Power Wheels come with a plastic gearbox which is good enough to run the stock motor. If you upgrade your motor and battery you should also update to a metal gearbox (1 for each motor). If you don’t usually 3 months later, the manufacturer gearbox will break down and you will hear noise coming from the wheelbase area.
It is a known fact that Power Wheels are some of the most popular toys in America. They have been around for decades and they show no signs of stopping anytime soon.
This is because there are many great benefits to them, such as being kid-friendly and having an affordable price point.
However, one thing that these cars lack is performance. The plastic gearbox design has a tendency to break down over time, which can lead to costly repairs or even worse – your child’s disappointment when their car stops working!
Luckily, we have found the solution: upgrading the Power Wheel’s plastic gearbox to a metal one.
Installing a Brand New Metal Gearbox
Before the installation, we need to choose a gearbox I have some above to make it easier for you. Make sure the voltage matches the same as the battery and motor you have purchased.
If you need some help here is how to identify the gearbox you currently have.
If you have a 24v battery and a 24v motor, you will then want to purchase a 24v gearbox.
To install a metal gearbox simply follow the steps below. You will need a screwdriver, socket wrench, a well-lit place to work, and possibly a drill if the vehicle is 2021 or newer.
Step 1: Remove tires
First, you will want to remove the tire on the side of the motor or if you have two motors then you want to remove both tires. Next, you will need to take off the hubcap and there is usually a nut and washer to remove, make sure not to lose these.
Store the tire, hubcap, nut, and washer to the side and out of the way.
Step 2: Remove Old Motor and Gearbox
Unplug the wire harness that is connected to the old motor towards the center of the axle. Once that is unplugged you should be able to slide out the old motor and gearbox as they are connected as one unit.
Step 3: Connect New Motor and Gearbox
Next, you will want to connect the motor and gearbox. There will usually be 2 screws that connect the motor and the gearbox together.
At times you may have a motor mount to put on top of the motor which will help keep it in place, this is usually available on the higher-end and faster motors. Now you are ready to screw it together, to do this we will do it one screw at a time.
Screw the first one in but do not tighten it, next put the second screw in and you can tighten this one. Once secure go back to the first screw and tighten that one as well.
Newer stock Power Wheels may only have 1 screw hole, if that is the case depending on the motor you may need to drill an extra hole.
Step 4: Install Connected Motor and Gearbox
Now slide the gearbox onto the axle till it is fully secure. You can test the motor by spinning the plastic piece really fast, you should hear it take. Once verified go ahead and plug in the wire harness to the motors.
Step 5: Assemble the Tires
Let’s finish up by sliding the wheels back on and then followed by the washer, nut, and hubcap. Once completed give it a test by turning the vehicle on and pushing on the gas pedal to see if it is spinning up.
If so you are all set up and ready to go.
Benefits of Power Wheels Gearbox Upgrade
When upgrading the gearboxes you will notice a huge performance boost with speed, torque, and just overall performance. The gear is now reinforced so it won’t get grinded down, this is specifically important on the pinion as it is the main gear that connects the motors to the gearboxes.
Not only will it increase the speed and make it go faster the new gearboxes will last a lot longer. The quality of metal gearboxes is noticeable as they won’t grind down as the plastic gearboxes do.
If you decide to upgrade the gearboxes we also recommend upgrading the motors. While you are at it let’s get more power and longer ride time with an 18v or 24v battery upgrade.
If your child is getting bored with the vehicle because it is going too slow, this is an awesome way to get them speeding around again.
How Do I Know if my Gear Box Needs to be Replaced?
It will be very easy to know if your gearbox needs to be replaced simply because you will hear grinding sounds coming from under your car near the wheels.
This is the gears trying to spin up but because they have been worn down they can’t make secure connections and the gears start to strip away as the motors continue to spin. This can also cause your motor to overheat.
The majority of the time this happens when people upgrade to an 18v or 24v battery and do not upgrade the motor and gearbox, or simply upgrade the motor without the gearbox. That is why some of the online sellers have started to sell a Power Wheels upgrade kit that way you get everything you need in one shot and don’t miss anything.
The kit may be a bit more pricey so you can also buy the parts individually.
Power Wheels Gearbox Quick Facts
- People use to replace the gears inside the gearboxes when they broke down but nowadays a Power Wheels gear box price is so cheap it’s best to just upgrade the whole thing. It’s worth the money.
- If you hear noise coming from the Power Wheels wheel well most likely the gear box is failing. You can open it up and you will quickly notice if this is the case.
- Never just replace one stock gear box, if you have an issue with one the other one will compensate causing it to fail. Most of the time if one goes the other will fail shortly as well.
- The gear box connects directly to the motors of the Power Wheels.
- Each Power Wheels has different amounts of motors, you will need to upgrade a gear box for each motor.
- At times a conversion kit may include motors and gear boxes together. These kits help you upgrade to 12v, 18v, and 24v batteries.
Conclusion
The gearboxes will help the car go faster and extend the life of the ride-on car. If you have done any updates to the motors you will also want to do this as the price is right and the stock version just isn’t good enough.
Here is more information on how to upgrade your motors.
Please be careful and use at your own risk
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