I am so pleased that Micah published this video on the 18 month review of our Chinese electric mini-truck. As many of you probably know, early reaction to it in prior videos was split with many haters out there predicting (hoping ??) it would fall apart in a few weeks so as to somehow vindicate their belief that it was trash and a waste of money and that nothing of good quality comes from China. Thankfully, many others of you were supportive well wishers hoping that we would have a good end result. Well, the results are in and fully documented in this video. This is a great little truck and is so easy to work on and upgrade. The quality is quite amazing and your response to Micah's original purchase and our thoughtful upgrades has been truly wonderful. Finally, I want to say thank you to all of the many people who commented on the wonderful relationship that I have with my son and the pure joy that so many people felt in their hearts by seeing a son and his dad enjoy each other's company, work well together, and achieve and share a great outcome. Unfortunately, so much of social media is such a negative place. Thank you for helping to make a little subset of social media such a wonderful experience for me as Micah's proud dad and biggest fan. To you I say, be well, love life and take care. Sincerely, Micah's dad.
Yes, I'm also interested in this truck since the beginning, currently I'm a student as soon as I get some money i will surely buy this truck for experimentation
This thing is pretty sweet! Thanks for the update video. Haters gonna hate so let them and just ignore. It's just too bad that the US does not manufacture all of the cool stuff that we have to order from Asia at such great prices.
I've been following Micah's videos for a few years... they helped me get into ebikes. I loved the first mini truck video and especially the relationship you have with each other. I'm 64, in Australia, and my son and his wife recently bought their first house... a fixer-upper. It's been wonderful working alongside him as we've done numerous renovation tasks. I've seen him grow in knowledge and confidence to tackle all sorts of things that I wasn't sure he would be capable of, but he's shown that he's willing to give things a go. All the best to you both and I can't wait to see your future videos together.
People use little trucks like this for real hard work in many countries around the world. Those people in other countries aren't the dumb ones, we are.
@@birdgeekguy "bro-dozers" 🤣 genius! I'm totally using that now. Honestly, the form factor and horsepower of the mini truck makes me feel it's more accurate to classify it as an electric UTV or side by side with an enclosed cabin instead of a truck. Nothing wrong with that though, UTVs are really nice little errand runners around farms and other rural properties and can go places a full size pickup can't.
Hi Micah, I'm from Beijing. For many reasons here in Beijing these so called cheaply made electric runarounds are the haters of all motorists and cyclists. Partly because some of them are truly badly made and partly because some of the owners are not fully comprehending the laws of the road. But I'm glad to see not all of these cheap electric mini trucks or cars are being treated this way. Maybe there are similar use cases in China that I'm not aware of, maybe there is a version of you and your dad here in the countryside in China also, doing the same enthusiastic work that you two are doing. Thank you and your dad for showing everyone that stereotype can be a thing of the past, it's truly awesome to see practical people with a practical vehicle making everyday life easier, and being able to constantly upgrading to make it even better. I hope this mini truck will continue to treat you and your dad well, and I'm sure that you will do the same thing for the truck. Thumbs-up.
@@birdtj82They were on city roads but not highways, and people can drive these without a driver's license. Some local governments started to regulate these mini cars recently, people drove these were like monkeys.
I'm an American living and working in China. I bought an e-truck 3 weeks ago. Mine is 4 door, LARGE solar charger on the roof (they never hooked it up) and a "generator" that is supposed to extend the mileage to nearly 80KM. Similar to yours, poor welding, screws to the roll cage without washers etc. CHEAP.... I'm very encouraged by the things you experienced. My pickup box is much shorter than yours because I have a 4 door. I also got a cheap bed liner included. Like you I'm looking to replace the tires and your project of replacing the springs is something I'm going to consider. I haven't had used it enough yet to know how I feel about it. 51/52 kph so its not going to win any races but..... the Chinese have an EXCELLENT e-bike paths in the cities and countryside roads. I mean they are like streets just for the bikes! Thanks for you videos and it has encouraged me to expect more from mine in the future
The truck is a platform for upgrade possibilities, just as we have shown. Make some cool improvements and enjoy it as we have ours. Best of luck. Thanks for your comment.
Is this vehicle even allowed to have a tag on it in America for highway use If you go too slow and speed limit is 70mph with 55 minimum? They will stop you and at it's max speed how many miles tell re-charge
The motor will lead a much longer life with that fan shroud on. The fan doesn’t actually work without the shroud and it will prevent the motor getting hot allowing the bearings in the motor to last MUCH longer
came to write same comment. The shroud is not there to protect the fan, its main feature is to force the airflow into the grooves on side to help heat escape. This guy should reinstall something similar asap....
I lost my dad 2 years ago. We were just like you two, always doing projects. We work together for several years and the service station business and I miss him every day... Nobody to argue with lol Keep up the great work! You guys are amazing!!
I lost my dad 9 years ago and he didn't do anything himself. I used to drive 3.5 hours to fix stuff for him and Mom, but I miss him regardless. I desperately wish that I had someone to teach me how to fix stuff, though. I learned everything the hard way and I don't feel great at it. Just having someone help would be wonderful.
How you (and your dad) made great practical use of this “cheap” work truck has been simply a honest and noteworthy way to review it. Then further improving the truck with self installed upgrades truly shows how much you appreciate its practicality. Maybe install a set of nice speakers (and/or a cheap headunit) so your dad can play his favorite tunes while he’s working.
@@ApolloMcribshiiiit I wouldn’t say “decent” truck for that price. Everyone’s asking crazy prices for vehicles here right now. Plus it wouldn’t be as interesting as this little truck
Any signs that the Chinese manufacturer will adopt and learn from some of Micah's upgrades and improvements? Obviously it would be much cheaper for the improvements to be made in China and even more people would feel tempted to follow Micah's lead and import one or two. Then use a Cybertruck or Ford F-150 pickup for posing and turning heads and one of these cheap Chinese marvels as the real work-horse. Paul G
@@arkadiusztrzesniewski3486its not all that ironic. To make stainless rustproof you have to passivate it. To passivate it you have to dunk it in acid and ruin the polish... and never polish it again.
Ja ja. But sich one do you want to use on public road where there are crashes. And you are in America your roads are much more dangerous than here in germany. Yes cybertruck is illegal here. But we have electric benz transporter vito and sprinter. Byd has some new electric vans that surprised me positively at the car rental place
Glad you have a healthy relation with your dad. My Dad is an intolerable hot head that doesn't know anything and has never been available. Wish I had an awesome dad like yours. People don't appreciate what they have until it's gone.
@@Logistics_Sandar I'm not the diplomatic type. I have a fire burning in my belly every time I see or hear somehting that is not ethical and it shows on my face . I gave up on him and the people within those social circles. I have a different set of ethics and morals. He is not that type that will have my back but rather the type that will stomp and trample all over me whenever he gets the chance. He even belittles me in front of his employees. You've got to know when to leave. Can't fix broke.
@@Human-bf7kz Can’t argue with that… It’s Better for your health , and as they say No wealth can reimburse you for your health …(that includes mental) Wish you the best….
@@Human-bf7kz...my dad was a booger too. You gotta keep your distance to maintain your sanity. Try to forgive him so you don't become what you hate. In the end if he does not change....he will die a long pain filled death with nobody to blame but himself. The law of sowing and reaping is real. Do what you need to do to sow love and peace. Be with people who celebrate you not tolerate you. Sow into the fatherless what you wish you could have received from your father. You will be a richer person for it. I will be praying for you to find peace.
In the UK there are so many places that would benefit from a truck like this. National trust properties, forestry commision areas, the list goes on. Great video and thanks for sharing your ungrades too.
@@carlost856 UTVs are better for the forest and off road use. But in urban areas one of those trucks could replace small transporters like the Piaggio Porter.
Just to mention: The "protective cage" arround the Motorfan is also an Airguard who redirects the Air from the Fan all arround 90° to the outer bodyshell of the motor. Where it hits all those cooling rips running on the outside you see there. Probably not a problem in this applikaction since you dont use it that hard with a load and not that long to build up lot of heat. But in industrial applications you better do not remove those cheap looking metal piece for exakt that reason.
It's mind blowing what you get for only $2k with that truck. Really amazing. And your solar panel & other upgrades are super impressive & cool. But the true magic here is you Micah & your wonderful father! I swear both you & your dad along with another channel Hannah Baron & her dad Jeff are the two best parent/offspring 'teams' I've ever seen in my 69 year life! Exceedingly shining examples of humanity & parent/offspring relationships. Bravo!!! And bless you!
@@randombird3264it was 8k for donut because they left it at the warehouse for a week too Really it could be had in the US for around 3.5k if you didn't insist on the Li-ion.
Great to see someone actually using the truck and finding out ways to make it work better, which is what normal people do. Too many people on youtube just buying these trucks to make a video criticizing it. There is potential in these trucks..if only shipping wasn't so much.
I retire in 5 years and moving from NJ to WV. One of my goals is to get one of these trucks. Sadly I can't work on it with my Dad, but I can work on it with my son! Always great content as usual.
Nice to see this! I think you should inform the manufacturer on your experiences and improvements. Don't forget that we live in just 1 world and only together we can make it a better one. Anyway looking forward to the next video.
What a nice comment. If everyone thinks like you, this world will be such a beautiful place to live in. Too bad greedy leader in U S A needs to sell weapons and wars to make money
@@blardymunggas6884 Let's keep politics out of this please. I'm nice to people, not to governments as they all suck, including my own government. No exceptions.
@@zeeman1975 not all gov sucks tbh. Its only those that claims to defend democracy and human rights in public but in reality killing others for their personal wealth are the evil ones and I bet your tax money is funding their wars on others. Anyway God bless you buddy.
@@blardymunggas6884 Yeah, "damn you war"! Saying It using Internet. Just a simple computer network created for... guess what? WAR!! hAOIUHuiohAIOUHAOuihuioAHIUOA
He's just a simple man, just a man and his ⚡Electric Mini Truck⚡. Some men may not call that a man's truck but he does more truck stuff with this tiny truck then most of you do with your $90,000 luxury pick-up truck... 💯 #Facts
For the tailgate, use coated steel clothesline or dog runner cable and crimps, make it whatever length you’d like. You can also use it for branch lines if you ever need to protect the windshield.
Great idea I like to reuse the old coated leash cables too! If youve got everything on hand, although if you dont have the big crimper it’s expensive and prob much cheaper to buy a set with the hangers already on from a truck like he mentioned I think.
The only question I have with the tailgate lying flat is would it hit the ground when the bed is completely raised? Maybe they made the gate open like that so to protect the hydraulic bed from jamming into the ground and damaging it.
Are you sure the last part of the tailgate hinge doesn’t slide back to drop it down further like a pvc window hinge? The last section next to the tailgate looks over engineered just to be a anchor point.
Interesting stuff. A vehicle like this could work for a lot of folks who are currently driving a mid or full sized pickup. Even with all the upgrades, it is still a reasonable price.
Yes, they probably spent $2k or $3k maximum in improvements so the total cost was $10k or $11k. Considering a US made truck is $50k, as it is well designed from the start, there is a lot of room for improvement for this chinese minitruck, and it can do probably 90% of what is needed from big size trucks at a small fraction of the initial and maintainance cost.
It uses what is great about EV instead of putting EV for long salt-filled motorways. EV is much more for mid-range with very clean roads or natural roads.
That truck looks perfect for the place. The new ebike looks like it went to a deserving fellow, as we all hope it helps him through this rough patch. Thanks, Micah, for the good work!
Something you might want to check and be aware of is that the tailgate probably doesn't open down all the way on purpose so that it doesn't hit the ground when using the tipper
Since I am a native chinese , so I have seen this kind of EV quite often. I really envy you have a dad really work (or have fun) with , and the beautiful farm you have. wonderful!
Just a word of advice: Fan cowls are not there to protect the fan, they are there to direct the airflow over the motor to assist in cooling. It is an EXTREMELY important part of motor cooling
Im really impressed with how well this truck has turned out, even considering getting one for my Mom to run around the farm. For your new rear sag issues when loaded, you may want to consider finding a bolt or weld-on bump-stop to have a stop where you want it just in case. The lining looks awesome, thanks for the update guys great project!
I was impressed by that little truck when you first got it. Bed liner is good idea, seems like you took the expensive route, but it looks fantastic. Painting the wheels was such a good idea. I’m still shocked it’s got functional A/C. Go to the hardware store and get some steel cable and fasteners, fixed! Lol Cool video like always
That's the thing with this little truck. it's simple enough that it can be fixed and upgraded by almost anyone with minimal mechanical knowledge and tooling. That makes it very durable and its maintainance cost is very low.
I was just looking at a few of these again today. They've started offering some really cool ones. 4wd is now available. Different body options, bigger motors etc. They can be packaged over $17k.
Mica, that was such an entertaining video and your interaction with your dad put a grin on my face. Pure pleasure and good to see you taking full advantage of your free time spent with your Dad. Take every moment with him while you can. Thank you so much for sharing.
I'm so impressed with how you and your dad worked on this mini truck together from the very first video. How excited he was once the suspension was done. Very well done!
I really enjoyed the update. So glad you posted because I have always been concerned about ordering anything from Alibaba and to actually see this truck in action, I'm impressed. In the winter time here in north Georgia, crossing my farm is very difficult and this is a great alternative to a side by side that have gotten ridiculous in cost and honestly, this truck looks great. I would do the exact same upgrades. Lifted and tires and rubber stop points for the dump bed. Great video. Jc
This is an interesting preview of a mini truck. I accidentally came across your video and I like what I saw. I appreciate the fact you have been completely honest and am impressed with the modifications you made to suit your farm environment. I have similar experience with different products from China but I save tons of money in the process. I am sure if the maker of this saw what you did to improve their product, they made make the necessary changes to their future product and may even offers you a free improved version for a preview. ❤❤❤❤
I keep coming back just for updates on your electric mini truck. It's such a cool piece of equipment. Affordable, durable, useful. Great combo. Maybe American companies will catch on and shrink some of their machines to make them more usable!
I love this truck and what the two of you have done with it... But... that is not what I liked the most about this video... Seeing Dad and Son working and enjoying life's little pleasures together, - absolutely amazing to see. Getting your Dad the ratchet wrench set was awesome as well, and that is definitely what I need as well, and one of these days - I will hopefully be able to do just that. So here is to you and your Dad - Enjoying life's little pleasures for many years to come...
4:40 the principal purpose of that protector is to redirect the air from the centrifugal fan to the fins around the motor to make it run cooler. Try to put one to extend the life of the motor. I'm impress with the mini truck, thanks for the update!
As a disabled person on ssi I’m so glad that you are helping people out. I had a wreck 3 years ago and totaled my car. I’ll never be able to afford another one and if I had e-bike it would make a huge difference! 👏👏🙏
Found your channel by chance, two vids later - you have a faithful subscriber. Love your and your dad's energy, all these electric give-a-chance and DIY projects are up my alley, and you strike the perfect balance between montaging-out the lengthy labour involved, without sacrificing any important details for someone who likes to adapt ideas for their own tinkering!
Wow! Sure wish I had seen this when it came out a month ago. Love the impressive condition of the truck. Works for you on the property. My husband can no longer see to drive a car but this e-bike would be great for him to be able to get out of the house and ride to his sisters house a mile away, the store a mile away or simply enjoy riding it through the Tucson Mountain Park out our back gate of our neighborhood. Can I buy him one, yes. Will he allow me to buy him one…NO! Would he use it…yes he would. Especially if he won it. Thanks for the fun videos. I saw your truck when you first got it. I just watched your little mini eCar from MingHong with the panda on the side. The racing stripes make it look fast!
Awsome. I need a truck like that here on my 40 acres. We have been on solar off grid since 1979. At 73 I'm probably even older than your dad, LOL! We are considering switching to lithium batteries in the next year or so, so your book might come in handy . Great video, keep it up! .
I kinda like how this is the antithesis of modern pick-ups in North America. That said, I wonder if the tailgate hanger support could be moved to allow the tailgate to fold flat. ...and now I see at 11:20 you talk about it :D
With European and Japanese cars it's common for them to put on multiple coats of primer so even if you scratch the paint and a layer of primer or two, they wont rust, American manufactories tend to just use one coat of primer to save a few pennies on each car
Such a wonderful and cute little truck. I can see you guys are working it to the bone lol. I can just imagine sitting in it with the AC on while its foggy and damp outside. It's a vibe
I loved this video. I had a 94 Toyota pickup that I bought in 2008 for $1700. I used it until 2022 and after 300,000 miles the head gasket went. I sold it for more than I bought it for. I loved that little truck which is why this little electric fascinated me. Great video
That suspension was probably the most important especially on the terrain on that property. Thanks for the video it's a lot of food for thought when thinking about how someone might be able to improve lifestyle with a electric vehicle in their life.
I'm one that is surprised to see the truck is still functional, and even more amazed that it's not covered in rust! Glad to see my first impression was wrong! 👍👍
It was a matter of some debate but the results are certainly in. Thanks for the comment. Another review in a year maybe?? I'm sure there are some other things we can do to it !! (I want a set of removable side rails made out of oak and painted old timey with the name of a business - do you think I need his permission or because it lives on my land I have the right to just do it?? LOL.). Best regards
Looking good! Only recommendation would be to put the fan shroud back on the drive motor. Despite the short trip use on the ranch that TEFC (Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled) motor is getting very little to absolutely no cooling with the fan blowing air out like a tire slinging mud instead of being directed along the length of the motors cooling fins. Incremental heat damage is happening to some degree and you don't want to wait until enough damage accumulates to let the smoke out of the motor windings. Being a TEFC motor you won't see or smell the signs of hot spots/heat stress until its too late so why chance it for something as simple as the directional fan housing. Since we live in the Land of Tropical Heat and Humidity, most days that motor is already warm before you even turn it on. You really don't want it to fail while trying to pull the boat out of the pond or some other really inopportune time. How often do things fail when its really convenient? ;> Best!
@@micahsdad5388 Great! That should help ensure the longest useful life of the motor. Just keep up with maintenance and be mindful of the bearings. Change them before they start to rattle to better ensure they don't spin on the shaft or in the housing. Sadly too many end up replacing costly motors instead of a $10/$20 set of bearings because they waited too long. Many don't realize that regardless of who makes the tool, vehicle, etc bearings are pretty much standard commodities often stocked by your local bearing supplier and available over the counter with quality equal to or better than the originals. Hope the weather is treating you well. Here we've been having effective temperatures hovering around 105 F the past few days with dangerous humidity levels. Best!
@@neilfromclearwaterfl81 Thanks for your excellent recommendation on the bearings. Got some in my drill press motor that just starting talking to me!! No damage thank goodness.Gotta take it in to my local electric shop. Good old timey sort of place. Yeah - been VERY hot and humid here. But the winters are great, right?? !! Very best regards
@@micahsdad5388 Gotta listen when they start to talk. I didn't hear them in time on my air compressor so it now needs a new armature which is not available since its an older direct drive oil bath compressor with the crankshaft built into the armature. Looking at things escalating to 107 effective the next few days here. Winter is much better than the sub zero winters with the $600 to $1,500 monthly heating oil bills where I came from. Get together with those Old Timey guys and whip that drill press back into shape while the widow of opportunity is open. Kind regards
Really happy to see how the truck is holding up! Also, I enjoy seeing you and your dad working on things! My dad passed almost 6 years ago now, and it makes me remember the good times.
Very well presented and excellent video recording........what more it is a Father & son tag-team hard work to make this wonderful video for sharing........Well done my friends........Greeting from the Far East ......
I wouldn't mind having a truck like that on my farm when I retire. I think it would be fun to upgrade like you did. Your DIY Solar book sounds interesting I wouldn't mind winning that. I'll have to check the books out.
Glad your truck is working out. It's hard to imagine they didn't put a more functional suspension on the truck. Thanks for reaching out to those in need of an e-bike. Hopefully the most worthy wins.
I don't find it so hard to imagine that almost every design decision on this truck was probably based on cost. If the manufacturer somehow got a deal on the stiffer but cheaper springs, naturally they would go for that.
My mini truck arrives here TOMORROW! 8:30am! Then will come the unboxing. Big setback, the 72v lithium battery won’t be here for 3-4 weeks. I plan to wire up golf cart batteries to test it out.
Well, haters probably don't have the relationship with their children that you have with yours. I know what a blessing it is to have a loving relationship with children. I enjoyed this video very much.
❤ love to see a bonded father & son always explore and live their lives positively, great project and amazing family. I wish the manufacturer could access this channel and improve upon their customers reviews.
Bigger Battery, More output from a better more powerful controller 200-500 amps, and a BIGGER more powerful motor(D+D), and it would be an AWESOME RIG!! I have a lifted EZGO golf cart with all kinds of trick aftermarket upgrades. Many would work on this mini truck.
It's fun seeing all the mods and upgrades you've done to your mini-truck. I hope it's not going be 18 months before we see all the mods on your little e-boat! It's good to see how well the mini-truck is holding up and as I've said before, that thing is perfect for your parent's property. Also, congrats to Jorge!
So glad that your truck is turning out to be a nice asset on the land there with your parents! So great job shining up the Alibaba truck. I think you should call the truck Kato after Inspector Clousau's house manager who always tried to attack him when he came home, but was a useful chap in the end!
Wow, you and your father are dear to my heart. I love how you honestly review what you have and help those in need. I think you and your father should visit the factory in China. I think both of you will be amazed by their hospitality NOT TO MENTION THEIR FOOD!!!! Personally you should offer them to open a US small operation, just like HONDA did with a person in San Francisco back in the early 60s. I know this because I worked inside the bicycle industry over thirty years and traveled to China since the early 90s till recently in 2019. Great Job... And I can say the folks at the factory would should love to meet you. Just ask them and watch what happens.. Sincerely Dan Sotelo, aka mr onZa
Chinese trucks come with stiff springs because rural Chinese users carry heavy loads stacked as high as possible. Say you grow sweet potatoes and stack then twice the height of the cab, how much does that weigh?
I'm so fascinated by this truck and its abilities. I have been on board with the electric vehicles movement for more than a decade. Well back in the day when it was thought Electric vehicles would never become a thing. Back when there were only youtubers doing DYI builds and were met with great criticism. Now the movement as grown so large, the populace has to infrastructure around it to meet it its demands.
Umm... The hitch is clamped to the axle. They hitch control leg is attached to the frame. The axle moves, in relation to the frame ! This means that the support leg has to bend/curve to follow the arc, and the clamps are likely to slip on the axle in so doing. You need flex in your joints. Adding rubber sheeting under the U-bolts with another U-bolt either side of the clamps to keep it from sliding to either side, then some rubber washers on the control bar, to allow the ends some 'give', ought to fix these issues. Great little truck though. Well done both of you.
Don't disagree with your observations but the threaded rod (control leg) is very small diameter and has give and flex in it by design. Doesn't totally address your issue but it is not a rigid connection in the sense of a welded square tube or similar member from axle to frame. Thanks for sharing - good eye.
Hope things get better for Jorge, and he enjoys his ebike and I hope it makes a difference. I know its a difficult position to be in and it can take a long time to get back on your feet. Hang in there.
