# Downgrade from Ranger to Golf cart?



## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Anyone done this? Got any pros vs. cons you care to share? 

I have a 2010 Ranger 800XP that is a garage queen. It sits in the storage unit from January to October. It only gets used during hunting season, we thought we would use it more but that just hasn't happened. 

We have an RV and often times the campgrounds we stay at will allow golf carts but no SXS's. So if I traded out we could use the golf cart much more than the ranger. 

BTW, I am thinking of going with a gas cart.

I don't have much experience with golf carts. Will I hate it? Is the ride going to be bumpy as heII vs. the Ranger?


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## 6.5 shooter dude (Jan 8, 2008)

A golf cart won't do or haul what a UTV can. Maybe a bad boy buggy could fit your needs if they make a gas one. I wouldn't own a cart that is electric.


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

I use my 36 volt for fishing and hunting














and we hunt in Fredericksburg


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

I have nothing to base this on but I have no interest in an elec cart. I am not concerned with the noise of a gas cart. 

Sadly mine doesn't get worked as much as it should. I haul the occasional load of firewood and animals that have been shot, that is about it. 

Can a gas cart pull a 300# blind that is on skids?

It really looks like I should keep the Ranger and just buy a golf cart for camping 

Edit: my comment about elec was in reply to Jay, not you Dbar. 

Nice looking cart


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Friend had a golf cart (gas) at the lease. Was a waste of time and money. Just couldnt hack the hills and terrain like vehicles made to do that. But just using one for camping should be fine.


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

I have both and use both at lake. I bought a gas golf cart to run around lake subdivision and my wife said it was to slow at 12 mph. So now we have a ranger which works out nice. We leave golf cart at lake but trailer the ranger back and forth. I also use ranger at lease close to house. Go with gas cart in my opinion 


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

This is my gas powered Yamaha Drive. It is multi functional... we use it around the neighborhood, at campgrounds, at the beach, and on our property. With a few modifications they can be very functional. Mine will travel 27mph, and you can get more low end torque by changing the clutch out.


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## Shooter (Jun 10, 2004)

*Golf Cart*

I use a 48 volt electric on about 170 acres an hour north of Bryan and it does a great job. The most I've ever carried on it is 450lbs of corn with no problem. When I shoot an animal weighing over 150 / 200lbs I usually just drag it back to my cleaning area. It runs all day and charges at night. It's lifted for clearance and I run 22" tires. It's deadly quiet. Ask Johnny Quest about its ability to get the job done. I put him right on top of a large group of hogs in the wide open. They never heard us until he cut loose with his 300 black out.


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## Shooter (Jun 10, 2004)

*Another Pic*

Pigs onboard.


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## DadSaid (Apr 4, 2006)

BrandonH, how did you get a cart to go 27mph. I have a gas 2014 Yamaha that's lifted too. It does 14 mph. I got it from Action Buggy.


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## CDHknives (Mar 17, 2012)

I have an ez-go S4 electric golf cart set up for offroad. It isn't fast, about 15 mph, and our lease is quite flat so hills are not an issue. The wife uses it during the week to haul the kids to/from school, I use it at the lease occasionally. It is very heavy (over 1200 lbs) for hauling in the bed of the truck, but works great if you want to hitch up a trailer. It is rough riding but I have no fear of breaking it on rough terrain. It is deadly quiet. It hauls me and all the corn I ever want to the blind and feeder, and is really nice for corning roads and such. Add some camo burlap and you have a portable ground blind...no gas/oil stink to run off animals. I like it personally...the sound of 4 wheelers running around is annoying to me...


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

DadSaid said:


> BrandonH, how did you get a cart to go 27mph. I have a gas 2014 Yamaha that's lifted too. It does 14 mph. I got it from Action Buggy.


You should be getting more than that with the bigger tires running stock. Here's the cheapest and quickest way to gain speed without changing gears. You can also adjust the governor once you install the new spring. To gain torque you need to replace the secondary clutch spring.


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Thanks for the input guys. As far as terrain/hills right now I don't have to worry about any of that, my lease is pretty flat.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

StinkBait said:


> Thanks for the input guys. As far as terrain/hills right now I don't have to worry about any of that, my lease is pretty flat.


Then your only problem would be having to move a blind, as you said earlier. There's no one on the lease that would assist you with their UTV if you made choice to trade yours off?


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

spurgersalty said:


> Then your only problem would be having to move a blind, as you said earlier. There's no one on the lease that would assist you with their UTV if you made choice to trade yours off?


Nope...just me  Well, there is this crotchety old SOB next door that may help if I could get him away from his goats long enough

I can just use my truck, but of course it is much more fun using the ranger to do chores.

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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Wuuut? Use the truck no way! You'd better just keep the UTV, considering you're talking about








Seriously, if it's no problem financially, I'd just get a cart to use at the rv parks and keep the buggy. How you going to haul the golf cart and the camper? You have a toy hauler rv?


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

spurgersalty said:


> Wuuut? Use the truck no way! You'd better just keep the UTV, considering you're talking about
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Believe it or not that junker has been in the shop since then, and probably needs to go back for more warranty work. I am kicking around getting rid of it this week.

As for having both, probably not going to happen. It is looking like we would get much more use from the cart.

