MGI Navigator AT vs Stewart Vertx Remote Carts

[JohnnyO3478]

6 hours ago, teedub21 said:

Either we have very different MGI’s or you’re full out running behind your golf cart.

I am wondering if this new iteration, with the half speeds displays them different than the old version. When your machine is at top speed, what number is showing on the display? I've seen 20 on mine.

 

My buddy has the previous version and I asked what his default speed was and he said 3. Mine is 4 and 4 on mine is freaking slow. 3 would be comically slow.  Comfortable walking speed on mine has 10 - 12 on the display.

 

My guess is they changed the range of numbers because the display does not have a decimal point for half speeds.

 

It's just a theory at this point. That's why I asked that one question to the CSR.

Edited December 24, 2024 by JohnnyO3478

[teedub21]

3 hours ago, JohnnyO3478 said:

I am wondering if this new iteration, with the half speeds displays them different than the old version. When your machine is at top speed, what number is showing on the display? I've seen 20 on mine.

 

My buddy has the previous version and I asked what his default speed was and he said 3. Mine is 4 and 4 on mine is freaking slow. 3 would be comically slow.  Comfortable walking speed on mine has 10 - 12 on the display.

 

My guess is they changed the range of numbers because the display does not have a decimal point for half speeds.

 

It's just a theory at this point. That's why I asked that one question to the CSR.

Must be different.  I’m tall with long legs and a fast walker.  6 is almost too fast to keep up comfortably walking.  

[JohnnyO3478]

14 minutes ago, teedub21 said:

Must be different.  I’m tall with long legs and a fast walker.  6 is almost too fast to keep up comfortably walking.  

Gotta be.  The old system reportedly has 9 speeds.  If they added a half speed to every one of those and the display does not do decimals - it would make sense for the new unit to be displaying high numbers. My guess is that your 6 is proabably the same speed as 11 on mine.  I too am tall and walk quickly.  I am comfy at 10 - 12 on mine.  

[teedub21]

I emailed MGI to see if the firmware can be updated. 

[JohnnyO3478]

One of my regular playing partners ordered the AT model a week or so before I did. When he finally opened the box (been out of town on a field project) what he saw was the non-AT version.

 

He called MGI and they gave him return label and authorization for the screw up and promised to get the correct cart to him.  Over a week later and still no shipping notice. Busy time of the year, but IMO he should have gone to the front of the line.

 

I played my 3rd round yesterday and out of nowhere, the bag decided to rotate some. I'd re-set it then it'd rotate again. After a few episodes, it finally stopped. There must be some sweet-spot. My bag is the Vessel Player V.

[RSinSG]

1 hour ago, JohnnyO3478 said:

played my 3rd round yesterday and out of nowhere, the bag decided to rotate some. I'd re-set it then it'd rotate again. After a few episodes, it finally stopped. There must be some sweet-spot. My bag is the Vessel Player V.

There are other threads on this problem. After trying three different bags i finally got the Sun Mountain 5LS 14-WAY VLO based upon recommendations from other WRX’rs. It is the only one that I’ve used that doesn’t rotate as the leg stand assembly is lower and fits below the carts mount. 

[teedub21]

Yeah, stand bags aren’t ideal on the MGI.  I use a Vessel mini-staff bag.  My Jones Trouper rotates around and isn’t really heavy enough to keep the cart weighted down.

[Archimedes65]

I’m able to get both my Vessel Player V and my Titleist Hybrid 14 to lock in straight on my non AT Navigator, and not move during the round.  I sit both on the tops of the legs in the top cradle, but they both lock down straight and solid.  If the bag is moving, perhaps the top strap is not adjusted tight enough.

[JohnnyO3478]

5 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

I’m able to get both my Vessel Player V and my Titleist Hybrid 14 to lock in straight on my non AT Navigator, and not move during the round.  I sit both on the tops of the legs in the top cradle, but they both lock down straight and solid.  If the bag is moving, perhaps the top strap is not adjusted tight enough.

Send me some photos of the Player V on the top cradle, please.

[Archimedes65]

4 minutes ago, JohnnyO3478 said:

Send me some photos of the Player V on the top cradle, please.

 

Here you go.

 

 

[Archimedes65]

Also, MGI sells a small bag adapter kit that comes with a riser and shorter bungee for the bottom cradle.  I haven’t needed it for my Player V yet, but if it ever moved on me, I’d probably try that to raise it up a bit.  But so far, my bag stays still.

[JohnnyO3478]

54 minutes ago, Archimedes65 said:

Also, MGI sells a small bag adapter kit that comes with a riser and shorter bungee for the bottom cradle.  I haven’t needed it for my Player V yet, but if it ever moved on me, I’d probably try that to raise it up a bit.  But so far, my bag stays still.