When you first brought the truck, it was reasonable for most people to assume it will break down, because that's the majority of our experience with stuff made in China. But after your last mini truck update (I think it was the 6 months one?) it was pretty clear this truck was built pretty well considering the price. So whilst a lot of us retracted our doubts about the truck here and there. The minority few are most like sinophobic, they just simply refuse to believe anything that comes out of China can be good.
China can produce any level of quality, people are just more accustomed to the crappy mass produced products. Even when it comes to counterfeit products, you will find things in the range of "even your blind grandmother would know it's a fake" all the way to "even the counterfeit brand's own experts will spend hours looking for evidence".
Human learn and improve things, nothing stay static, people should break their static mind to learn that things changes, for bad or good, so one needs to keep learning.
@@wyz9815 O BOY why did the cave man invent the wheel ? because he was here first. 1st spark plug is 500,000 years old. Today's technology is at least 8000 years old
Looks like the truck has done amazingly well, I look forward to seeing more updates over the next few years, as I feel it will be with you and your dad a while.
Wow, amazing progress! I can't believe it's been 18 months already. However, I have a concern about the hitch. It looks like the threaded rod goes from the frame to the axle and I'm worried it might damage or cancelling out the suspension. 👏👏
I’d like to think they made the tailgate the way they did so the tailgate gate won’t hit the bumper when dumping. You can do a dual position mount when you switch to the cables when dumping set it to the mount that would let it have that slight tilt so it wouldn’t hit the bumper. Hope everything goes well awesome little truck good luck with it. 👍🏼🙏🏼
I think the tailgate doesn't open totally flat because since it's a very short bed the gate being a little higher helps to keep items like plywood sheets or wood planks from sliding right out the end of the gate. The Ford Maverick pickup has a tailgate that among it's adjustments is one a lot like this to help hold plywood and lumber in the bed.
Great addition to your Dad's work needs. The texture in the bed liner is probably due to using a roller to apply paint on metal, tiny air bubbles. A brush to tip (smooth) the paint after applying may have prevented this. I have similar problems when painting fiberglass boat decks in areas texture isn't wanted. Cheers to your family
I would love a more powerful powerplant on this thing and do an overhaul to make it finally street legal so you can haul around slightly larger and heavier cargo. Also, adding a second solar panel just increases its range quite a bit more. The paint on the liner does make the truck look much newer than it was when it arrived to you.
I think your dad might like a bed light for the truck bed. I know that it can get rather hot in the south in the summer. Having a bed light your dad can shift some tasks to after the sun goes down and it’s a little bit cooler. Same if he wants to get a jump on getting tasks done in the earlier hours of the morning before it gets so hot.
Its been a long time i watch one of your video's. I just wanna say inspiring People who need or want it . And the give away , that made it for me ,really keep on the good track . AKA from amsterdam . Ps hope to see more content from you so we can still be inspared
Might be worth replacing the cowling around the motors fan helps redirect the air over the motors case fins or heat sink with the option to tow you'll be putting an extra load on that motor.
Great video, it’s a cool little truck and it’s clearly getting a lot of use, I can see you’re enjoying it. It seems like to get the best out of it it needed a mechanically minded guy to make much needed modifications. I think that truck is much better now than when you bought it. I especially love your solar panel. If this company ever decides to sell their trucks in the USA, I think they need to do all your improvements first.
There really need to be more options for trucks like this in the U.S. The closest option is the Ford Maverick. Especially in my case, using my 2019 Ranger as a farm truck can really suck at times.
Bless you for the giveaway. As a retired vet that can no longer walk very far (fractured back) due to sports injuries I know there are other people far worse off than me that could use this. Good on you man. Good on you.
Not street legal. Don't believe anyone if they say it is under LSV laws. It is not. But for us that doesn't matter as we use it on our private acreage and therefore we do not need registration, title or anything else. Like a tractor or lawn mower in that regard. Best
It’s been almost 1 yr, i still see your video pop back out on UA-cam suggestion. Love your Chanel . My friend imported like 300 units of moto e-bike n scooters … great quality … hope u r Chanel’s keep growing.
I am so pleased that Micah published this video on the 18 month review of our Chinese electric mini-truck. As many of you probably know, early reaction to it in prior videos was split with many haters out there predicting (hoping ??) it would fall apart in a few weeks so as to somehow vindicate their belief that it was trash and a waste of money and that nothing of good quality comes from China. Thankfully, many others of you were supportive well wishers hoping that we would have a good end result. Well, the results are in and fully documented in this video. This is a great little truck and is so easy to work on and upgrade. The quality is quite amazing and your response to Micah's original purchase and our thoughtful upgrades has been truly wonderful. Finally, I want to say thank you to all of the many people who commented on the wonderful relationship that I have with my son and the pure joy that so many people felt in their hearts by seeing a son and his dad enjoy each other's company, work well together, and achieve and share a great outcome. Unfortunately, so much of social media is such a negative place. Thank you for helping to make a little subset of social media such a wonderful experience for me as Micah's proud dad and biggest fan. To you I say, be well, love life and take care. Sincerely, Micah's dad.
gonna have to be more lovers than haters now , that mini truck is awesome
@@stuartty1 Very much hope so. Thank you, sir.
Yes, I'm also interested in this truck since the beginning, currently I'm a student as soon as I get some money i will surely buy this truck for experimentation
This thing is pretty sweet! Thanks for the update video. Haters gonna hate so let them and just ignore. It's just too bad that the US does not manufacture all of the cool stuff that we have to order from Asia at such great prices.
I've been following Micah's videos for a few years... they helped me get into ebikes. I loved the first mini truck video and especially the relationship you have with each other. I'm 64, in Australia, and my son and his wife recently bought their first house... a fixer-upper. It's been wonderful working alongside him as we've done numerous renovation tasks. I've seen him grow in knowledge and confidence to tackle all sorts of things that I wasn't sure he would be capable of, but he's shown that he's willing to give things a go. All the best to you both and I can't wait to see your future videos together.
he's doing more work with that toy truck than 80 percent of the people with full size trucks that you see on the highway
Most of them just compensating for something
People use little trucks like this for real hard work in many countries around the world.
Those people in other countries aren't the dumb ones, we are.
Isn't that the truth. Most of those trucks have never hauled more than groceries.
Kinda makes you wonder which is the actual “toy” lol. This thing, or the bro-dozers?
@@birdgeekguy "bro-dozers" 🤣 genius! I'm totally using that now. Honestly, the form factor and horsepower of the mini truck makes me feel it's more accurate to classify it as an electric UTV or side by side with an enclosed cabin instead of a truck. Nothing wrong with that though, UTVs are really nice little errand runners around farms and other rural properties and can go places a full size pickup can't.
Hi Micah, I'm from Beijing. For many reasons here in Beijing these so called cheaply made electric runarounds are the haters of all motorists and cyclists. Partly because some of them are truly badly made and partly because some of the owners are not fully comprehending the laws of the road.
But I'm glad to see not all of these cheap electric mini trucks or cars are being treated this way. Maybe there are similar use cases in China that I'm not aware of, maybe there is a version of you and your dad here in the countryside in China also, doing the same enthusiastic work that you two are doing.
Thank you and your dad for showing everyone that stereotype can be a thing of the past, it's truly awesome to see practical people with a practical vehicle making everyday life easier, and being able to constantly upgrading to make it even better.
I hope this mini truck will continue to treat you and your dad well, and I'm sure that you will do the same thing for the truck. Thumbs-up.
Are they allowed to be on the road? I know they are headache for government cuz they are not fully road legal.
They will not be starting Jan 1.
@@birdtj82 Unless you are registered with disabilities.
@@birdtj82They were on city roads but not highways, and people can drive these without a driver's license. Some local governments started to regulate these mini cars recently, people drove these were like monkeys.
