How to add remote control to power wheels [Steps and parts needed]

So, can you add remote control to power wheels?

The short answer is YES.

In other words, you can upgrade pretty much any power wheels that did not come with a remote control to be remote controlled.

You’re going to need to make some mods to the power wheels though.

This article will show you how to add remote control to power wheels so that you and your kiddo can enjoy peace of mind when he/she is learning how to drive it (you don’t want him/her to ram into things or drive himself/herself into trouble).

So below is how to add remote control to power wheels:

Convert power wheels to remote control: How to add remote control to power wheels

Here is an important thing you need to note before we proceed:

If your power wheels came without remote control, it won’t work even if you just buy a remote control such as this for it.

That is because the entire remote control system is made of several components and not just a remote.

And each of these parts has a role to play in the transmission, reception, and processing of the signal from the remote.

So when we speak about upgrading your kiddo’s toy car to remote control, it is all about purchasing the right parts and adding them to the power wheels.

Now that you know that, let’s dive into what you actually need to perform a power wheels remote control mod..

 

Converting power wheels to remote control: What you need

RC power wheels conversion kit

The easiest approach is to buy a complete child electric car remote control conversion kit.

Now, these kits typically come with everything you need for the remote control conversion (except things like the battery, steering motor, and gearbox -in some cases).

So the first thing to do is order an appropriate remote control power wheels conversion kit.

It’s worth mentioning that you need to check your power wheels voltage before buying.

That is important since there are kits designed to convert 6v power wheels (here is one), 12v power wheels(see this and this), and even for 24 power wheels (like this).

 

What else should I buy?

Basically, you will be changing nearly everything in the car – and you will notice the above DIY modified kits have a whole set of accessories: a control box (circuit-board/motherboard), switch, wires, pedal, an overload protector, and of course a 2.4G remote control.

That being so, to turn your power wheels into a remote control vehicle, you will need to also buy what’s missing from the kit, as necessary.

For instance, a compatible steering motor will be a must if you select a kit without one (This 12V kit only lacks the battery and is excellent).

On the other hand, I don’t think you really need to order a new battery unless the battery you’re using is no longer functioning properly.

That said, a battery may be needed if you’re upgrading to a higher voltage and that will likely require you to buy more materials.

 

Other essentials

There will certainly be other small items you need and these depend on the power wheels you have.

All the same, you generally might have to purchase some screws, bolts, metal bracing, and so on.

 

Steps (You install the kit on the dashboard plus the battery area)

The biggest issue is that there’s no standard procedure and it all boils down to the design of the power wheels you have.

However, fitting the kit is super easy if the components are exactly the same as what is in your power wheels.

Otherwise, you have to be creative when it comes to the fabrication involved in re-wiring your power wheels.

To make your life easier, you should have no obstacles to the parts you want to swap out so remove the power wheels seats, grill, windshield and any other potential hindrance before moving on.

Now, you need to start by removing the current wiring/set-up (use your phone to take a picture of the setup before removal).

Next, remove the pedal- flip the car then the holding tabs to release the pedal from your power wheels.

Once done, you can go ahead and mount the new system in place, the gas pedal, and the receiver (you could use electric tape when it comes to attaching your receiver to the vehicle’s dashboard).

Be sure to fix up all the connections as well as power going to the parts exactly how they were including on the steering switch (to the motor).

Finally, fix the battery and turn on your remote control.

All in all, significant improvisation may be necessary to have everything fit appropriately.

 

Convert toy car to remote control: Important points to keep in mind

You cannot use a 24V voltage kit for 12V voltage power wheels

If you do that, it will destroy the circuit and controller unless you do more custom mods.

For example, a 24v voltage battery and 24v motor need to be added to prevent problems.

A voltage regulator may also be necessary to prevent the voltage overload in the controller module, which is what causes things to burn up.

 

Your power wheels may lose some functions after the conversion

In some instances, converting the car will make some functions to stop operating.

For example, while this 6-volt wire kit will make your car become remote controllable, it usually won’t support functions such as lights and music (the existing lighting and sound electronics will be left unplugged as they’re set up for the original 6v system).

 

Power wheels remote control kits are not universal

Another thing you should bear in mind is that the remote control that come with the kits is configured to provide different controls.

You may therefore notice that yours is equipped with just 2 speed controls (high and low) while another remote has a stop switch to keep your kid from going.

For this reason, you can always shop around and see what the remote that works with each kit offers (as long as you stick to the correct voltage).

 

Remember to sync the remote

For the most part, you have to sync up your remote – check the instructions on the manual- for you to start controlling the car with the remote.

If it doesn’t synch the first time, maybe you can try pulling out the batteries to ‘reset’ your newly-installed system then try again.

Adding remote control to power wheels: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you convert power wheels to remote control?

Yes – you can more or less overhaul any ride on car without a previous remote to start using a remote.

In essence, you will need to customize nearly every other important part in your ride-on system to turn your power wheels car into a remote-controlled vehicle.

 

Wrapping it up

To turn your power wheels into a remote control vehicle, you have to buy an entire wire set plus a couple of other parts (depending on the kit you find appropriate).

But the good thing is that most of these products are easy to install so anyone can pull off the modding..

Be sure to search YouTube for how-to videos before you go ahead to complete the mods- most of them have very good explanations on how to do everything and they will be of great help.

Good luck.

 

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