10-4. Thanks. It never dawned on me to try the cradle above the legs. I'll give that a shot tomorrow. 

[Archimedes65]

Just now, JohnnyO3478 said:

10-4. Thanks. It never dawned on me to try the cradle above the legs. I'll give that a shot tomorrow. 

 

I actually have it right at the top of the legs, but the cradle kinda wraps against the side.  The only time I ever have issue with my bags is if the cradle rises up, which I prevent by making sure the bungee strap is tight on top.

 

Also, I just threw the small bag kit on it and the Player V fit fine with it as well.  Strangely I was also able to get my Players Carbon 4 to lock down great with the small bag kit on the cart, even though I had trouble with that bag before.

 

Pretty much all moot for me though, as I prefer to have my Titleist Hybrid 14 on the MGI most of the time when I use it.  I played a round with the Player V just to make sure it would work in a pinch.

[JohnnyO3478]

OK - I figured out the correct way to set up my AT and mount the Vessel stand bag.  

 

I use the mid handle position and have the top cradle as low as it will go.  In the past I would raise the handle to the mid position then lock the lever then lower the cradle.  That's the wrong order - as the top cradle is not locked in the low position if you do it that way.  If you raise the handle to the mid position, then lower the top cradle THEN lock the handle in place - the top cradle no longer moves.  

 

Of course I found this out by accident. Played nine today - and my bag never even thought about rotating.  

 

Today's round was in the rain.  I had the foresite to order the umbrella extension.  I'm 6'1" and that arrangement works fine. The MGI with an umbrella up is way more stable than a Stewart with an umbrella up.  

[portland]

I decided to zip tie 1” pipe insulation to the top cradle as a way to prevent my bag from twisting.  So far so good but.  Thinking this could be a budget version of the Clicgear bag cozy 

[596]

On 12/21/2024 at 10:03 AM, JohnnyO3478 said:

Thanks. I looked for something like that on the internet and found nothing. No card with that info came with my unit. I wonder why they don't even mention it in the manual. 

 

Thought I should update for you.  To adjust the 2 motors to run straight on a Vertx.

 

Press #1 and #3 (2 buttons on the left edge.) and hold both at the same time for 5 seconds. Cart will start forward very slowly.  Correct the direction by using the left and right buttons.  Press STOP to set. Cart will stop. Proceed as normal.

 

FYI as you adjust left or right do not press and hold or press too many times. The cart is moving so slow you won't see it adjust.  Just press once or twice then STOP.  Test it. Then readjust if needed.

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2024 by 596

[JohnnyO3478]

30 minutes ago, 596 said:

 

Thought I should update for you.  To adjust the 2 motors to run straight on a Vertx.

 

Press #1 and #3 (2 buttons on the left edge.) and hold both at the same time for 5 seconds. Cart will start forward very slowly.  Correct the direction by using the left and right buttons.  Press STOP to set. Cart will stop. Proceed as normal.

 

FYI as you adjust left or right do not press and hold or press too many times. The cart is moving so slow you won't see it adjust.  Just press once or twice then STOP.  Test it. Then readjust if needed.

 

 

 

I'll probably do this tomorrow as I'll be putting it up for sale and don't want the new owner to have to deal with it.

 

Thanks!

[JohnnyO3478]

1 hour ago, portland said:

I decided to zip tie 1” pipe insulation to the top cradle as a way to prevent my bag from twisting.  So far so good but.  Thinking this could be a budget version of the Clicgear bag cozy 

I tried all manner of these kinds of fixes on the Vertx. None of them worked. Maybe you'll have better luck on the MGI.

[JohnnyO3478]

Revision to my opinion on the water botttle holder: Neither are great.  

 

My problem with the Stewart was it was too small for my Owala Free Sip bottle and my Tal ratttled around in it.  I solve the rattle problem by using rubber bracelets as spacers.

 

My problem with the MGI is the connection to the cart mounting point is too tight and the holder does not rotate freely enough.  On top of that - tall bottles (like my Tal) do not sit low enough.  The CG of the arrangement ends up to high.  As a result, the bottle eventually falls out when the holder does rotate high enough - without returning to a normal position.  

 

As a remedy - I took a dremel tool to the holder to make it a looser fit on the mount - but it still gets caught in a non neutrual position and the bottle drops.  The main problem seems to be the bottle does not sit low enough.  There's a ridiculously fat spacer at the bottom upn which the bottle rests.  

 

Here is the MGI/Tal:

 

 

Here is the Stewart (sits a little lower):

 

 

And here is a Sun Mountain branded holder that I got off of Amazon for use with my Clicgear 4.0:

 

 

I dremeled the Sun Mountain holder tonight to fit the MGI mount and will give it a go tomorrow.  

 

[Archimedes65]

That’s a really tall water bottle.  If I have one that big, I put in down in the drink pocket on my bag.  I used the one on the cart for a standard coke/beer can or solo cup drink.

