Like many golf cart enthusiasts, I recently picked up a Club Car Precedent project cart, and it quickly became apparent that the front end needed some serious attention. The steering was erratic, darting from side to side, a stark contrast to the stable handling of my older Precedent. This particular cart was equipped with aftermarket 12″ wheels and low-profile tires, and hailing from a hotter climate, my initial suspicion landed squarely on worn-out bushings in the front end components – a common issue in golf carts, especially those exposed to heat and demanding conditions.
After giving the cart a good clean and addressing a few minor issues, I got down to business and jacked it up to inspect the front end. What I discovered was truly astonishing: an excessive amount of play in both the outer control arm bushings and the front leaf spring bushings. Determined to use genuine parts and avoid shipping delays, I headed to the nearest Club Car dealer, part numbers in hand for a Precedent bushing kit and a few other items.
To my surprise, the parts counter, manned by someone filling in, didn’t list a complete genuine Club Car bushing kit. Instead, they offered individual bushings and a front spring bushing kit from Red Hawk, an aftermarket brand. Hesitant but needing to move forward, I purchased the individual control arm bushings and the Red Hawk leaf spring bushing kit, noting with some concern that the kit was listed as compatible with both Precedent and DS models. Recalling online discussions about potential DS bushing compatibility with Precedents offered a sliver of reassurance as I drove home, but the differing part numbers for DS and Precedent bushings in parts diagrams still lingered in the back of my mind.
With the front end raised and wheels removed, I began disassembly, starting with the driver’s side leaf spring bushing. Upon removing the bolt and lowering the leaf spring, I was met with a shocking discovery – there were absolutely no bushings present! Only the metal spacer rod remained. Moving on to the outer control arm bushing, the same story unfolded: no bushings, just the metal rod.
Alt text: Exploded diagram showing various Club Car Precedent front suspension parts, including leaf springs, control arms, bushings, kingpins and clevis.
At this point, my focus shifted to installing the new bushings in the leaf spring and outer control arm positions to assess the situation and perform a front end alignment. While the leaf spring bushings pressed into the leaf spring relatively easily, it became immediately clear that the kingpin would not fit through the newly installed bushings. The same issue arose with the clevis. This raised a series of perplexing questions: Were these Red Hawk bushings even the correct parts for a Precedent? Had a previous mechanic encountered the same fitment issue and, inexplicably, reassembled the suspension without bushings in these critical locations? Or, even more concerning, had someone unfamiliar with golf cart mechanics attempted a front end repair, omitted the bushings entirely, and then forced the clevis and kingpin bolts, potentially bending them in the process?
Alt text: Detailed view of a Club Car Precedent control arm assembly, highlighting the location of the control arm bushings within the front suspension system.
In the meantime, replacement clevis and kingpins for both sides are on order, anticipating potential damage from the missing bushings and improper assembly. I’m also actively searching for a gently used Precedent front suspension assembly locally in the CT area, in case a more comprehensive parts replacement becomes necessary.
To confirm the bushing compatibility and troubleshoot this unusual situation, I’m reaching out to the community for assistance. Does anyone have precise measurements for genuine Club Car Precedent leaf spring and control arm bushings? Has anyone encountered a similar scenario of missing bushings in a Precedent front end, or experienced fitment issues with aftermarket bushings? Any insights or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated as I work to restore the proper handling and safety of this Club Car Precedent.
