Power Wheels rider toys...

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
Want to get a Power Wheels type rider toy for my 2.5 y/o daughter.
Of course all the used ones seem to be missing or have dead batteries, but I really don't want to pay > $100 so I figure I'll get a used one and fix as needed.

Some are 6v, some 12v. I'd like to get more of a full "body" rider style, maybe even big enough for 2? Is there a particular model/brand that is better, faster, more well built... I'm somehow suspicious I may end up modding it to go faster or better traction anyway...

What's the general cost to replace or revive those batteries?
 
Tony gave me one of his kids old Power Wheels Jeeps. The battery life was pretty much done, so I bought a new one at Batteries Plus because they had them in stock, but they can be bought cheaper over the internet.

I think most of the 12v Power Wheels models use this same battery:
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Wheels-12-Volt-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B00004TFT1

At 2.5 yrs old, she would fit in a standard Power Wheels Jeep size model. My boy is 2yrs 4 months.
 
Snagged a 12V Barbie Jeep Power Wheels when the renters down the block moved out, tore it apart & painted it blue (complete w/ NC4X4 decals)...

I ran it off of my 18v Dewalt batteries untill my two year old got the hang of it....he's three & drives the mess out of it now.

Bought the original style battery & aftermarket charger ($$$, cheaper/better online batteries can be had for less) so he could maintain it himself.

Long story short, the power wheels seen to be pretty tough & many are listed on craigslist, cheap.
 
I've always heard the Peg Perago was better than Power Wheels but they are way more expensive. My kids have a PW Jeep Hurricane and I've had to put alot of money into fixing it. I've put in four gear boxes, forward/reverse switch, two sets of tires, and have had to modify the steering quite a bit.
I haven't modded mine traction wise because I know the gear boxes won't hold up. But after the second PW battery went bad I did install a 12v 34 amp wheel chair battery. That was the best thing I've done. The PW battery is like 9 amp/h so the wheel chair battery will last almost four times longer for about $25 dollars more. You just need to install a 40 amp fuse/breaker in line. The PW battery has a built in breaker. Then I just charge it w/ my battery tender. They haven't run it dead but maybe once.
 
I actually have three two seaters that I should get rid of. One is an old white Barbie jeep that was cleaned up and decals removed, etc. Another is a big green jeep with side pipes. The third is a pink parts Barbie jeep with no hood. Body is sun eaten. I have one older battery and one charger between them. All are Power Wheels. The first two are ready to ride and really nice, albeit dusty and sans enough batteries. The bat I do have does not last long as its original.

If anyone is interested I'll shoot some pics when I get home tomorrow. I would like to sell them as a bundle.
 
Lockedup5 has it right. The perg perago are the shit but hard to find used and extremely expensive new. Like you could buy a 4 wheeler for the price of one. I like to put generic 12v 12 ah batteries in power wheels because they fit good and are cheep online. If you really want to learn about power wheels check out http://www.modifiedpowerwheels.com/ You'll learn more about power wheels then you'll ever want to know! One cool trick is to take the trigger out of a old drill and use it for the gas pedal. It makes it a variable speed throttle!!!
 
doc said:
Snagged a 12V Barbie Jeep Power Wheels when the renters down the block moved out, tore it apart & painted it blue (complete w/ NC4X4 decals)...

I ran it off of my 18v Dewalt batteries untill my two year old got the hang of it....he's three & drives the mess out of it now.

Bought the original style battery & aftermarket charger ($$$, cheaper/better online batteries can be had for less) so he could maintain it himself.

Long story short, the power wheels seen to be pretty tough & many are listed on craigslist, cheap.
Click to expand...

I've read 18v batteries will burn up the motors. Have you not had any trouble with yours?
 
lockedup5 said:
. But after the second PW battery went bad I did install a 12v 34 amp wheel chair battery. That was the best thing I've done. The PW battery is like 9 amp/h so the wheel chair battery will last almost four times longer for about $25 dollars more. You just need to install a 40 amp fuse/breaker in line. The PW battery has a built in breaker. Then I just charge it w/ my battery tender. They haven't run it dead but maybe once.
Click to expand...

I almost did that too, but took the easy route and just bought the FP battery. I now wish I had done what you did. Between my boy and his cousin driving the thing, they will kill the battery in less time than I expected. Where did you buy your battery from? I was looking at O'rielly's back before I bought the FP battery, and they had several different SLA size models to choose from. I was goign to have to modify the battery compartment and build a new hold down though. I may still do this and sell my battery.
 
drkelly said:
I almost did that too, but took the easy route and just bought the FP battery. I now wish I had done what you did. Between my boy and his cousin driving the thing, they will kill the battery in less time than I expected. Where did you buy your battery from? I was looking at O'rielly's back before I bought the FP battery, and they had several different SLA size models to choose from. I was goign to have to modify the battery compartment and build a new hold down though. I may still do this and sell my battery.
Click to expand...

I got my wheel chair battery from Battery King in Hickory. I actually got a "new" battery he'd sent back to have checked for like $35. Turned out it was perfect something was wrong w/ the PO's charger. I think they are like $75 new and a power wheels battery is like$60.
I hated to but I did have to cut the battery box out to get the larger battery in but it wasn't to bad. Different PW batteries have different sized breakers built into the top of the battery. Just make sure which one yours has. Seems like I had about $15 dollars in my fuse block and extra 40 amp fuses. Then I tore the old battery top off and used the quick connect to the factory plug so I didn't have to hack the factory harness to bad except to put the fuse in. and just bolted it and my quick connect for my trickle charger to the battery. Was simple to do and was worth every penny to my kids.
 
When my son was about four years old I had two power wheels jeeps given to me; both with bad batteries. I took the two motors from the back of the one jeep and placed them on the front of the good jeep, making it TRUE 4x4. I then took a small car battery and installed it under the hood. I could ride on the thing for more than 30 minutes over dirt hills without slowing down.

The only problem was that with all four wheels pulling, it was a little hard to steer. My six year old daughter often acted as his driver..
 
drkelly said:
I've read 18v batteries will burn up the motors. Have you not had any trouble with yours?
Click to expand...
No problems after running a couple months on the Dewalt 18's....now running the stock 12V battery (slower, but lasts longer than the small 18's)
 
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