@@a9udn9u-vanced ha, my mom told me they are not legal lol. I am from that city makes those . But i dont live there now. I miss home.
whatever you do DO NOT watch whistlindiesel
I'm an American living and working in China. I bought an e-truck 3 weeks ago. Mine is 4 door, LARGE solar charger on the roof (they never hooked it up) and a "generator" that is supposed to extend the mileage to nearly 80KM. Similar to yours, poor welding, screws to the roll cage without washers etc. CHEAP.... I'm very encouraged by the things you experienced. My pickup box is much shorter than yours because I have a 4 door. I also got a cheap bed liner included. Like you I'm looking to replace the tires and your project of replacing the springs is something I'm going to consider. I haven't had used it enough yet to know how I feel about it. 51/52 kph so its not going to win any races but..... the Chinese have an EXCELLENT e-bike paths in the cities and countryside roads. I mean they are like streets just for the bikes! Thanks for you videos and it has encouraged me to expect more from mine in the future
The truck is a platform for upgrade possibilities, just as we have shown. Make some cool improvements and enjoy it as we have ours. Best of luck. Thanks for your comment.
But now china has banned this illigal car 😂
@zhaomengyu028 depends where you are
@@zhaomengyu028no，it's still on the road everywhere😂
Is this vehicle even allowed to have a tag on it in America for highway use If you go too slow and speed limit is 70mph with 55 minimum? They will stop you and at it's max speed how many miles tell re-charge
Many areas in China are much more humid than in the US. So I'm glad to see the anti-rust works out well!
there is no such thing as "much more humid" than Florida my friend
@@cfctvausPhilippines
@@cfctvaus Queensland, Australia
still not "much more" lmao@@balakehb
He keeps it in a garage.... lol
The motor will lead a much longer life with that fan shroud on. The fan doesn’t actually work without the shroud and it will prevent the motor getting hot allowing the bearings in the motor to last MUCH longer
100% correct
came to write same comment. The shroud is not there to protect the fan, its main feature is to force the airflow into the grooves on side to help heat escape. This guy should reinstall something similar asap....
Makes sense
But you want it to go bad so you have a reason to install a much larger one.
shroud reinstalled. thx
I lost my dad 2 years ago. We were just like you two, always doing projects. We work together for several years and the service station business and I miss him every day... Nobody to argue with lol
Keep up the great work! You guys are amazing!!
I lost my dad 9 years ago and he didn't do anything himself. I used to drive 3.5 hours to fix stuff for him and Mom, but I miss him regardless.
I desperately wish that I had someone to teach me how to fix stuff, though. I learned everything the hard way and I don't feel great at it.
Just having someone help would be wonderful.
Same here. My dad and i worked on our mustang GT just like them ..RIP
Sorry for your loss 🧡
Sorry for your losses
@@bazaarm.b.c god bless .
How you (and your dad) made great practical use of this “cheap” work truck has been simply a honest and noteworthy way to review it. Then further improving the truck with self installed upgrades truly shows how much you appreciate its practicality. Maybe install a set of nice speakers (and/or a cheap headunit) so your dad can play his favorite tunes while he’s working.
I think its got one!
Cheap. After import taxes it comes to $8500 depending on options. You can practically get a decent used truck for that much.
@@ApolloMcribyou can get 2 even they have dodge rams used here for 1k
@@ApolloMcrib true that 2nd hand vehicle are cheap, but it won't be electric... well not soon anyway.
@@ApolloMcribshiiiit I wouldn’t say “decent” truck for that price. Everyone’s asking crazy prices for vehicles here right now. Plus it wouldn’t be as interesting as this little truck
Any signs that the Chinese manufacturer will adopt and learn from some of Micah's upgrades and improvements? Obviously it would be much cheaper for the improvements to be made in China and even more people would feel tempted to follow Micah's lead and import one or two. Then use a Cybertruck or Ford F-150 pickup for posing and turning heads and one of these cheap Chinese marvels as the real work-horse.
Paul G
No rust after 18 months, it's already better than the Cybertruck
Which ironically is made of stainless steel and weighs almost 3 times more than this cute little truck.
@@arkadiusztrzesniewski3486its not all that ironic.
To make stainless rustproof you have to passivate it.
To passivate it you have to dunk it in acid and ruin the polish... and never polish it again.
Wheels didn't fall off. It's already better than the cyber truck.
Id take a cyber truck over it abtday given the choice 🎉
Ja ja. But sich one do you want to use on public road where there are crashes. And you are in America your roads are much more dangerous than here in germany.
Yes cybertruck is illegal here. But we have electric benz transporter vito and sprinter.
Byd has some new electric vans that surprised me positively at the car rental place
Glad you have a healthy relation with your dad.
My Dad is an intolerable hot head that doesn't know anything and has never been available.
Wish I had an awesome dad like yours.
People don't appreciate what they have until it's gone.
Try to be diplomatic….
I know your type of fathers ..
Hopefully it works for you later on…
@@Logistics_Sandar I'm not the diplomatic type. I have a fire burning in my belly every time I see or hear somehting that is not ethical and it shows on my face .
I gave up on him and the people within those social circles.
I have a different set of ethics and morals.
He is not that type that will have my back but rather the type that will stomp and trample all over me whenever he gets the chance. He even belittles me in front of his employees.
You've got to know when to leave.
Can't fix broke.
@@Human-bf7kz
Can’t argue with that…
It’s Better for your health , and as they say
No wealth can reimburse you for your health …(that includes mental)
Wish you the best….
@@Human-bf7kz...my dad was a booger too. You gotta keep your distance to maintain your sanity. Try to forgive him so you don't become what you hate. In the end if he does not change....he will die a long pain filled death with nobody to blame but himself. The law of sowing and reaping is real. Do what you need to do to sow love and peace. Be with people who celebrate you not tolerate you. Sow into the fatherless what you wish you could have received from your father. You will be a richer person for it. I will be praying for you to find peace.
In the UK there are so many places that would benefit from a truck like this. National trust properties, forestry commision areas, the list goes on. Great video and thanks for sharing your ungrades too.
yes your right would be great.
I almost wish my place was a bit bigger. I use my ride on mower to tow a trailer around. This looks so much better.
They have UTVs that fit this role already.
@@carlost856 UTVs are better for the forest and off road use. But in urban areas one of those trucks could replace small transporters like the Piaggio Porter.
Cool truck 🚒
Just to mention: The "protective cage" arround the Motorfan is also an Airguard who redirects the Air from the Fan all arround 90° to the outer bodyshell of the motor. Where it hits all those cooling rips running on the outside you see there.
Probably not a problem in this applikaction since you dont use it that hard with a load and not that long to build up lot of heat.
But in industrial applications you better do not remove those cheap looking metal piece for exakt that reason.
He's hauling a trailer now. He doubled the load on the motor.
It's mind blowing what you get for only $2k with that truck. Really amazing. And your solar panel & other upgrades are super impressive & cool. But the true magic here is you Micah & your wonderful father! I swear both you & your dad along with another channel Hannah Baron & her dad Jeff are the two best parent/offspring 'teams' I've ever seen in my 69 year life! Exceedingly shining examples of humanity & parent/offspring relationships. Bravo!!! And bless you!
$2k was the list price, the import fees, taxes, etc brought the total to over $8,000. So a bit misleading in how he titles his video.
Stone soup
@@randombird3264it was 8k for donut because they left it at the warehouse for a week too
Really it could be had in the US for around 3.5k if you didn't insist on the Li-ion.
@@nolategame6367what other features would it be missing for $3.5k besides the lithium ion battery?
Mind blowing alright. What you get is a Chinese piece of junk that won’t last more than 5 years
Great to see someone actually using the truck and finding out ways to make it work better, which is what normal people do. Too many people on youtube just buying these trucks to make a video criticizing it. There is potential in these trucks..if only shipping wasn't so much.