No on the toy hauler, I will have be pulling behind the RV.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

StinkBait said:


> Believe it or not that junker has been in the shop since then, and probably needs to go back for more warranty work. I am kicking around getting rid of it this week.
> 
> As for having both, probably not going to happen. It is looking like we would get much more use from the cart.
> 
> No on the toy hauler, I will have be pulling behind the RV.


Keep in mind there's an overall length you can't go over with a normal license. So truck, rv, and small trailer can't be longer that (__?). I'm not sure what it is though. 
I'd probably get rid of the UTV too. 
Toying the idea of selling my big boat right now. Can't justify keeping it for 4 trips a year


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

I believe that length is 75', I will be under that. 


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

I checked, it's 65' total length. 
Better be looking at a short bed tow vehicle or a shortass utility trailer.
http://www.txdmv.gov/motor-carriers/oversize-overweight-permits/texas-size-weight-limits
And a 60 mph max speed during the day pulling a 5th wheel. Which, there's no problem there if you still own the ford


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

I am still good, my 5'er is only 32'


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Well, I had this little dilemma solved for me. I went over to the storage unit today to get some stuff and my ranger and trailer were gone. They even put on a new lock on the doors!!


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

New owners or just thiefs?


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## BrandonH (Oct 15, 2006)

spurgersalty said:


> New owners or just thiefs?


I was wondering the same thing.

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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Thieves, see my post on the main board 


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## MaJeK King (Nov 17, 2012)

I have a gas cart and love it. 22 mph and fights the hills with no problems. A simple belt and different drive train ($80) and you can go anywhere. Strongly recommend one.


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## TxAg80 (Apr 17, 2012)

Electric golf carts can be made to do the job BUT they require some modification and investment. You can't expect to spend $2K and have something that will hang with a $12K Ranger. But, you can spend more like $5K and have a great machine. Beef up the electrical system and upgrade to an off-road suspension with coil-over shocks and they can be mean little hunting buggies.

This is my heavily-modified club car. It will haul 2 men+500lb of feed and go up steep hills while doing it all quietly. Hauls deer pretty well too.


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## TxAg80 (Apr 17, 2012)

And StinkBait that sucks about your loss man, hate thieves.


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## LawyerUp (Jan 2, 2013)

We have a battery powers golf cart I use for everything. Hunting, beach, driving around the neighborhood with our kids and skeet shoots. The biggest down fall, if you have 4 guys on it, and you are running around a big place, it will die down. Sometime after ridding around, it wont even be fully charged in the morning. Besides that, we have definitely gotten are money's worth.


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## capone (Feb 25, 2013)

Golf carts ride terrible. You can pick up a cart in Leesville, LA for 3-4k with lift and your choice or tires and wheels. 


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## Shooter (Jun 10, 2004)

I have gas and electric. Beef'um up and no problems at all. Here's how I used my electric this weekend.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1624074


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I hunt in this! Its 4 wheel dr & goes about 24mph. I love it but I have a small place.


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## TXDUX (Sep 11, 2007)

My 48 volt Club Car works great at our place in the hill country.


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Well, that experiment didn't work...anyone want to buy a nice Yamaha golf cart??


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

StinkBait said:


> Well, that experiment didn't work...anyone want to buy a nice Yamaha golf cart??


You should be banned for trying to sell without a sponsorship


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## 6.5 shooter dude (Jan 8, 2008)

StinkBait said:


> Well, that experiment didn't work...anyone want to buy a nice Yamaha golf cart??


Just park it on a trailer at a storage facility for 6 months.

It will probably still be there.


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

spurgersalty said:


> You should be banned for trying to sell without a sponsorship


Flipping you off smiley guy



Jay Baker said:


> Just park it on a trailer at a storage facility for 6 months.
> 
> It will probably still be there.


Nice cart, it will serve someone good, just not me. So now I will be following the DSL selling plan.


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## Long Pole (Jun 5, 2008)

$1,000 + free delivery.


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

StinkBait said:


> Well, that experiment didn't work...anyone want to buy a nice Yamaha golf cart??


what didn't you like about it?


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

1200

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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Gilbert said:


> what didn't you like about it?


The fact that skinny jeans and skechers were a requirement to operate?


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Gilbert said:


> what didn't you like about it?


It is waaaay too rough of a ride. Guess I was spoiled by the ranger. I knew the cart would be nothing like a ranger but it just sucks off of the pavement

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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Are the shocks adjustable? 
Other than weight, I just can't understand why it would be so much rougher? 
A whole lot less power, yes.


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Lack of full 4 wheel independent suspension. The golf cart has a solid rear axle. I am guessing that is why. 


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

See, that is a plus if you use one like I do. I guess that's a tradeoff some are prepared to make. That IS bullchit is weaker, IMO.
Well, you getting another Ranger or what?


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

Yep, going back to a ranger


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Happy shade tree mechanic day to ya'!!!!!


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

No worries, as long as my ford happens to be running that day I will just tow it to the shop 

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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

I'll keep the Toyota warmed up then.


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## Copano/Aransas (Dec 18, 2011)

spurgersalty said:


> I'll keep the Toyota warmed up then.


Better bring some hand warmers to keep your hands warm while pushing the yota .

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