[FrenchGators]

Firstly, I'll introduce myself:

I live in France, where I mange a small property. I have three Gators, two older Round Headlight TE#s with metal beds and one Gator TX .... so basically three of the same Gator. We'll be selling the TX this year because the TEs really do all that we need.

I bought both the TEs locally with dead batteries and a handshake promise that they worked fine before the batteries died. I got lucky on both. I replaced with the stock Trojan batteries, but I wish I had made the extra effort and done the LiFe . . .

One of the TEs needed new brakes and I saw on here that the EZ GO electric golf cart brakes might be compatible. I'll put the French link here and some links to some kits I wish I could have purchased from the US at the bottom.

Let me tell you, Gator part prices are crazy here. A 50 USD bearing in the US costs me about 170 USD here. It's nuts.

I swapped out only the brake pads on my TE with 2000 hours. One side was a perfect fit, no issues. The other side, I couldn't get the hub back on, but I think there is an issue with the auto-adjuster on that side and it won't close all the way back up to receive the new pads. My options were to grind down the pads a little where they make contact with the piston, or just throw back in the old pair of pads that I had that were in pretty good condition (one side was very worn and one side was ok).

I ordered only pads because that was what was available. I would in the future wait longer to get the kit with new hardware (springs, pins etc.) and the next time, I will probably buy one complete kit that includes the backing plate, adjuster springs and pads.

Hint: Simplify your life and take off the axle to work on the brakes . . . it gives you a chance to check the bearings anyway. I had one good and one bad.

Here are the links:
What I bought: 10L0L Jeu de Sabots de Frein de Rechange pour Chariot de Golf Bendix EZGO G&E 1997-Up, Electric 1996 TXT, Yamaha G&E 1993-up, G14,G16 & G19/2007-2016 YDR/Drive : Amazon.fr: Sports et Loisirs

US Kit with springs etc.: Amazon.com : Roykaw EZGO Brake Shoes Pads and Spring Kit for 1996-Up TXT/ST350/Workhorse and Yamaha 1993-Up G14, G16, G19-G22 Golf Cart Models Replaces # 27943G01, 70794G01, 70795G01 : Sports & Outdoors

Full Brake Assembly: Warning, I did not verify fit of this part, but it looks like it will go with no issues. Amazon.com: 10L0L Golf Cart Brake Assembly Improve Brake Sensitivity, Driving Stability and Safety Which is for EZGO TXT RXV & Yamaha G14-G22, with Brake Shoes Large Friction Coefficient, Shorten Braking Distance : Automotive


Need to know how to do it? Jack up and secure the gator first and flip the service switch. Parking brake OFF (you won't get the drums off otherwise) Remove the wheel, then remove the drum (tap/whack with hammer if necessary). Use curved/right angle Circlip Pliers to remove the internal circlip that holds the axle in place. Give the axle a tug, it should come out pretty easily. You may or may not need to put a shop towel in the axle hole to prevent dripping. Then follow the instructions in this video from about 2:00 on: EZGO TXT Brake Shoes | How to Replace Your Golf Cart Brakes - YouTube

 

[200mph]

Thanks for sharing. Good article.

 

[Pottscb]

Thanks FenchGators…my issue is that my parking brake works fine (leading me to believe that pads are OK) but when brake pedal is depressed, it goes all the way to floor without stopping…I looked at all the mechanical linkages and did notice in the parking brake assembly, when it’s pulled all the way up it activates the rear brake cable, but, when the pedal is depressed, it engages the same braking piece in the parking brake but not far enough to trigger the cable. Anyone know how to remedy?

 

[FrenchGators]

The parking brake has more throw than the brake pedal, in my experience. Which would mean that when you pull the parking brake, it is able to pull more cable than just the brake pedal. Still, that doesn’t solve your issue. Here’s how I would tackle it: Start by verifying that the pads actually are good: Jack up the vehicle, remove the wheels and take off the hubs to inspect the pads. Assuming the pads are good and all is in working order. Then there are adjusters (two nuts in opposition in the threaded collar of the brake cable) on the frame of the gator about 6 inches up the cable. You want to adjust the the cable so that you just take up the slack but don’t engage the brake. Do that for each side. Assuming you had slack and you adjusted it, you should notice two things: first, the Peking brake will engage earlier. Second, the brakes will work. If the brakes still don’t work, I would say there is something awry between the pedal and the braking mechanism under the seat.
Now, that explanation is all great if your TE is fresh and clean … on neither of my TEs is there any chance of moving those nuts on the adjuster. They are more oxidized than Davy Jones’ Locker. So I have decided to try to make some shims out of small aluminum tubing that I can slot into the cable … it’s a bit complicated to explain, but I’ll try to post some pictures when I do it.

