Make Your Powerwheels Faster

Power Wheels cars are fun toys for your little ones but if they want add just a bit more pep or have grown out of the slow pace, adding a new motor or battery can be the solution. Aftermarket batteries are cost effective and electric motors are very common as they are found inside radio controlled toys. Both options provide a quality upgrade to your Power Wheels car.

Steps

Installing an New Motor

  1. Open the motor of your Power Wheels car. Flip your car upside down and remove the wheels to access the black motor hardware. Remove the motor by loosening the screws using the proper screwdriver, and wiggling the cylinder-shaped motor until it comes free.[1]
  2. Check the compatibility of your Power Wheels motor. Ensure that the new motor that you have chosen is the correct size for your Power Wheels. Remove the brushless motor from your secondary car. It will be cylinder shaped and you may need to remove some hardware to expose the motor.
    • Wipe the motor clean with a dry rag to remove any buildup of dirt.[2]
  3. Insert a solder-free spade connector to the pin of the brushless motor. You may be able to salvage the spade off of the Power Wheels motor by heating it gently and applying some pressure with a flathead screwdriver.[1] If you can’t remove it, purchase an inexpensive spade from your local hardware store rather than potentially ruining the already-connected spade and the actual motor itself.
  4. Insert the brushless motor back into the Power Wheels hardware. Gently push the motor in spade-end first.[1] Using your screwdriver, put the screws back into the hardware to hold the battery in place.
    • The brushless motor may need some twisting and turning until it is solidly inserted so be patient and don’t try to force it.
  5. Attach the wires to the brushless motor. Carefully unwrap the wires from the original motor and re-attach them to the brushless motor following the same connecting points. At this point, a new battery could also be inserted if desired.
    • Disconnect the battery to avoid getting shocked.
  6. Thread the wheels back onto your Power Wheels car and test. Your car should be compatible with the remote from the brushless motor. Keep the car upside down as you test to be cautious, as the speed will be greatly increased.

Installing an Aftermarket Battery

  1. Choose an aftermarket battery. When choosing a battery, look for information on your Power Wheels battery to guide you on the exact specifications. You must note the voltage, chemistry, and size. For example: Fisherbrand Power Wheels batteries are often lead based, 12 Volt and are 16.0 x 11.0 x 8.0 so you must ensure ensure that the aftermarket battery you choose matches these specifications. [3]
    • The advantage to after-market batteries are that they are inexpensive compared to the Power Wheels brand batteries.[4]
  2. Pry off the top of the original battery from the side using a flathead screwdriver.[5] After the top cracks, use the screwdriver to pull the edges off the top away from the battery. Completely remove the top piece but be gentle to avoid damaging the casing of the battery.
    • Stay away from the black connector inside the battery as this will be used to hook-up your new battery to your Power Wheels car. It will need to be replaced if you unintentionally damage it.
  3. Pull the battery connecter away from the battery. After some wiggling, the connector will pop up and out of the rest of the battery. Pull the two attached positive and negative wires out as far as you can, and then gently clip them as close to the battery as possible.[5]
    • Use wire cutters or crimpers to ensure a clean, crisp cut. these are available for only a few dollars at your local hardware store.[6]
    • After the connecter has been disconnected, recycle your battery at the recycling depot. Batteries contain a large amount of nasty chemicals and are harmful to the environment.[7]
  4. Connect the fuse to the positive side of the battery connector. Insert a 30 Amp fuse into a fuse holder. [5] Once connected, strip approximately 1 cm of wire cover from each side of the connector using your wire crimping tool. Insert the exposed wire into a wire connector and crimp down on the wire connector to hold the wire firmly in place.
    • The positive side of the connector will be white or red.
    • After crimping the wire connector, insert the one wire from the fuse to the other side of the battery connector. Crimp down to connect the fuse to the battery connector.
    • Fuses, fuse holders and wire connector are available at local hardware stores.[8]
  5. Insulate all exposed remaining wires. Attach an insulated female spade to the negative wire of the battery connector (often black) and the remaining exposed fuse wire.[5]
    • Female spade connectors come in many different styles. To save time, take your aftermarket battery with you to the store and compare the male components located on the battery terminals to the positive connectors in the store.
  6. Insert the connector into the replacement battery. Connect the negative battery terminal (black) to the negative wire of the connector (also black). Connect the positive terminal (red) to the fuse end of the connector.[5]
  7. Test your new battery. Be cautious and place your car upside as the speed will be greatly increased.



Tips

  • You can make 18V or more by hooking batteries in series when needed for more speed or for a larger child
  • 12V batteries are the most common replacements and are easily charged!
  • Charge the battery once per month even if not in use. This helps keep the charge holding abilities of the battery strong.
  • After each use, charge the battery for at least 14 hours.[9]
  • When using the battery, never allow it to drain fully. Allowing the battery to drain completely will lessen the life of it.[9]

Warnings

  • There is always a risk of shock associated with batteries and electronics.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire Cutter
  • Wire Crimper
  • After-Market Battery

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycfv3QIqvco
  2. ↑ http://www.rccaraction.com/blog/2013/06/07/how-to-clean-and-maintain-your-brushless-motor/
  3. ↑ http://www.fisher-price.com/en_CA/brands/powerwheels/products/Power-Wheels-12-Volt-Rechargeable-Battery
  4. ↑ http://www.batteryeducation.com/2009/08/how-do-generic-aftermarket-batteries-compare-with-name-brand-batteries.html
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRWivBV4F5I
  6. ↑ http://www.homedepot.ca/catalog/pliers-cutters/173160
  7. ↑ http://www.call2recycle.ca
  8. ↑ http://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Power-Distribution-Fuses/N-5yc1vZbtvm
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://www.fisher-price.com/inst_sheets/j4394pr-0921.pdf
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