So I stumbled upon the Razor Dirt Quad while searching Facebook market place for a beefier Power Wheels to fix up for my nephews and nieces. It’s a tiny little thing with rubber wheels and a steel frame… and if you sit far back enough in the seat, an adult can ride it, although uncomfortably.

Even as is, it was a perfect little platform for scooting around our property for adults and the kids. So I started upgrading them last year and quickly accumulated 13 mini quads, mostly Razors. We've been wanting to get some rides for our 10 acre property, so instead of getting 1 or 2 golf carts, I decided to build a fleet, we've got a big family and most of them love to ride and be outside. #OUTSIDER - We Like to Play Outside!

The small Razor dirt quad is a 24V system and goes 8 mph. While slow, the 350W gear reduction motor is pretty torquey. With an adult rider, you might have to do a little kick off if you bog down on an incline, but it is peppy and usable.

Before we jump in too deep, the Razor Dirt Quads are fun to build and modify if you already have them or you find one cheap, but they are kids toys so they have some glaring issues that come out when upgrading. For starters, they only have a rear brake and rear suspension. Steering and handling when going over 20 mph is sketchy and squirrelly. The handlebar/steering tube welds are known break and may need to be reinforced. If you are looking to build a super fast mini quad, you may want to look at non-Razor mini quads that come with front brakes, full suspension, lights and a more comfortable seat. While I haven't built one out yet, these will be my next project. It's just that the Razor Dirt Quads are so common, cheap, and readily available that I wanted to really explore building them out. 

The dirt quad is very narrow, so it's going to be tippy on turns. With any speed upgrade, this becomes a bit more dangerous. So wheel spacers would be my first upgrade. You can get a kit from ChopSource, it widens the front by 3 inches and 2 inches in the back and sells for $70. The stock wheel base is around 22 inches in the front and 23 inches in the rear, the kit makes both 25 inches wide. 

While doing some more research and testing, all you need to do is widen the front for a less tippy ride. If you want to widen them both, just make sure the front and rear are equally wide or the front is wider. Having a rear wheel base that's a lot wider than the front of a quad is not ideal and will definitely affect your turning radius and cornering.  

If you want to piece together the parts to widen just the front by 3 inches, here's what you'll need:

6 X M8-1.25 Lock Nuts 
6 x 1-1/2" 3/4" OD x 5/16" ID Aluminum Spacers

These parts will cost about $40 on Amazon as you'll have to by 10 of each. You can get it cheaper in the metric section at the hardware store by buying the exact amount. But overall, it may be a better option to just get the full kit from ChopSource. With the cost of fasteners today, you're not really saving all that much by sourcing the hardware on your own. 

The most premium option to widen the front is a custom spindle upgrade from CMD Demers. He designed a new spindle that widens the front wheel base by 3 inches AND you can either lift or drop the quad by an inch. It's definitely going to be a beefier, stronger solution than wheel spacers. You can reach out to him on Facebook.

The stock batteries last about 30 minutes and SLA's don't have a very long life span, so a lithium battery upgrade is often the very first step when the stock batteries die. The logic goes like this... if you're going to upgrade to lithium, you might as well upgrade to a 36V battery, the stock system can handle it. In most cases, your stock 24V controller and motor will accept a 36V battery and will give your quad a boost in torque and top speed (from 8 mph to 12 mph). Then, if you are going to upgrade the battery, you might as well upgrade to a 36V controller, you are already going to have the quad taken apart. While the 24V stock controller will work for a while - you will most likely burn it out eventually. 36V Controller and Throttle Upgrade

At 36V, if you sit too far back and go full throttle, the front end will come up. I would recommend a plug and play in-line potentimeter (speed limiter) so you can dial it back when needed. You can have it hidden or you can install an accessible knob. Most people will upgrade to 36V for a family-friendly ride, so installing a speed limiter is something to definitely consider.

