how do I build a roller without using flex whee, cuz my teams kinda running short on them and traction wheel don’t work

This is a decent robot that uses no flex wheels at all: [image] MENTORBUILT - A Robot Made in 12 Total Hours For Your Enjoyment VEX Robot Showcase [IMG-9569] Hey Everyone! This is a reveal for my new bot, MENTORBUILT. Its my first year in VEXU (lets go WPI), and I was mis…

Some teams have found using omni wheels to be good for the rollers, since the free lateral movement allows for position correction while contacting the roller But you could always use those 2.75” tractions

Wrapping rubber bands around a wheel offers more grip.

When my team and I were prototyping and didn’t have flex wheels, we took the older 4" traction wheels with rubber bands around them, which worked decent. If you have access to the 2.75" like @Benn said though, I found that they work better.

You could also use a gear with adhesive foam wrapped around it.

Slice into a traction 2.75" wheel with very thin slices all around its perimeter, like 100+ little slices. This will make it more compliant and grippy, as it will now slide and flex like the pages of a paper back book when you bend it. This results in more contact area and a fresher, grippier versi…

We have found that using 1 axle, 2 12 tooth sprockets and rubber bands along with some shaft collars and building something like this (see picture) should work. However, I recommend building 2. [image]

What do the old traction wheels look like? I don’t know if we have them.

How well does this actually work? Wouldn’t the gears on the end get in the way of the rubber bands contacting the roller?

Roller without flex wheel

VEX V5 General Discussion General Forum

9MotorGang September 9, 2022, 1:59am 2

This is a decent robot that uses no flex wheels at all: