PowerWheels Arctic Cat Modification - Dump Bed

For those of you who aren't aware, there are lots of modifications you can make to any PowerWheels ride on toy.  Check out this online community dedicated to modifying them. ModifiedPowerWheels

This post gives an overview of my modification of a PowerWheels Arctic Cat.  My son was constantly filling the bed of his Arctic Cat with rocks, dirt or whatever he could find.  I figured he would like it if this bed would dump.  I checked out ModifiedPowerWheels for some examples of this modification and didn't find anything (here is a link to my forum post).  So, here is how I did it.

Starting Look

Step 1: I first started by taking off the existing bed, there must have been 16 screws.  Which turned out to be one of the major obstacles.  The dump bed actually holds most of the rear of the Arctic Cat together including roll bar  fenders, and top of seats.  The bed normally integrates right into the seats which cannot occur if the bed is made to dump.

Step 2: I needed to shift the bed back about 2 inches to gain the clearance needed from the seats.

Step 3: Add supports for the seats and roll bar. The roll bar was totally held in by the dump bed, so I decided to attach it to the seats. For the seat and roll bar, I used some scrap angle iron I had around.  I welded ends onto the angle iron in order to give me a way to attach the support to the roll bar.

Step 4: Add supports for the fenders.  I created some custom L brackets to fit the fenders and give spacing for the dump bed (you could also use off the shelf L brackets, but the lengths needed are a little odd).

Step 5: Add hinges to dump bed.  I used 2 L brackets with holes in them to create the hinges.  I mounted them to the back of the Arctic Cat frame, and on the bottom of the dump bed.

Step 6: I created a cover to hide the motors and inner parts which are exposed when the dump bed is in action.  I used some flexible material I had around.

All done.  Except my son asked how it dumps.  He wants it to work on a switch.  So, now I'm looking for some type of motor to use.

Pump Track - December 27, 2012

Here is what rain will do to a poorly designed track.  All the dips are full of water and very poor drainage.  In one month from previous photos, you can also see how many weeds have grown in the track area.  Riding line doesn't really have weeds as it is very packed down.

Pump Track - November 23, 2012

This is my attempt to start the correction of the bowl.  It has never worked correctly and needs some work.  I pulled in the top edge of the bowl about 2 feet and it appears to have helped but I need another roller or two after it to gain speed into Berm #2.

Top edge of bowl pulled in 2 feet.

With this new bowl edge, you can see on the right of the picture a kicker that was built long ago to flow into the bowl.

Pump Track - Novemer 12, 2012

This is the point where I am now just making minor tweaks constantly.  Trying to get the flow better and finishing off pieces and packing dirt that was never packed.

Revamped transition from berm #3 to bowl bypass line.

Modifying the end of berm #1 into the rollers 6 and 7.  This day I raised the end of berm 1 and widened roller 6 and 7 to the right as the original line was a little left of where berm #3 needed them.

Inside of berm #3 to bypass

Rollers 6 and 7.

From left to right; Roller 6, 7, Berm #3

From upper right; Berm 1, Rollers 6 and 7, Berm #3

Picture from above berm #3, bowl on the left, bypass to berm #2 center

Pump Track - September 9, 2012 #2

Second part of Sept 9, 2012

Success, fully ride able at this point.  This shows more of the full loop.

Center of this picture shows the bowl.

The new rollers on this bypass line have good flow into berm #2.

Pump Track - September 9, 2012 #1

Due to the bowl not working out too well, I cut a line that comes off of berm #3 and bypasses the bowl.  It is showing promise to allow the rider to complete the circuit.

You can see the bowl just above the bike, and the bypass line in the center of the picture.  And a new tamp just above the bike, rectangle shaped.

The bottom left corner of this picture is berm #2.  You can see that I removed the start of the berm (now a pile of dirt) in order for the bypass to flow into berm #2.

You can see roller #1 breaking down.

This picture shows the end of berm #1, and the split between the original loop and the newly added bypass to berm #3.  At the end of berm #1 we cut out the end of the berm and added a roller.  I was constantly cutting this roller in order for it to flow well and to create more speed into berm #3.

Pump Track - August 11, 2012

This is the day that we made the most progress.  Another friend of mine showed up and he has a lot of experience with building jumps and such.  We added berm #3, which is built off of an offshoot from berm #1.  This opened up a secondary line.  After berm #3 there is a roller that goes into what we call the bowl.  The bowl seemed cool, but didn't allow the rider to keep enough speed to get to berm #2.

Pump Track - August 5, 2012

Next we built berm #2.  By this point I started to get a hang for the building process.

Lots of help from the boy and the dog (see dog digging a hole in the loose berm dirt)

I finally got smart and built some tamps.  This really changed the building process.



I spent lots of time shaping this berm but it turned out looking really good.