Dirt Quad 500: 48V/60V 2000W Upgrades

The Dirt Quad 500 is the "big" brother to the Razor Dirt Quad. It's bigger size makes it a fun prospect for motor and battery upgrades - there's just so much room to work with. I've had a chance to build two and experiment with different set-ups, here is my initial feedback and recommendations after a few months of running them. 

My first build is a Vevor 48V 2000W Kit and the other is a little more advanced build with a Kunray 48V motor and a programmable FarDriver 72260 controller. Below is my build list as well a few pointers along the way to help you with your build and upgrade.

First of all, I can't actually recommend this build without a proper full disclosure. I definitely wouldn't suggest buying a new Dirt Quad 500 to build it out. If you have one already, sure upgrade it. If you found one for super cheap, why not. The biggest issue with the Dirt Quad 500 is the suspension. There is no front suspension and  only a small spring in the rear. It's a loud, clunky and an overall, rough ride on ANY bumpy trail. Despite its beefy frame, it's a kids ride-on toy at the end of the day. I believe they are being discontinued and liquidated as they are no longer available on the Razor website and new ones are popping up on Facebook Market Place in the Houston area. I hope there's a new version coming down the line with front suspension, because aside from that major issue, the Dirt Quad 500 is pretty easy to work on. It pops up and stands vertical, has a drop down battery area, and an  access panel for the controller and wiring. 

The Dirt Quad 500 is great for cruising around on smooth, paved neighborhood streets, drifting corners and doing donuts. If you want something you can ride around the property and on trails, I would look into other mini quad brands with stock front suspension and front brakes included. This is why I have kept these builds particular builds to 2000W 48V set-ups as I plan to do more advanced set-ups on a proper mini quad with full suspension. 

For reference, this set-up will get you around 25-30 mph on 48V and around 35-40 mhp with a bigger 60V battery and a FarDriver Controller. Personally, I wouldn't want to go much faster than that on these things. Considering that the stock speed is 8mph, you will have a completely different ride, one that can hang with the neighborhood golf carts and go-carts. 

Another thing to consider is that these upgrades add up quickly, the battery being a big portion of the build cost. Depending on which direction you go, expect to spend between $500 to $1000 on this upgrade (including the battery). With the additional speed and power, you'll also need to upgrade the brakes eventually and maybe upgrade the seat as well. Again, these builds add up quickly. 

This build is not complicated, but it is pretty involved. You will need to wire and repining some components, change out both sprockets, mount the motor and battery and right-size a chain to the perfect tension. 

If the cost or the amount of work is too much, you might consider just a simple 48V battery upgrade. By simply upgrading the battery to 48V and using the stock 36V controller and stock motor you can hit 15 mph, which is plenty of speed for most kids and adults. 

MOTOR OPTIONS: 

Kunray/Fardriver Option

This is my recommended motor/controller set-up.

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 take-off 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 500, 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: 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. 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

GEARING: You HAVE to change sprockets, the stock 36T 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/36T (9 tooth motor sprocket and 36 tooth rear sprocket) ended up being 1:4, 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 the white Dirt Quad 500. 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: https://amzn.to/4b2LsrR 
I paired the thumb throttle with these ergonomic grips that are easy to put on and remove.

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, I have 10 of them, 6 of them are doubled up. You can run the Vevor Kit set-up on 1 Scud (20+ mph) or 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 (25+ mph). 

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

Used 60V "Shrimp" Batteries: Shrimp Depot on Facebook also sells used 60V NUI batteries for around $200. This is what I am using to overvolt both my 48V set-ups. Overvolting increases the motor RPMs so it accelerates faster as well as getting you to around 30+ mph. 

Amazon 48V Batteries: https://amzn.to/4bqY3EZ These are budget-friendly battery packs that can be used like Scuds. You can find these on eBay and also order directly for AliExpress. 

HotPaxx 48V Batteries: https://www.hotpaxx.com/product-page/48v-20ah-50a-lithium-ion-battery

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.

Toggle Switch for Reverse: https://amzn.to/4br2vUl

I went with a toggle switch to avoid accidentally putting it into reverse. I placed it where the original on/off button was located.  

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. This is definitely an arts and crafts project that involves removing to old cover, inserting a gel pad into the foam and reupholstering it with a new seat cover. I prefer the more grippy cover.

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

Boat Seat Upgrade: I initially tried out different boat seats, but the angle of the top tube made sitting awkward. But even with gel inserts the stock seat and size are just too uncomfortable. So I continued to search and test out more boat seats and finally came across one with a front lip and real wide design. The front lip helps compensate for the angled top tube so you can sit flat and comfortably. I kept half of the stock seat to act as a child seat so you can a kid for a spin. 

Here are detailed installation instructions for trimming plastics and installing a boat seat. https://www.livelivegear.com/blogs/e-ride-builds/dirt-quad-500-boat-seat-install

Camo Boat Seat: https://amzn.to/3XfNmRp
Black/Charcoal Seat: https://amzn.to/3AxR7Zq
Boat Seat Mount: https://www.livelivegear.com/collections/e-ride-parts/products/boat-seat-mount-for-razor-dirt-quad

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BRAKE UPGRADES:

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. 

Pit Bike Brake Upgrade: This upgrade is definitely more beefy and involves bleeding brakes and upgrading all the brake components. 

Twin Piston Brake Calipers: https://amzn.to/4a5b71u
120 mm Brake Line: https://amzn.to/4bpL0Dx
Left Handle Brake Master Cylinder: https://amzn.to/4b0twy5
Longer Rotor Bolts: https://amzn.to/4jkbURn
200mm Pit Bike Rotor: https://amzn.to/3WrHDYB
Pit Bike Rotor Adapter: MATRIC Pit Bike Rotor Adapter