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Awesome, great to see that you have the right motor for the project and have calculated the correct gear ratio.

I created a kit for your project. It is item number KIT-36750-50. Here is the link to it:

https://cart.electricscooterparts.com/36-volt-750-watt-throttle-controller-battery-pack-wiring-harness-and-charger-kit-KIT-36750-50

We do not have any thumb throttles with switches that do not have battery level indicators, so I had to include a throttle with battery level indicator in the kit. We will wire the throttle so the battery indicator works since it has one. The battery indicator will turn off when the power switch is off so it does not drain the battery when the beach wagon is in storage.

Please have a look at the parts and wire lengths in the kit. If you would like any changes to be made then please let us know.

The 36 Volt 600 Watt motor would be a good choice for a 500 pound cart geared for walking speed. Under the most demanding conditions three 35Ah batteries would provide a 1-1/2 hour run time, and under normal conditions even more.

22 inch tires are fairly large as far as carts go so a large axle sprocket would be needed. I ran a gear ratio and sprocket size calculation using the 36 Volt 600 Watt gear motor and here are the results.

A 90 tooth axle sprocket would provide a 3.5 MPH top speed on flat ground. The top speed would be a little slower in the sand so that is why I aimed for 3.5 MPH instead of 3 MPH in the calculation.

The 36 Volt 600 Watt gear motor has a sprocket for #40, #41, and #420 chain and I do not think that off the shelf 90 tooth sprockets are available for these size chains. However a sprocket company called Rebel Gears can custom make it and many of our customers have used them before and have good things to say about them. 

We can put together a kit for your project with the exact parts that you want it to have. If you would like us to start working on a kit then please let us know the parts to base it on such as motor, batteries, throttle, with or without reverse, etc. and then we can start working on the kit for your project.

Here is a list of beach cart kits that we have already put together which you can use for inspiration or you might find one that is perfect for your project as it is. If you find a kit in this list and want something changed on it we can do that so please let us know. https://cart.electricscooterparts.com/store/Search.aspx?SearchTerms=beach

The 36 Volt 600 Watt motor's sprocket works with #420 chain so the axle sprocket needs to be ordered for #420 chain. We carry #420 chain and can include a length of it and a master link with the kit if you would like?

Would panel mount toggle switches be okay for the power and reverse switches, or do you need for these switches to be on the handlebar?

We could also make the kit with a panel mount key switch for power and the reverse switch either panel mount or on the handlebars?

I have got the kit finished. It is our item # KIT-36600G-30. Here is the link to it: 

https://cart.electricscooterparts.com/36-volt-600-watt-beach-cart-power-kit-with-reverse

There is an option on the kit page to select how many feet of #420 chain that you want.

Please have a look at the kit and if there is anything that you would like changed or added to it then please let us know.

Hi Amanda,

I have learned from our customer's mistakes that an electric beach cart needs to have the power from the motor going to both of its rear wheels. If only one rear wheel is powered then it will slip and dig into the sand.

The plastic beach cart in the link above is not a good candidate to convert to electric because it is not made from steel so it can not be welded onto.

The steel yard cart in the link that you posted is a good candidate to convert to electric however doing so would require major modifications such as replacing their fixed rear axle and wheels with a live axle, bearings, bearing hangers, and wheels that attach to the new live axle.

We can supply all of the electrical parts and drivetrain parts up to the axle and we have kits with these parts that are made so all of the parts in the kit are plug and play with each other.

You or a welding shop would need to convert the steel yard cart so it has the right axle and wheels and a place to mount the motor, batteries, and electrical components.

We do not have a list of specifications to follow when looking for a wagon to convert. The wagon should be made from steel and be the right size and have the right weight capacity for your needs though.