WARNING: Overvolting is an easy way to get more RPMs from your motor, but it causes more heat and if you have riders that will pin the throttle all ride, you will burn up the motor - it's not fool-proof. It would be a good teaching moment for the rider to NOT pin the throttle all day. For those curious if you can overvolt the stock motor to 48V, yes you can - but you will burn up the motor fast. I burned 2 in one day, while testing it, so I absolutely would not recommend it. 

To achieve 36V you have a few different options, but the following is the same for all:

You can wire in an additional SLA battery in series to make 36V, but you'll need a new charger and charging port. I can't recommend this as it is not going to add much to your run time. You would still get about 30 minutes to an hour of run time, but it would be the most economical battery upgrade.

There are also complete plug and play kits from OverVoltedScooters (Fast Scooter) with an extra battery, controller and throttle for $100. For $60 more you can upgrade to a controller with reverse. 

Again, I wouldn't recommend this upgrade. Upgrading to 36V lithium battery pack or drill batteries will give you a similar boost in power, longer run time and a longer battery life span as a whole. 

Drill batteries give you the ability to ride for as long as you have fresh batteries to swap. It also feels like it's "free" since you have already them. It also gives you a clear conscience to buy a few more when they go on sale. So if you have 20V Dewalt or M18 Milwaukees or 18V Ryobi batteries, all you will need to do is wire 2 of them in series and match the connector. Jordy Builds offers these pre-wired and plug and play, you will just need to mount them.

The tricky part with drill batteries is that you have to mount them somewhere accessible for a quick swap. I usually remove the original battery cover, the side cover/foot rest so I can mount the battery adapters in the original battery location. I just use wood to keep it simple, a piece of fence board cut to fit in the battery tray works as a great surface to screw adapters into. You can also screw a piece of 2x4 scrap wood to it and then mount the adapters side ways. I have test mounted them many ways, but the safest most reliable placement is a flat, though it can often take up more space. When they are mounted sideways, gravity and the constant vibrations and bumps can eventually work the screws out of the wood. 

The kids are trained to swap out their own batteries, so having them where it's easy to access was important to me. We just use the bare metal foot rest brackets and it still works well. You could also mount them to the steering tube in the front. 

If you have a few 40V Ryobi batteries, these are my favorite tool batteries to use on the quads. You can get away with using one if you keep the 24V controller. If you are using a 36V controller, you will need to wire two of them in parallel. I have found using just one battery with a 36V controller can trip the battery BMS, with two you can split the current load so it doesn't trip AND double the run time. I use them for my 36V dirt bikes and mini quads.

There is only one usable 40V adapter out there, I have tested them all. This is the one I'd recommend because it has mounting holes: https://amzn.to/4j9RP0c. The adapters are 3D printed so when mounting, try and use as many of the mounting holes as possible to get a secure fit. They come with thick 10awg wires so I have been using Anderson Connectors to join the two adapters in parallel. Then I wire an Anderson connector to the battery leads on the controller. 

There's a bunch of different ways to wire this together, but overall you will have to wire the two 40V ryobi adapters in parallel then connect them to the controller. 

I don't have any personal recommendations on this, but you can fit a big battery in the battery area. The battery size you can use will depend on if you choose to keep the battery cover on or remove it. I run my mini quads without the battery cover, but we don't really get too muddy. If you will be running through mud and water puddles, it may be good to use the battery cover to shield some of that mud. 

Hoodies, T-shirts and Decals in All Our Designs

48V Battery Upgrades

500w Motor Upgrade and 48V Battery

If you have been in this hobby for a bit, you may have a spare 36V 500W motor from a stock Razor dirt bike or even a 36V 500W gear reduction motor from a Dirt Quad 500. 

The gear reduction motor from a Dirt Quad 500 is plug and play on the smaller dirt quad, but you really need to push 48V to it bring it to life. Running a 36V 500W gear reduction motor from a Dirt Quad 500 on a 36V battery will literally bring you back to 8 mph, going 48V battery will give it more pep and a top speed of about 13 mph. Would not recommend this upgrade.