I retire in 5 years and moving from NJ to WV. One of my goals is to get one of these trucks. Sadly I can't work on it with my Dad, but I can work on it with my son! Always great content as usual.
Nice to see this! I think you should inform the manufacturer on your experiences and improvements. Don't forget that we live in just 1 world and only together we can make it a better one. Anyway looking forward to the next video.
Great point!
What a nice comment. If everyone thinks like you, this world will be such a beautiful place to live in. Too bad greedy leader in U S A needs to sell weapons and wars to make money
@@blardymunggas6884 Let's keep politics out of this please. I'm nice to people, not to governments as they all suck, including my own government. No exceptions.
@@zeeman1975 not all gov sucks tbh. Its only those that claims to defend democracy and human rights in public but in reality killing others for their personal wealth are the evil ones and I bet your tax money is funding their wars on others. Anyway God bless you buddy.
@@blardymunggas6884 Yeah, "damn you war"! Saying It using Internet. Just a simple computer network created for... guess what? WAR!! hAOIUHuiohAIOUHAOuihuioAHIUOA
I can sit all day and listen to your dad tell stories about the truck. I can hear the joy In his voice. 😊
Thanks. Got a lot of stories. Stay tuned!!
This thing has probably hauled more than the vast majority of f150s on the road today
agreed. we use it a lot and it is a real work truck on our property. best regards
F150 is great for grocerys. 🤣
Oh wow, 18 months. My F-250 is 55 years old and still supports my business. That little toy will never compare.
@@allenkuns6552 Trucks from the ~70s were actually made for work unlike today’s ego machines so I wouldn’t doubt that
@@allenkuns6552badass alert 🚨
He's just a simple man, just a man and his ⚡Electric Mini Truck⚡. Some men may not call that a man's truck but he does more truck stuff with this tiny truck then most of you do with your $90,000 luxury pick-up truck... 💯 #Facts
For the tailgate, use coated steel clothesline or dog runner cable and crimps, make it whatever length you’d like. You can also use it for branch lines if you ever need to protect the windshield.
Was going to make the same comment
Great idea I like to reuse the old coated leash cables too! If youve got everything on hand, although if you dont have the big crimper it’s expensive and prob much cheaper to buy a set with the hangers already on from a truck like he mentioned I think.
The only question I have with the tailgate lying flat is would it hit the ground when the bed is completely raised? Maybe they made the gate open like that so to protect the hydraulic bed from jamming into the ground and damaging it.
Should built full canopy cover for tray backsetup that be looking bad ass set up for camper trip
Are you sure the last part of the tailgate hinge doesn’t slide back to drop it down further like a pvc window hinge? The last section next to the tailgate looks over engineered just to be a anchor point.
Interesting stuff. A vehicle like this could work for a lot of folks who are currently driving a mid or full sized pickup. Even with all the upgrades, it is still a reasonable price.
Yes, they probably spent $2k or $3k maximum in improvements so the total cost was $10k or $11k. Considering a US made truck is $50k, as it is well designed from the start, there is a lot of room for improvement for this chinese minitruck, and it can do probably 90% of what is needed from big size trucks at a small fraction of the initial and maintainance cost.
It uses what is great about EV instead of putting EV for long salt-filled motorways.
EV is much more for mid-range with very clean roads or natural roads.
That truck looks perfect for the place. The new ebike looks like it went to a deserving fellow, as we all hope it helps him through this rough patch. Thanks, Micah, for the good work!
yeah because sun is always shining in Australia
@@kirdot2011 it's florida?
@@Daniel-pc2ov yep
Add a panel to the bonnet
@@micahsdad5388 @kirdot2011 Probably because of Micah's damn hat.
Something you might want to check and be aware of is that the tailgate probably doesn't open down all the way on purpose so that it doesn't hit the ground when using the tipper
I thought the same thing
Since I am a native chinese , so I have seen this kind of EV quite often. I really envy you have a dad really work (or have fun) with , and the beautiful farm you have. wonderful!
Thank you for your kind comments. Best regards
Just a word of advice: Fan cowls are not there to protect the fan, they are there to direct the airflow over the motor to assist in cooling. It is an EXTREMELY important part of motor cooling
back on. thx
Im really impressed with how well this truck has turned out, even considering getting one for my Mom to run around the farm. For your new rear sag issues when loaded, you may want to consider finding a bolt or weld-on bump-stop to have a stop where you want it just in case. The lining looks awesome, thanks for the update guys great project!
I was impressed by that little truck when you first got it. Bed liner is good idea, seems like you took the expensive route, but it looks fantastic. Painting the wheels was such a good idea. I’m still shocked it’s got functional A/C.
Go to the hardware store and get some steel cable and fasteners, fixed! Lol
Cool video like always
That's the thing with this little truck. it's simple enough that it can be fixed and upgraded by almost anyone with minimal mechanical knowledge and tooling. That makes it very durable and its maintainance cost is very low.
Great to see the interaction with our dad. A lifetime of memories.
I was just looking at a few of these again today. They've started offering some really cool ones. 4wd is now available. Different body options, bigger motors etc. They can be packaged over $17k.
Mica, that was such an entertaining video and your interaction with your dad put a grin on my face. Pure pleasure and good to see you taking full advantage of your free time spent with your Dad. Take every moment with him while you can. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hello, how are you doing😊
I'm so impressed with how you and your dad worked on this mini truck together from the very first video. How excited he was once the suspension was done. Very well done!
I can't believe its been a year and a half already! Glad to see that its still operating and in really great shape all things considered.
I really enjoyed the update. So glad you posted because I have always been concerned about ordering anything from Alibaba and to actually see this truck in action, I'm impressed. In the winter time here in north Georgia, crossing my farm is very difficult and this is a great alternative to a side by side that have gotten ridiculous in cost and honestly, this truck looks great. I would do the exact same upgrades. Lifted and tires and rubber stop points for the dump bed. Great video.
Jc
This is an interesting preview of a mini truck. I accidentally came across your video and I like what I saw.
I appreciate the fact you have been completely honest and am impressed with the modifications you made to suit your farm environment.
I have similar experience with different products from China but I save tons of money in the process.
I am sure if the maker of this saw what you did to improve their product, they made make the necessary changes to their future product and may even offers you a free improved version for a preview.
❤❤❤❤
Got mine last October after watching your first video on this truck. Thank you for leaving links for the tires and springs. Mine are on their way
I keep coming back just for updates on your electric mini truck. It's such a cool piece of equipment. Affordable, durable, useful. Great combo. Maybe American companies will catch on and shrink some of their machines to make them more usable!
Gosh. What I would give for a small truck! Like those old rangers!
Don't bank on it - labor cost alone will kill that kind of project. They will end up selling a mini truck like this for nearly $30k
We need more of Micah and his dad, great content, thanks you.
Many thanks !!
I love this truck and what the two of you have done with it... But... that is not what I liked the most about this video...
Seeing Dad and Son working and enjoying life's little pleasures together, - absolutely amazing to see. Getting your Dad the ratchet wrench set was awesome as well, and that is definitely what I need as well, and one of these days - I will hopefully be able to do just that. So here is to you and your Dad - Enjoying life's little pleasures for many years to come...
Our sincere thanks to you !!
@@micahsdad5388 You know what???... You just made my day Micah's Dad. Watching the two of you together is... well.... Priceless ;)...
I just watched this video twice to enjoy watching the chemistry between a dedicated father and a loving son. ❤️🇵🇰
thanks so much !!
4:40 the principal purpose of that protector is to redirect the air from the centrifugal fan to the fins around the motor to make it run cooler.
Try to put one to extend the life of the motor.
I'm impress with the mini truck, thanks for the update!
