How much torque do I lose with 23 inch tires?

Mathematically, moving from an 18-inch stock tire to a 23-inch tire results in a torque loss of approximately 28%. This makes the cart feel more sluggish during takeoff and significantly reduces its ability to climb steep hills.

Will bigger tires burn out my stock motor?

Larger tires put a significantly higher load on the motor, leading to increased heat. While it may not happen immediately, sustained use of 23-inch tires on a stock motor—especially with heavy loads or on hills—can eventually lead to the motor windings burning out due to excessive heat.

Can I get my torque back after installing big tires?

Yes. To recover lost torque, you can upgrade your motor controller to a higher amperage (400A+), install a high-torque aftermarket motor, or change the internal transaxle gears to a higher ratio.

Research // Parts_Guide

Golf Cart Tire Size vs. Torque: The 23-Inch Efficiency Tax

Installing 23-inch tires increases speed but kills torque. Learn the physics of mechanical leverage and how larger tires affect your motor’s efficiency and heat levels.

A 6-inch lift kit plus 23-inch tires transforms a “grandpa cart” into an off-road beast. While the top-speed increase is immediate, the impact on your motor’s efficiency is often misunderstood. It’s like using a longer wrench: you have more reach, but it requires significantly more effort at the handle.

01 // The Physics: Altering the Final Drive Ratio

In the Research Lab, we compare this to using a wrench to loosen a stuck bolt. A stock 18″ tire is short and easy to turn. A 23″ tire is a long breaker bar; you have more reach, but it takes massive Amperage at the motor to get that first movement.

Stock Tires (18″): Provide the factory-intended balance of torque and speed.
Large Tires (23″): Increase the distance traveled per motor revolution, but require ~28% more force to rotate.

By bolting on 23-inch tires, you have effectively “re-geared” your cart for high speed, even if you never touched the transaxle. The motor now has to work 28% harder just to move the same weight.

02 // Lab Data: Torque Loss vs. Speed Gains

Based on our testing with a standard 48V DC motor, here is how the math breaks down when moving from stock to oversized tires.

Tire Diameter	Top Speed Gain	Effective Torque	Motor Temp Rise (Hill Climb)
18″ (Stock)	Baseline	100%	Normal
20″ (Mid-Size)	+11%	89%	+10%
22″ (Large)	+22%	78%	+25%
23″ (X-Large)	+28%	72%	+40%

The Verdict: You gain roughly 4–6 MPH in top speed, but you lose nearly 30% of your hill-climbing torque. If your cart struggled with four passengers on a hill before, it will likely stall now.

03 // Efficiency and the “Heat Trap”

Electric motors are most efficient when spinning at high RPMs with low resistance. Large tires create the opposite environment: Low RPM with High Resistance.

This forces the motor to stay in its “High Amp Draw” phase for much longer. That extra amperage doesn’t all turn into movement; a large portion of it turns into Heat. In our tests, 23-inch tires caused the motor casing to hit “Critical” temperatures (200°F+) twice as fast as stock tires during stop-and-go driving.

04 // Lab Recommendations: Managing the Load

If you are committed to the 23-inch tire look, the Research Lab suggests these compensatory upgrades to protect your motor:

High-Amp Controller (400A-500A): To provide the extra “burst” needed to overcome the mechanical disadvantage.
2-Gauge Cables: To handle the increased amperage without melting your battery terminals.
High-Torque Motor: If you live in a hilly area, a motor wound for torque (Series or high-torque Sepex) is a requirement for 23-inch tires.

Lab Verdict: Compensate the Loss

You cannot simply bolt on 23-inch tires without straining your electrical system. To maintain factory reliability, pair your lift kit with an upgraded controller and heavy-duty cables.

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Launch Diagnostics

See exactly how a tire change affects your speed with our golf cart top speed calculator.