If you want to use that 500W spare dirt bike motor, you will need a cradle mount, 80T sprocket, a 25H chain and 36V or 48V battery. Speed will be around 15 mph at 36V and 20 mph on 48V. If you already have all those parts - then it is a worthwhile build. If you are going to have to buy all those things, you might as well go with 2000W brushless motor as you will need those same things for an upgrade and it will take the same amount of time and work.

Side Note on "Naked" Builds

Naked builds open up more rigging possibilities and placement options as you are not limited to space constraints of the fairings and the battery cover. The draw back is the chains and wheels are completely exposed and can be dangerous if you have young kids around. These two builds below were set-up with both a 36V and 48V swappable batteries. I could change the voltage easily on the 500W motor set-ups. These rides did not get a lot of action at family parties, also since they have no plastics, they quickly became "spare parts" quads when something broke or got lost on another quad. 

2000W Brushless Motor Upgrade and 48V Battery

This build is almost identical to my Dirt Quad 500 builds, except at the time the Vevor kit did not have soft start. Take off was too wild and unruly at 48V to safely recommend for anybody with children that may ride it. The latest Vevor kits have a soft start controller, so that may now be a viable option. 

MOTOR OPTIONS: 

Kunray/Fardriver Option: This is my recommended motor/controller set-up. Top speed will be around 30 mph. For my final 2K build, I ended up using a Vevor motor with a Far Driver.

Kunray 48V 2000W Motor:  https://amzn.to/4bhRvIw
Custom Mount for Kunray: Regen Fabrication
Controller:  FarDriver 72260
Heat Sink: https://www.hotpaxx.com/product-page/my1020-heat-sink

The FarDriver controller can be programmed and tuned based on the power your battery can supply and what the motor can handle. You can max out your motors potential and also dial it down when needed. Depending on battery you use, you can expect a faster bike and a smoother ride than a Vevor motor and controller kit set-up.

VIDEO ON HOW TO WIRE A FARDRIVER
VIDEO ON HOW TO SET-UP FARDIVER

The Kunray 48V 2000W motor pops right into the Regen motor mount. The Regen motor mount tabs are slotted allowing you to adjust the motor if needed to tighten the chain. The motor mount is made to fit a Pocket Mod, so the hole pattern will NOT line up on the Dirt Quad, you will have to drill some new holes into the motor mount once you get it into it's ideal position where the sprockets are aligned. 

Vevor Motor and Controller Option

Vevor 48V 2000W Kit: https://amzn.to/4l4DdRd
Custom Mount for Vevor: MATRIC MX350 Motor Mount or  Regen Fabrication Motor Mount

This set-up is for folks who don't want to set-up and tune a programmable controller. But I'd like to encourage you to take the leap with a programmable controller as you will have to cross that bridge at some point, and it just makes for a much smoother and faster ride. Typically, you can get 5 to 10 more mph with a Far Driver and a capable battery. There are excellent videos on initial set-up as well as available technical support to help you tune it.  

The Vevor kit comes with a non-programmable controller and was notorious for its super touchy throttle response and wild take-off. On the Dirt Quad 500, this issue is not as bad since it has a lot more weight to hold it down, than an electric dirt bike or smaller dirt quad. Again, the latest Vevor kits now have a soft start feature which eliminates the wild take off from a whiskey throttle. I have not tested it personally, so I don't have much more feedback on it than that. 

To mount the Vevor motor to the Regen motor mount you will have to remove some long screws and recess the holes so the screws are flush. This will let you slide the motor into the tabs and bolt it on. You will also have to cut/grind off the mounting brackets off or you can just flip it upside down so the feet are in the air.  Video showing how to prep the Vevor Motor

To mount the Vevor motor to the MATRIC MX350 Motor Mount it is 100% plug and play.  You mount the plate to the frame, then mount the motor to the plate. You may have to loosen the set screw and scoot the rear sprocket hub a few mms to line up the sprockets. The only issue with this mount is that there is no room for adjustment when the chain stretches, but the solution is pretty simple. When the chain stretches you can add as many washers as needed under the motor mounting feet to lift the motor and effectively tighten the chain. 

