How Modders Are Squeezing Higher Top Speeds Out Of Mini Trucks & Jeeps

If you've been paying attention to the world of powersports, or are simply a fan of smaller-scale, vehicular fun, you may have probably heard about some of the cool little mini-trucks and mini-јeeps being sold by companies like Massimo Motor. These vehicles are a cross between ATVs, go-karts, and kids' ride-on toys — and they look like scaled-down versions of classic Jeeps or Ford Broncos, making it hard not to smile when you see them.

Vehicles like the Massimo Mini-Truck, are powered by small gasoline engines, with that particular model displacing 125cc, producing nine horsepower and, out of the box, having a top speed of 28 miles per hour. Better yet, it's built to handle a passenger weight of up to 300 pounds. That's should be enough for both kids and adults to have plenty of fun, but whether it's a full-size vehicle or a scaled-down miniature one like this, there are always those who want to go faster.

Fortunately for those with the hot rodding spirit, owner groups across the internet have shown that it's very much possible to boost the power and speed of these little vehicles. In a lot of cases, this can be done with relatively simple engine upgrades, like better-flowing carburetors or a modified exhaust system. Then there are some who go all out, swapping the engines to larger ones or even adding turbochargers.

One of the simplest upgrades people have done to these vehicles is a basic carburetor upgrade. As tried and true as it gets, upgrading to a larger, high-performance carb is a proven way of boosting power on small gasoline engines, at least carbureted ones, and this same technique can be used on mini jeeps and mini trucks. In that same time-tested book of small engine upgrades, intake and exhaust upgrades are another way to unlock more power from the engines that power these little rigs. 

As for how much top speed you actually gain from these mods, that will depend on a lot of things, including of course, the weight of the driver. With a Nibbi carb upgrade and an intake, one Massimo owner reported that his mini-Jeep can easily hit over 30 miles per hour on a gravel surface, while others have unverified claims of reaching higher speeds. 

On the larger, 300cc mini jeeps, mods can go even further, with some owners sharing that removing the speed limiter behind the pedal can bring speeds of 55 mph and beyond. Apart from actual upgrades and modifications, it should also be said that even if your vehicle is unmodified, you'll want to keep up with motor oil changes on your Massimo, to make sure that the engine is producing as much power as possible.

While users have shown that there are some relatively easy ways to mod these little vehicles for extra power and speed, there are always those adventurous types who want to take the modding even further. This is where you find people like Grind Hard Plumbing Co on YouTube, who fabricated a cheap homemade turbocharger setup for their Amazon-purchased mini-Jeep, getting some rather crazy results out of the experiment.

If that's not enough, there's also the possibility of swapping out the engine completely for a larger, more powerful one, with some modders doubling or even tripling the original output of their mini-Jeeps after doing this. 

Obviously, when talking about these more big-time upgrades in particular, it's important to remember that with the added fun factor of more power also comes more risk. Also, keep in mind, we are talking about Massimo mini trucks – relatively cheap hobbyist vehicles that could be considered kids' toys, and there's no guarantee that the chassis or other parts will stand up to having horsepower doubled or tripled. As fun as it may sound, if you're a newcomer to riding small, off-road vehicles at speed, you'll certainly want to be careful and do your research before trying to add big amounts of power to your backyard mini-Jeep or mini-truck.