Let's talk about Power Wheels

In reply to nepa03focus :

What's new?

So, it's been slow with the holidays and all, but have made some progress on the Bronco power wheels project. I stripped the "monster Jeep" of all it's suspension, drivetrain, and wiring, and worked on swapping (most of) it into the Bronco.  The Jeep's front suspension/steering was just too funky and crappy, so I scrapped it and decided to fabricate a decent front axle housing, suspension links, and coilovers.

Started with the axle housing - it's actually an 18" long section of old hydraulic garage floor jack handle, thick wall and solid. I welded on inner knuckles from a shifter kart to attach spindles, a bracket for a track bar to locate the axle laterally, tabs for the coilover shock mounts, and pass-through tubes for the radius arm bolts.

Kart spindles (5/8" diameter, 7" long, integral steering arms) fit into the housing knuckles. Thin Delrin bushings between the kingpin bolts and the spindle bore allow easy rotation.

The motor gearboxes slip over the spindles (had to open up the bore of the drive gear with a 5/8" bit to fit the spindle diameter).

The portal motor gearboxes have a output drive gear that slips over the "drive dogs" that are bolted to the wheel/tire assembly.

Wheel/tire assembly slides over the spindle, engages the drive gear of the portal box, and everything is held on by a Nylock jam nut.

The tie rod, track bar, and drag link are internally threaded LH/RH polished aluminum tubing with 1/4" rod ends.

Everything mocked up in place under the Bronco. The tie rod attaches to the top of the steering arms for increased ground clearance. The upper track bar mount uses one of the original suspension mounting points on the bottom of the plastic body. The drag link attaches to the power steering gearbox from the "monster Jeep" to allow for remote control steering.  

The coilover shocks have lengthened shafts and added coils to accommodate the increased suspension height and travel.

The radius arms are 3/8" black aluminum tubing, attached to fabricated rear mounts that are welded to the original Bronco "frame rails" that run under the body.

*whistles in appreciation*

I had alot of trouble with those portal motors once I went to 24v. Probably didn't help I was buying the cheapest ones I could find. My kid learned that if he let off the gas -button- mid turn, it would slide a little bit. Eventually the nylon gears inside would strip out. I saw someone add an electrical component so it would be more willing to coast, but ended up buying a 24v Razor quad, which broke much less frequently than the jeep (thing). 

Took the mini quad to 36v, burnt out a motor and couple controllers, but it's still going. Slowed down once I put a 36v motor on, but perfect timing bc he's on internal combustion now, and his little sister is running the quad. Or she was for about 6 months. She's on gas too now. Or will be once I put the top end back together. Got an entire top end (head, jug, piston, needle bearing, ect) for $37. Decided to try a 2T little porting...

I'm noticing a pattern as I write this- buy cheap, add power, break it, buy cheap again, complain, repeat. 

thashane said:

buy cheap, add power, break it, buy cheap again, complain, repeat.