The fan shroud is back on and all is well. thanks
As a disabled person on ssi I’m so glad that you are helping people out. I had a wreck 3 years ago and totaled my car. I’ll never be able to afford another one and if I had e-bike it would make a huge difference! 👏👏🙏
Found your channel by chance, two vids later - you have a faithful subscriber. Love your and your dad's energy, all these electric give-a-chance and DIY projects are up my alley, and you strike the perfect balance between montaging-out the lengthy labour involved, without sacrificing any important details for someone who likes to adapt ideas for their own tinkering!
Wow! Sure wish I had seen this when it came out a month ago. Love the impressive condition of the truck. Works for you on the property.
My husband can no longer see to drive a car but this e-bike would be great for him to be able to get out of the house and ride to his sisters house a mile away, the store a mile away or simply enjoy riding it through the Tucson Mountain Park out our back gate of our neighborhood. Can I buy him one, yes. Will he allow me to buy him one…NO! Would he use it…yes he would. Especially if he won it.
Thanks for the fun videos. I saw your truck when you first got it. I just watched your little mini eCar from MingHong with the panda on the side. The racing stripes make it look fast!
Awsome. I need a truck like that here on my 40 acres. We have been on solar off grid since 1979. At 73 I'm probably even older than your dad, LOL! We are considering switching to lithium batteries in the next year or so, so your book might come in handy . Great video, keep it up!
.
I kinda like how this is the antithesis of modern pick-ups in North America.
That said, I wonder if the tailgate hanger support could be moved to allow the tailgate to fold flat.
...and now I see at 11:20 you talk about it :D
no reason to move it or whatnot. Just use some steel wire and crimp it to the length you need. Like a $5-$10 upgrade.
With European and Japanese cars it's common for them to put on multiple coats of primer so even if you scratch the paint and a layer of primer or two, they wont rust, American manufactories tend to just use one coat of primer to save a few pennies on each car
Such a wonderful and cute little truck. I can see you guys are working it to the bone lol. I can just imagine sitting in it with the AC on while its foggy and damp outside. It's a vibe
Thats been my thought all this time, it looks so god damn cute kinda like a toy for an adult
I loved this video. I had a 94 Toyota pickup that I bought in 2008 for $1700. I used it until 2022 and after 300,000 miles the head gasket went. I sold it for more than I bought it for. I loved that little truck which is why this little electric fascinated me. Great video
Ya used it once every other week or month. People here are looking for reliability not risk lol
I love that little truck! Looked just perfect pulling the boat.
So do we !! thanks
That suspension was probably the most important especially on the terrain on that property. Thanks for the video it's a lot of food for thought when thinking about how someone might be able to improve lifestyle with a electric vehicle in their life.
I hope that the company pays attention to your upgrades. they seem to do a really good job.
Loved this follow up video. The bit where your Dad does his review at the end was great. What a nice guy.
I love the updates!!!
The fact that you give to people who are in need is a blessing!
I am in need but I’m just happy for ya 👍
Thats way better than I expected it to perform rust-wise... Any idea how it would manage in the cold?
Probably great with the general understanding that ALL batteries have reduced cold weather performance. Ask the Tesla drivers !! Best regards
I'm one that is surprised to see the truck is still functional, and even more amazed that it's not covered in rust! Glad to see my first impression was wrong! 👍👍
It was a matter of some debate but the results are certainly in. Thanks for the comment. Another review in a year maybe?? I'm sure there are some other things we can do to it !! (I want a set of removable side rails made out of oak and painted old timey with the name of a business - do you think I need his permission or because it lives on my land I have the right to just do it?? LOL.). Best regards
Looking good!
Only recommendation would be to put the fan shroud back on the drive motor. Despite the short trip use on the ranch that TEFC (Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled) motor is getting very little to absolutely no cooling with the fan blowing air out like a tire slinging mud instead of being directed along the length of the motors cooling fins. Incremental heat damage is happening to some degree and you don't want to wait until enough damage accumulates to let the smoke out of the motor windings. Being a TEFC motor you won't see or smell the signs of hot spots/heat stress until its too late so why chance it for something as simple as the directional fan housing. Since we live in the Land of Tropical Heat and Humidity, most days that motor is already warm before you even turn it on. You really don't want it to fail while trying to pull the boat out of the pond or some other really inopportune time. How often do things fail when its really convenient? ;>
Best!
Shroud was replaced. Thx for your comment
@@micahsdad5388 Great! That should help ensure the longest useful life of the motor.
Just keep up with maintenance and be mindful of the bearings. Change them before they start to rattle to better ensure they don't spin on the shaft or in the housing. Sadly too many end up replacing costly motors instead of a $10/$20 set of bearings because they waited too long.
Many don't realize that regardless of who makes the tool, vehicle, etc bearings are pretty much standard commodities often stocked by your local bearing supplier and available over the counter with quality equal to or better than the originals.
Hope the weather is treating you well. Here we've been having effective temperatures hovering around 105 F the past few days with dangerous humidity levels.
Best!
@@neilfromclearwaterfl81 Thanks for your excellent recommendation on the bearings. Got some in my drill press motor that just starting talking to me!! No damage thank goodness.Gotta take it in to my local electric shop. Good old timey sort of place. Yeah - been VERY hot and humid here. But the winters are great, right?? !!
Very best regards
@@micahsdad5388 Gotta listen when they start to talk. I didn't hear them in time on my air compressor so it now needs a new armature which is not available since its an older direct drive oil bath compressor with the crankshaft built into the armature.
Looking at things escalating to 107 effective the next few days here. Winter is much better than the sub zero winters with the $600 to $1,500 monthly heating oil bills where I came from.
Get together with those Old Timey guys and whip that drill press back into shape while the widow of opportunity is open.
Kind regards
Really happy to see how the truck is holding up! Also, I enjoy seeing you and your dad working on things! My dad passed almost 6 years ago now, and it makes me remember the good times.
Wish I was rid of mine. Unfortunately I'm probably going first. Aggressive cancer.
@@rosiehawtreyWish you good health.祝你身体健康。
Very well presented and excellent video recording........what more it is a Father & son tag-team hard work to make this wonderful video for sharing........Well done my friends........Greeting from the Far East ......
Many thanks for your kind comments. Best regards
I want this truck so badly
Its not the price
Even if it costs way more
Its just so adorable
I wouldn't mind having a truck like that on my farm when I retire. I think it would be fun to upgrade like you did. Your DIY Solar book sounds interesting I wouldn't mind winning that. I'll have to check the books out.
Glad your truck is working out. It's hard to imagine they didn't put a more functional suspension on the truck.
Thanks for reaching out to those in need of an e-bike. Hopefully the most worthy wins.
I don't find it so hard to imagine that almost every design decision on this truck was probably based on cost. If the manufacturer somehow got a deal on the stiffer but cheaper springs, naturally they would go for that.
My mini truck arrives here TOMORROW! 8:30am! Then will come the unboxing.
Big setback, the 72v lithium battery won’t be here for 3-4 weeks. I plan to wire up golf cart batteries to test it out.
Make SURE you use at LEAST 60 volts.
I love watching these vintage classic electric car restoration channels. This brings back memories for people, when life was simpler.😊
Vintage? This truck is 1.5years old... thats pretty new and not even close to a oldtimer
Y U NO MAKE SENSE! 🤯
Well, haters probably don't have the relationship with their children that you have with yours. I know what a blessing it is to have a loving relationship with children. I enjoyed this video very much.
Many thanks. Micah and I have a great time together working on all of these bizarre but cool projects
❤ love to see a bonded father & son always explore and live their lives positively, great project and amazing family. I wish the manufacturer could access this channel and improve upon their customers reviews.
Bigger Battery, More output from a better more powerful controller 200-500 amps, and a BIGGER more powerful motor(D+D), and it would be an AWESOME RIG!! I have a lifted EZGO golf cart with all kinds of trick aftermarket upgrades. Many would work on this mini truck.
It's fun seeing all the mods and upgrades you've done to your mini-truck. I hope it's not going be 18 months before we see all the mods on your little e-boat!
