Helpfully, you can actually search for replacement drive belts with your make and model, as opposed to the measurements that you have taken. This can save you a lot of hassle and means you don’t need to worry about the measurements being exact.

After all, it’s quite tricky to get the tape measure in and around the drive belt for you to be able to take precise measurements.

So, once you’ve got a rough idea of the width and the length of the belt, head online and look for a replacement that is suitable for your make and model of cart.

How Do You Change a Belt on a Golf Cart?

If you’ve identified that the drive belt on your golf cart is faulty or damaged, you will need to replace it. The first thing you need to do is park the cart and turn the engine off. You can then pop the engine cover and look for the drive belt inside the engine compartment.

You can then loosen the drive belt tension bolt with a wrench, which is located on the front pulley. Once loose, slide the old drive belt off the front and rear clutch pulley before discarding it to one side.

Then, take your new belt and slip it around the clutch pulley. You will then need to stretch it over the front pulley. Finally, tighten the tension bolt with the wrench and close the engine cover.

You can then switch the engine on and test out the new belt.

While this sounds relatively straightforward, if you’re worried about the process, it’s best to take your golf cart to a dealer or golf cart mechanic to help you.

Not everyone has the confidence to change a belt, so don’t worry if you need to ask for help!

How Do I Know if My Golf Cart Belt is Bad?

The easiest way to identify a damaged or faulty golf cart belt is to listen to your engine. You can usually hear a belt as a result of the friction against the pulleys within the engine compartment, which is the first and most obvious sign that there is a problem.

Another way to identify an issue is to consider how the cart is driving.

When the belt is loose, your cart might struggle to reach its top speed and might feel sluggish when you pull away. Granted, this could be caused by a number of things, but it’s worth checking out the belt all the same.

Of course, you can also check if your golf cart belt is bad by looking at it. If it is frayed or damaged in any way, you should be able to see that it’s not in great shape.

This can happen for a number of reasons and isn’t anything to worry about, but it’s important to replace it as soon as you can.

Driving your golf cart with a faulty drive belt can lead to other issues within the engine, so it’s not something you should just ignore.

How Long Does a Golf Cart Drive Belt Last?

Golf cart drive belts are designed to last at least 4 years of normal use or around 90,000 miles. They’re durable and resistant to damage, so you shouldn’t need to replace a golf cart belt very often, particularly if you’ve purchased a new cart.

However, on older carts that have been well used, you might decide that it’s time to replace the belt.

That being said, you should only really have to replace the drive belt once. If you find that a newly installed belt is damaged soon after, there’s likely to be an underlying problem with another part of the engine.

Ultimately, if you find yourself having issues with your golf cart drive belt regularly, it’s best to take your cart in for a service.

A trained mechanic will be able to identify any issues that you might not notice yourself and will advise you on the best course of action to ensure your cart is in full working order.

Conclusion

The drive belt is an essential part of any golf cart. If you notice that yours is frayed or damaged in any way, it’s important to take the necessary steps to replace it.

As introduced above, you can replace the drive belt yourself, but it might be a good idea to take your cart to a certified mechanic to help you, particularly if you’re not confident with the process.

It’s not a huge job and shouldn’t cost you a great deal, but it will significantly improve the performance of your golf cart. So, if you’ve noticed that your cart isn’t performing as it should, it makes sense to check the drive belt and take the necessary steps to replace it.