GEARING: You HAVE to change sprockets, the stock 47T rear sprocket will not work. That sprocket is made to pair with the stock gear reduction motor.

T8F is the stock chain setup, when I first started upgrading these quads I tried to use the stock axle sprocket. I broke the chain, resized it, stacked some washers under the mount to get proper tension. On the stand, the wheels spun wildly. I dropped it down for a test ride and it barely moved. It was quite the let down. Not knowing much about gearing at the time, the gear ratio for 9T/47T (9 tooth motor sprocket and 47 tooth rear sprocket) ended up being 1:5.22, which is no torque and more top speed.

Doing some more research, I was suggested a gear ratio of 1:6.5 to 1:7.5 for more torque. Having to change the rear sprocket either way, I decided to switch to a 25H chain set-up - mainly because I had a bunch of 25H chains and sprockets from my dirt bike builds and literally just used stock MX set-up of 11T/80T (1:7.28 gear ratio).

80 Teeth 25H Sprocket: https://cart.electricscooterparts.com/wheel-sprocket-for-razor-mx500-mx650-rsf650-and-sx500
Be careful with 80T sprockets from Amazon the shiny sliver ones ended up being pretty weak and the teeth wore down pretty fast. The link above is a bit higher quality. 

11 Teeth 25H Motor Sprocket: https://amzn.to/4dpgxYc
25H Chain: https://amzn.to/3Wt3M9a
Half Link/Offset Link: https://amzn.to/3JO4xSG

Recently, I did a 9T/64T (1:7.11 gear ratio) T8F chain set-up on one of my Dirt Quad 500s. Here are the parts list for that if you want to use T8F.

T8F 64T Chain 54mm 4 Hole Sprocket: https://amzn.to/4iO21eV
T8F 9T Sprocket: https://amzn.to/3Rwb2gu
T8F Chain: https://amzn.to/3QXsKJM

I don't have much run time with the T8F chain set-up so I don't know how it will hold up yet, but it's been running great so far. It's definitely louder than a 25H chain set up and the torque hits faster. The biggest thing to consider between using a 25H and T8F chain is that the 25H chain is a lot more narrow - so it is less forgiving to any sprocket misalignment, axle shifting and it will break and pop off easily. Broken chains are no fun and if you don't have extra parts to fix or replace it - your ride is over.

Getting your sprockets aligned, getting proper chain tension and removing any play in the axle is going to be the most important part of the build. These 3 things will throw and break your chain.

The axle on the both the Dirt Quad and Dirt Quad 500 have a tendency to travel slightly, which can easily become an issue with the smaller #25 chain popping off the sprocket. Upon close inspection, I noticed that the axle key can sometimes be a little bit shorter than the axle slot it sits in. As a fix, I add a M20 flat washer between the axle key and the swing arm and tap the axle key back in to place. This helps eliminate the play and helps keep the chain from becoming misaligned. 

Once everything is aligned, you can use shaft collars to lock everything in place. https://amzn.to/4jlFHt8

 

Thumb Throttle and Voltmeter: https://amzn.to/3UtaWHx

I went with a classic thumb throttle. I like the idea of being able to firmly grip the handle bars and independently control the throttle with my thumb. Just feels like I have more control with this set-up. This set-up includes an on/off switch and a voltmeter. There are keyed version also available. 

Handlebar Grips: 

I just went with some old grips I had laying around. 

If you want something fancy, I use these on my Dirt Quad 500 Build: https://amzn.to/4b2LsrR 

 

BATTERY OPTIONS

Used 48V "Scud" Batteries:  As I type this, it sounds super sketchy but these are used/salvaged batteries sold by Shrimp Depot on Facebook. These are around $150, buy at your own risk, no refunds. But lots of people use them. You can run 2 in parallel to double your range. If you are using a Far Driver controller, 2 Scuds will also double the amount to amps you can run to the motor (30 mph). 

