Mini Electric Jeep

This mini jeep was my last foray into making kid-sized vehicle. And the reason is pretty simple. By the time I was done this car, my kids really did not use it for long. They simply outgrew it. My son in the photo is now a 6’-1” teenager. And since it was a lot of work, I decided at that point not to make anymore scaled down toys. I took the time to make a complete set of plans for this project. While I knew I wanted to make it battery powered, I wanted to be able to eventually convert it to gas power, so I built a proper steel frame for it. I used go-kart spindles in front (that was a mistake) and fabricated an adapter to install sprockets directly to both rear wheels. Both axles are mounted on homemade leaf springs.

The body was made from 1/2” plywood (new this time) that was simply screwed and glued together. I did not want to make the construction overly complicated. You can see the assembly sequence here:

It was powered by two 500W motor connected in parallel to three 12V batteries. That came down to two 12V batteries eventually. It was all controlled by a simple motor controller and a powerwheels-type pedal. Drive was transmitted to the rear by a chain equipped with a tensioner. This tensioner was the cause of early drive issues. The axle could move more than the tensioner was able to compensate, so the chains had a tendency to come off its sprockets. This was even more of an issue when “off-roading”. I tried many different arrangement of tensioners and springs, but eventually, the solution was to limit the travel of the rear axle. After more then 10 years, it is now due for a little restoration and maybe find a way to allow for larger passengers.