[JohnnyO3478]

9 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

That’s a really tall water bottle.  If I have one that big, I put in down in the drink pocket on my bag.  I used the one on the cart for a standard coke/beer can or solo cup drink.

I only drink water while on the course - most rounds.  Bottle height has never been an issue until now.  

[Phreddy]

The water bottle holder on the MGI is pretty crappy, but I just put the water bottle in the sleeve on my bag and it is fine.  It also adds weight to the bottom end which is always a good thing.

 

As for speeds on the newer MGI...Think Spinal Tap where their amps go to 11.  MGI changed the speeds to 1 through 20 from 1 to 10.  The total speed never changed, but you get the equivalent of 1/2 speeds.  Many customers complained that a given speed forced them to walk too fast or the cart was too slow.  It wasn't matching their natural gate.  Hence the change.

[JohnnyO3478]

11 minutes ago, Phreddy said:

The water bottle holder on the MGI is pretty crappy, but I just put the water bottle in the sleeve on my bag and it is fine.  It also adds weight to the bottom end which is always a good thing.

 

As for speeds on the newer MGI...Think Spinal Tap where their amps go to 11.  MGI changed the speeds to 1 through 20 from 1 to 10.  The total speed never changed, but you get the equivalent of 1/2 speeds.  Many customers complained that a given speed forced them to walk too fast or the cart was too slow.  It wasn't matching their natural gate.  Hence the change.

I carry extra water bottles in my bag pockets - down by the front wheels. I pack the insulated bigger bottle with ice - so I always have cold water available.

 

The lowest speed number that shows up on the display of the new AT is 2 (even in manual mode).  It appears to me that the even speeds on the new model are = to the whole speeds on the old and the odd speeds on the new would be the half speeds that the old model lacks.  

[Phreddy]

1 hour ago, JohnnyO3478 said:

I carry extra water bottles in my bag pockets - down by the front wheels. I pack the insulated bigger bottle with ice - so I always have cold water available.

 

The lowest speed number that shows up on the display of the new AT is 2 (even in manual mode).  It appears to me that the even speeds on the new model are = to the whole speeds on the old and the odd speeds on the new would be the half speeds that the old model lacks.  

Exactly

[Nickb333]

I also put a large water bottle in my bag at the bottom for ballast. Sand bottle in the other outside pocket. 
 

I use the mgi cup holder for my cell phone. It’s kind of a cool option for stealth photography. I can remote run the cart into place and access the camera via my watch. 

Edited December 29, 2024 by Nickb333

[JohnnyO3478]

The Sun Mountain water bottle cage worked well today.  

[JohnnyO3478]

On 12/27/2024 at 4:46 PM, 596 said:

 

Thought I should update for you.  To adjust the 2 motors to run straight on a Vertx.

 

Press #1 and #3 (2 buttons on the left edge.) and hold both at the same time for 5 seconds. Cart will start forward very slowly.  Correct the direction by using the left and right buttons.  Press STOP to set. Cart will stop. Proceed as normal.

 

FYI as you adjust left or right do not press and hold or press too many times. The cart is moving so slow you won't see it adjust.  Just press once or twice then STOP.  Test it. Then readjust if needed.

 

 

 

I went ahead and tried this procedure this morning.  I had some success at straightening it out on flat ground.  Enough that I can sell it with a clear conscience. It's not perfectly straight - but I didn't want to fool with it too much in the cold.  I'll let the new owner know the method for adjusting to their liking.  

 

That said - it still seems like the Vertx will follow the terrain more than the MGI - even if you get both motors on the Stewert perfectly in synch.  Anyway - I am done fooling with it.

 

Thanks for sharing the procedure.  

[mshills]

On 12/27/2024 at 4:18 PM, portland said:

I decided to zip tie 1” pipe insulation to the top cradle as a way to prevent my bag from twisting.  So far so good but.  Thinking this could be a budget version of the Clicgear bag cozy 

 

Is there an accessory or something available to really fix this? Or, do you just have to go to a push cart bag? Zero chance I’m ghetto-rigging a $1500 piece of equipment just to hold a bag.

[Phreddy]

17 minutes ago, mshills said:

 

Is there an accessory or something available to really fix this? Or, do you just have to go to a push cart bag? Zero chance I’m ghetto-rigging a $1500 piece of equipment just to hold a bag.

I'm not the one who first came up with this, but this is available from Clicgear and it works well with a stand bag on an MGI.

 

[JohnnyO3478]

38 minutes ago, mshills said:

 

Is there an accessory or something available to really fix this? Or, do you just have to go to a push cart bag? Zero chance I’m ghetto-rigging a $1500 piece of equipment just to hold a bag.

See my post from 12/27.  I figured out how to secure my stand bag by properly sequencing the set up.