Making PowerWheels truck faster!!!

[chrismaz15]

My parents are thinking of getting rid of our old Powerwheels fire engine that I used to have fun with when I was younger. I thought maybe I can make it go faster by either bigger batteries, bigger motors or something else. I race nitro so I don't know much about electronics. I'm afraid to fry something... If anyone can help me post a reply. Thanks

[eeyore65]

Bigger batteries....more voltage would just fry the motors .
Bigger motors.... it may be too difficult to get the bigger motors to fit the gear boxes .
And with the gear boxes.... the ratio is so high i don't think you would see a big difference in speed just because you had a bigger motor .

It may be more trouble and cost too much $ than you expected , but check out websites that sell robot parts .
I think you would have to change the rear axle system and use bigger motors AND different gearing .

Are you wanting to make it R/C or ride on it ? I ask because the steering servo would have to be big and expensive .

Here's an idea , a live rear axle powered by a chainsaw (or similar) engine using sprockets and a bicycle chain or pullies and a belt .

[AudiTT-Quattro]

I believe Grant used 550s at 24v in Irrigator, so doubling the voltage should be fine.

There are at least two other threads about this that covers the same issues. I'll try to dig it up for you.

[eeyore65]

OK , lets say the you can safely double the voltage . those things only go about 4 mph on 12v so on 24v you would get about 8 mph .
I was thinking FAST .
8 mph is not real fast .

[Grant Tokumi]

I believe Grant used 550s at 24v in Irrigator, so doubling the voltage should be fine.

Sort of true. I run the system at 24 volts in Irrigator, but I run pairs of the 550 motors (same motors typically used in Powerwheels) in series. So voltage through each motor is back to the designed 12 volts. No overvolting in mine. :)

However, if you do double the voltage to 24v in a 550 motor, you not only double the voltage, you also double the current. So that means 4 times the power, not just twice the power. You should see a serious increase in overall power. Maybe for only a short peiod of time though, because you may soon after see a serious increase in smoke in the air. :)

[chrismaz15]

I would just take out the gearing and slap in a gas engine with a belt or bike chain with sprockets but it will be harder than you think...The bottom axle doesn't spin...just the ends where the wheels are. The main axle(if you wanna call it an axle) is welded to the frame. That is why it uses 2 motors. Maybe if I take the gears off of the motors and put them on 1 axle that will turn both gearboxes...thats if the gears turn in the same direction. There is a discussion on rcuniverse but all they talked about was doubling the voltage. I will fool around with it some more and see what I can do.

[chrismaz15]

I checked the batteries after charging...they don't work. I guess it will have to be gas powered. I can fit it in there the only problem I was thinking was about gearing. I don't think the stock gearing will work. I think I will just take out the gearing and put in belts. That way I won't be worrying about gears stripping either. I have to scrounge up a gas engine somewhere. I have an old R/c truck from radioshack. How easy will it be to put a motor from my powerwheels truck in it electronics wise? I don't know how many of what kind of batteries I would need.