Golf carts, mostly gas powered golf carts, can be loud machines. Gas golf carts can be so loud that you cannot have a conversation with the person next to you because the sound is so loud.
If you drive a street legal golf cart, maybe the noise it creates wakes up your loved ones when you leave your house in the morning.
Regardless of what your particular gripe with an overly loud golf cart is, we can all agree that a way to make golf carts quieter would be a welcomed possibility. That being said, installing a quiet muffler on your golf cart can help make it significantly quieter, provided you purchase a high quality one.
What Is A Muffler For Golf Carts?
A muffler is a metal part of equipment that goes onto a golf cart’s exhaust in order to dissipate the noise the engine creates.
A golf cart muffler is similar in form and function to a regular car muffler.
A golf cart muffler is generally only useful for gas-powered golf carts, or golf carts that run on fossil fuel engines. This is because electric golf carts tend to be fairly quiet, and not loud enough to bother anyone.
When it comes to vehicles, a synonym for a muffler is a silencer. Muffler is the American term whereas silencer is the British term.
Should You Install A Quiet Muffler On Your Golf Cart?
Whether you should or should not install a quiet muffler on your golf cart is dependent on the situation.
First off, you need to make sure your annoying golf cart’s noise is not coming from a mechanical issue, such as engine defects, damaged shock absorbers, and more. The safest way to know if your golf cart’s noise is coming from a mechanical issue is to bring it to a mechanic who knows golf carts well.
If the excessive noise did come from a mechanical issue, then fixing the mechanical issue should reduce your golf cart’s noise. The fixed golf cart may become quiet enough to not justify purchasing and installing a muffler or silencer.
Furthermore, it is possible your golf cart already has a muffler, and that you simply never checked. Your muffler will sit near the exhaust on your golf cart if you have one. Make sure the golf cart is turned off before checking if you have a muffler installed.
If you have a muffler already, look at its condition. Does your muffler look old, cracked, or damaged? Does your current muffler have a foul odor because it is distorted and therefore cannot properly filter exhaust gases? If so, replacing your muffler with a new one could be good.
Although individual mufflers do not fit on all golf cart models, you can read our article about some of the best golf cart mufflers here: Top 3 Best Quiet Golf Cart Mufflers.
Next, even if you do have a golf cart muffler installed that looks to be in good condition, you need to understand that not all mufflers offer the same level of noise dissipation and reduction. Therefore, you might still want to replace your current muffler with a more performance one. You should do some additional research to find the best, quietest muffler for your golf cart.
If you are not mechanically inclined, you should definitely let a professional install the muffler, because using jacks is required, as well as potential welding or other mechanical fixations. If you do not let a professional install the new muffler for you, you do so at your own risk.
How To Install A Quiet Muffler On A Golf Cart?
Normally, the muffler you buy for your golf cart should come with installation instructions, describing which kind of fixations you will require, and more. We repeat that the easiest and safest way to install a muffler on your golf cart is to bring it and your golf cart to a trained professional.
Attempting to install a muffler on a golf cart yourself will be at your own risk and we take no responsibility for any injuries or accidents, even if fatal.
With those disclaimers out of the way, read down below for the general steps to install a quiet muffler on a golf cart.
Step 1: Jack up the Golf Cart
The first step will be to jack up the golf cart. You will need strong, sturdy jacks to jack up the cart, considering it can weigh upwards of 1000lbs.
To access the muffler location for your golf cart, you need to lift it up the ground. Without strong jacks, you run the risk of the golf cart falling on top of you and injuring or killing you. This is the main reason why it is preferable to let a trained professional install your muffler.
Step 2: Remove Old Muffler If Present
Once the golf cart is elevated, you can remove the old muffler by using a cheater bar and a long enough neck socket that will fit on to remove the old muffler bolts.
Store the muffler bolts in a secure place.
Step 3: Install the new muffler where the old muffler was
Next, you need to install the brand new muffler. If your new muffler is not the exact same as the old one, you might need some custom muffler fixations. Bring the muffler and your golf cart to a professional to create the appropriate fixations, unless you can manage a custom setup yourself.
Before installing the new muffler, make sure there is a flange gasket on the end of the new muffler. A flange gasket seals the space between the pipes.
With the flange gasket in the new muffler, start bolting in the bolts into the new muffler, but do not tighten them fully. Tighten all other fasteners in the meantime to make sure the muffler is supported everywhere. Once done, finish tightening the bolts into the muffler.
Step 4: Start up the golf cart to check for leaks
Once the muffler is installed, jack down the golf cart, and turn it on.
Check the muffler area closely to see if there are any leaks in the muffler system. Gas should only come out of the muffler/exhaust.
How To Choose A Quiet Muffler For Golf Carts?
When looking at quiet mufflers for golf carts, you ideally want to select one among the highest quality ones because they offer the best noise reduction.
It is important to note you will need to replace your muffler every few years because they it will get rusty or fissured over time. Keep that in mind when allocating your budget for a muffler.
It is not always obvious whether or not a specific muffler will fit your golf cart. A great way to figure out if a muffler is compatible with your golf cart is to contact your golf cart manufacturer.
The manufacturer will be able to tell you all you need to know, and will even give your recommendations for mufflers compatible with your golf cart.
Next, you could also go to a golf cart mechanical shop and get their recommendation. These people in these shops are trained professionals who have seen countless golf carts drive in through their doors, some probably even louder than yours.
Finally, if you are looking for the best aftermarket mufflers available on Amazon, read this article: The Top 3 Best Quiet Mufflers for Golf Carts.
Conclusion
There you go! After reading this article, you have learned that the best, safest way to install a quiet muffler is to bring it and your golf cart to a trained professional.
If you have the equipment, the technical knowledge required, and are willing to do it at your own risk, you also learned how to install a muffler yourself on your golf cart.
You also learned to determine whether you should install a muffler on your golf cart, as well as how to choose a good muffler that is also compatible with your golf cart.
Why do you want to install a quiet muffler on your golf cart? Do you see a noise difference between before and after the quiet muffler installation? Let us know in the comments down below!