Parallel X60 Splitters for Dual Scuds: https://amzn.to/4brJO2F

2 scuds are a near perfect fit. I just taped them together the battery leads at the top. You have to flatten the battery tray and slide it in at an angle so the battery leads will clear the steering tube. Once in you can squeeze a piece of foam between the battery tray and battery and strap it all down. 

I haven't tested the fit on any other batteries on my Dirt Quad 48V set-up, but with the battery cover removed and the battery tray flattened, you have a lot of room for a battery. You will just have to take measurements and double check the fit. 

 

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:
Light Switch: https://amzn.to/4dsvZ5K
12V-100V Headlight: https://amzn.to/3WrEtEj

If the only accessory you want to add is a light and switch, I would recommend getting a 12V-100V headlight. It can be powered directly by the battery without needing an additional set-down converter. To mount this light, I literally just clamp the mounting tab under the handlebars.

On/Off Switch for Reverse: https://amzn.to/4lkCxHR I went with a On/Off handle bar switch for my brushless 48V set-up. 

3 Speed Switch: https://amzn.to/4b3RisM If you have a range of different level riders, this is always a good addition. Mode 1 will generally limit you to 15mph, mode 2 to 25 mph and level 3 has no limit. If you want to hide the 3 speed switch, I like to flip the switch to face outward, this will let you discreetly change the power to 1 or 2 without the younger kids knowing. 

 

SEAT UPGRADES:

The stock seats don't offer much cushion if you are a teenager or adult rider, so adding some cushion and rewrapping the seat is an option. I have cut up a kneeling pad before, glued it to the stock seat and rewrapped the whole thing. You could also use a gel insert, cut it to shape and reupholster it with a new seat cover. I prefer the more grippy seat cover. 

Gel Insert: https://amzn.to/4dAGzbc
Grippy Seat Cover All Black: https://amzn.to/3Wv2FWj

Boat Seat Upgrade: Coming from the fishing and kayaking world, I started mounting boat seats to my quads for some fun builds. I had a mounting plate made that bolts-in to the stock seat holes on the Dirt Quad. Paired with some ape hanger handle bars, they basically turn the mini quad into a little mini golf cart - or super comfortable chairs that can go 12 mph. 

Boat Seat Mount: https://www.livelivegear.com/collections/e-ride-parts/products/boat-seat-mount-for-razor-dirt-quad

Chrome Ape Hangers: https://amzn.to/4ccukkC

The Tallest Ape Hangers on Amazon: https://amzn.to/42mkOam

I have to warn you... when adults sit on these boat seats, they will often sit back and lean back into the back rest and if they take off too quickly, the front will come up and they will fall backwards. You will need to warn riders about this before hand (or not if you want a laugh), but I only use these type of boat seats on my slower 36V setups and I have a speed limiter in place to help tone it down and avoid this.

For my faster 48V build, I went with a casting boat seat. Casting boat seats don't have back rests and are wheelie friendly. I went with the most slim line design and this is what I would recommend. They come in a variety of colors. https://amzn.to/3Ecqr2v

You will have to trim some plastics... how much will depend on which boat seat you use. 

Here are detailed installation instructions for trimming plastics and installing a boat seat on a dirt quad 500: https://www.livelivegear.com/blogs/e-ride-builds/dirt-quad-500-boat-seat-install. This will give you a general idea of how it works. Full install instructions for the smaller dirt quad coming soon. 

BRAKE UPGRADE:

Hydraulic Brake Caliper Assembly: https://amzn.to/4djm2aZ
This is a super easy upgrade. The assembly is pre-bled and uses the stock brake rotor but it does require some minor modifications. You will need to use a nut as a spacer, and get some longer mounting screws so the caliper and rotor can line up. Additionally, you can reposition the brake line attachment point on the calipers to face inward, just know that doing so could get air in the brake lines and you would have to bleed the brakes. I managed to do it without getting air in it, by barely loosening it, changing the position and then re-tightening it immediately.  The brake lever is full size, so it looks massive on these tiny quads. You could easily source a smaller replacement lever later.