 

[Pottscb]

Thanks for the explanation, makes sense. When you say “6 inches up the cable” that’s from the rear hub not the other end, right? My drums are pretty crusty…I need a castle nut wrench for that, right? Any other special tools?

 

[FrenchGators]

Yes. From the back. But sounds like you might have a newer or older te than mine (i have lugs on my wheels, not a castle nut). I have an older one, not sure how you would refer to it, maybe 2nd generation. It has a metal bed but round lights. The oldest ones have rectangular headlights. The newer ones have a composite bed ….

maybe the first gen is the E-gator?? And after that the TEs?

 

[khnitz]

maybe the first gen is the E-gator?? And after that the TEs?

Yeah, I think that's how they are delineated. The first gen are the e-gators.

 

[Pottscb]

Thanks FrenchGater, I have the similar model to yours…maybe 2005, metal bed, square headlights, no front brakes. I guess by the video you posted I thought the castle nut was as in addition to the lugs. I just changed the steering rack/pinion, shocks, control arm bushings, fenders, hood and am in I’m in the process of removing rust and repainting while I shop for lithium battery packs (SLAs are dead and the OEM replacements are $2000 😮) thought I’d adjust the brakes while I’m at it.

 

[Pottscb]

FrenchGater, did I read correctly that you removed the back axle to do a brake job?!? I finally got the front cover off my rusty drums and the shoes are basically still new (1/4” friction material left), super dirty/cruddy housing so I sprayed out the housing with brake cleaner. Problem is, when I depress the brake pedal only one shoe moves in each rear drum…I think it’s going to require the cable adjustment you were describing but the adjustment nuts are in front of the axle and right against the frame on both sides…it’s super tight, is this why your were saying drop the axle? Can you provide any more detail on how to do this? Do you need multiple jacks as the rotors will need to still be off in order to see if the adjustments are in the right direction, right? Undo the axle connections and then jack the frame up away from it to clear the space for working? Could you take a closeup pic of the mounting piece that needs to come loose?

Thanks again!

 

[FrenchGators]

Hi Pottscb,

Don't take the whole axle housing off! I pulled the inner axle out, just to make woring on the brakes easier. I didn't remove the axle housing. (item 3 in the attached image)



age).

 

[FrenchGators]

Take a look at this page to see the parts blow up of the brakes. It seems normal to me that only one pad moves when you push brake. It just means the the pistons of the the adjuster are a bit stuck on one side. WHen it has the drum to push against, it will brake.

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/77279/referrer/navigation/pgId/770906680

Then take a look at this blow up: https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/77279/referrer/navigation/pgId/770907665

Two things, Where I see the ability to adjust is on the brake cable at about where the #32 is. It also looks like you may be able to adjust the brake cable at nut #20 ... I'll have to look at that later.

 

[Pottscb]

Understood! How did you pull that inner axle, my is stuck and I don’t want to bend the inner drip by leveraging off that?

 

[FrenchGators]

Hi Pottscb Refer the parts blow up. There is an inner snap ring that needs to be removed with 90 deg snap ring pliers.

Best of luck.

 

[Pottscb]

Ah, so that’s where the Circlip Pliers come into the picture.

 

[FrenchGators]

I am going to change out my bearings next week when they arrive, so maybe I#ll get a chance to take some pics.

 

[Pottscb]

I am going to change out my bearings next week when they arrive, so maybe I#ll get a chance to take some pics.

Would be appreciated…also, can you post link to your new wheel bearings as, I already have everything broken down so might as well throw some bearings in there.(and I’ll probably change fronts as well, cause, why not)

 

[Pottscb]

This is my brake cable mount, looking down at the top of the nut (non-flanged side), would it turn clockwise to take slack out of the cable?