It's good to see how well the mini-truck is holding up and as I've said before, that thing is perfect for your parent's property.
Also, congrats to Jorge!
such a cute truck! i like how practical this truck is
This was such a fun video by normal fun-loving people who live close to nature. Sending lots of good vibes to you folks. 👍😎☀️
For the tailgate you can use vinyl coated galvanized cable from a home improvement store. Very inexpensive and should hold up for a long time.
It's great to see the mini truck has exceeded your expectations. Great modifications.
So glad that your truck is turning out to be a nice asset on the land there with your parents! So great job shining up the Alibaba truck. I think you should call the truck Kato after Inspector Clousau's house manager who always tried to attack him when he came home, but was a useful chap in the end!
Hello Gregsmith, how are you doing😊
Wow, you and your father are dear to my heart. I love how you honestly review what you have and help those in need. I think you and your father should visit the factory in China. I think both of you will be amazed by their hospitality NOT TO MENTION THEIR FOOD!!!! Personally you should offer them to open a US small operation, just like HONDA did with a person in San Francisco back in the early 60s. I know this because I worked inside the bicycle industry over thirty years and traveled to China since the early 90s till recently in 2019. Great Job... And I can say the folks at the factory would should love to meet you. Just ask them and watch what happens.. Sincerely Dan Sotelo, aka mr onZa
They could also get some marketing going and a real front badge to get the name out. Maybe bill it as a light tractor.
Chinese trucks come with stiff springs because rural Chinese users carry heavy loads stacked as high as possible. Say you grow sweet potatoes and stack then twice the height of the cab, how much does that weigh?
I'm so fascinated by this truck and its abilities. I have been on board with the electric vehicles movement for more than a decade. Well back in the day when it was thought Electric vehicles would never become a thing. Back when there were only youtubers doing DYI builds and were met with great criticism. Now the movement as grown so large, the populace has to infrastructure around it to meet it its demands.
Umm... The hitch is clamped to the axle. They hitch control leg is attached to the frame. The axle moves, in relation to the frame ! This means that the support leg has to bend/curve to follow the arc, and the clamps are likely to slip on the axle in so doing. You need flex in your joints. Adding rubber sheeting under the U-bolts with another U-bolt either side of the clamps to keep it from sliding to either side, then some rubber washers on the control bar, to allow the ends some 'give', ought to fix these issues. Great little truck though. Well done both of you.
Don't disagree with your observations but the threaded rod (control leg) is very small diameter and has give and flex in it by design. Doesn't totally address your issue but it is not a rigid connection in the sense of a welded square tube or similar member from axle to frame. Thanks for sharing - good eye.
Hope things get better for Jorge, and he enjoys his ebike and I hope it makes a difference.
I know its a difficult position to be in and it can take a long time to get back on your feet. Hang in there.
Do you get snow in Australia? Do you use road salt when it snows? It will be guaranteed to rust in Canada.
When you first brought the truck, it was reasonable for most people to assume it will break down, because that's the majority of our experience with stuff made in China.
But after your last mini truck update (I think it was the 6 months one?) it was pretty clear this truck was built pretty well considering the price. So whilst a lot of us retracted our doubts about the truck here and there. The minority few are most like sinophobic, they just simply refuse to believe anything that comes out of China can be good.
China can produce any level of quality, people are just more accustomed to the crappy mass produced products.
Even when it comes to counterfeit products, you will find things in the range of "even your blind grandmother would know it's a fake" all the way to "even the counterfeit brand's own experts will spend hours looking for evidence".
Human learn and improve things, nothing stay static, people should break their static mind to learn that things changes, for bad or good, so one needs to keep learning.
@@wyz9815 Thanks Wumao. It's still cheap garbage that isn't built to last.
@@DD-ld1xqJealous Indian?
@@wyz9815 O BOY why did the cave man invent the wheel ? because he was here first. 1st spark plug is 500,000 years old.
Today's technology is at least 8000 years old
Looks like the truck has done amazingly well, I look forward to seeing more updates over the next few years, as I feel it will be with you and your dad a while.
Hope so. Will do. thanks
Wow, amazing progress! I can't believe it's been 18 months already. However, I have a concern about the hitch. It looks like the threaded rod goes from the frame to the axle and I'm worried it might damage or cancelling out the suspension. 👏👏
yeah. we are monitoring that and may need to make changes. thx
I’d like to think they made the tailgate the way they did so the tailgate gate won’t hit the bumper when dumping. You can do a dual position mount when you switch to the cables when dumping set it to the mount that would let it have that slight tilt so it wouldn’t hit the bumper. Hope everything goes well awesome little truck good luck with it. 👍🏼🙏🏼
I think the tailgate doesn't open totally flat because since it's a very short bed the gate being a little higher helps to keep items like plywood sheets or wood planks from sliding right out the end of the gate. The Ford Maverick pickup has a tailgate that among it's adjustments is one a lot like this to help hold plywood and lumber in the bed.
Great addition to your Dad's work needs. The texture in the bed liner is probably due to using a roller to apply paint on metal, tiny air bubbles. A brush to tip (smooth) the paint after applying may have prevented this. I have similar problems when painting fiberglass boat decks in areas texture isn't wanted. Cheers to your family
I would love a more powerful powerplant on this thing and do an overhaul to make it finally street legal so you can haul around slightly larger and heavier cargo. Also, adding a second solar panel just increases its range quite a bit more.
The paint on the liner does make the truck look much newer than it was when it arrived to you.
I never realized how attached I've grown to this little truck. Now wishing for a big plot of land to drive it around on.
I think your dad might like a bed light for the truck bed. I know that it can get rather hot in the south in the summer. Having a bed light your dad can shift some tasks to after the sun goes down and it’s a little bit cooler. Same if he wants to get a jump on getting tasks done in the earlier hours of the morning before it gets so hot.
brilliant
4:50 the fan doesnt look like its doing anything, was the cover part of the fan?
Its been a long time i watch one of your video's.
I just wanna say inspiring People who need or want it .
And the give away , that made it for me ,really keep on the good track .
AKA from amsterdam .
Ps hope to see more content from you so we can still be inspared
Might be worth replacing the cowling around the motors fan helps redirect the air over the motors case fins or heat sink with the option to tow you'll be putting an extra load on that motor.
Great video, it’s a cool little truck and it’s clearly getting a lot of use, I can see you’re enjoying it. It seems like to get the best out of it it needed a mechanically minded guy to make much needed modifications. I think that truck is much better now than when you bought it. I especially love your solar panel. If this company ever decides to sell their trucks in the USA, I think they need to do all your improvements first.
There really need to be more options for trucks like this in the U.S. The closest option is the Ford Maverick. Especially in my case, using my 2019 Ranger as a farm truck can really suck at times.
Bless you for the giveaway. As a retired vet that can no longer walk very far (fractured back) due to sports injuries I know there are other people far worse off than me that could use this. Good on you man. Good on you.
Glad the useful, fun electric truck worked out for you guys. 🙂👍
I love the videos on this truck and that new boat you've got!
Thanks! They’re fun!
Upgrading the lights on the roofrack with an LED lightbar would probably make a huge difference for any evening/night work.
The lights are already pretty powerful. He showed them in a previous vid.
Its glad to see this mini truck still functioning well. Greeting from China.
Is the truck street legal? I love that ebike , A full suspension is as expensive as a regular scooter here in New York
Not street legal. Don't believe anyone if they say it is under LSV laws. It is not. But for us that doesn't matter as we use it on our private acreage and therefore we do not need registration, title or anything else. Like a tractor or lawn mower in that regard. Best
drive in the yard or country side , but don't on road, it's still basically a big toy
It’s been almost 1 yr, i still see your video pop back out on UA-cam suggestion. Love your Chanel .
My friend imported like 300 units of moto e-bike n scooters … great quality … hope u r Chanel’s keep growing.