I am looking for design ideas for a swerve drive wheel module. I don’t really want to buy the swerve kit from VEX labs. But I am looking for design ideas especially. Any help is appreciated.
right now im busy but i can tell u in about an hour how u can make a home made swerve drive like the kind rc cars use b/c it takes great detail to explain it
- u have to use those angle plates with some small wheels to make a wheel with mini chassis and make sure u put an extra angle on one side of each mini wheel thing
- then use a 1/2 inch screw with a internal lock screw and an external lock screw so it can move back and forth and put two on each one and use some broken bar pieces to hook the two wheels together with 2 bars so they with move together
- then you need to find a way to hook them to the bottom of the robot
- find way to use chain with these two bars to move wheels simultaneously or w8 until work gear kit comes out
- have fun building
hope this was a little help
Sofa
Here is one of my standard replies to this sort of question:
Did you even attempt to do a search before asking your question???
Just a quick five minutes on the VexLabs site turned up this info. No telling how much more is out there on the Chief Delphi site and other similar sites. If the URLs below don’t give you what you need; please do some research (i.e. searching) on your own before coming back with the hard questions. OK?
I am suggesting this for two reasons
- You will learn more this way.
- You won’t make yourself look like a newbie…
I hope the URLs and the advice are both helpful.
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=417&c=8
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=418&c=8
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=419&c=8
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=152&catid=searchresults&searchid=6671
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=153&catid=searchresults&searchid=6671
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=153&catid=searchresults&searchid=6671
[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-344912486358384631&q=vex+crab+drives
Blake](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-344912486358384631&q=vex+crab+drives)
Why does everyone make it the hard way?
- Just take 2 angle gussets, put a bearing at the top of them
- take a medium sized axel and put it straight down, make sure to lock it in place with the other bearings with the square holes.
- Get another axel and put it through the part of the gussets where you can slide stuff.
- Put 2 wheels on the outside of the gussets.
- take 2 25X1 bars (you can cut them to make it easier), mount them stacked onto the chassis while hanging them off the robot by about 4 holes.
- take a servo and mount that onto the end of the bars hanging off.
- slide the part with the wheels and angle gussets into the servo. when you lift up the robot, the part with the angle gussets will fall out, but they will hold in when it is on the ground with gravity.
I have this on a robot and it works great! If you want to make these wheels turn, it willr equire a cut axel and bar. take the bar with a stand off and mount that onto the top, side of the angle gusset. take the cut axel and slip it through te bottom of the cut bar and put the wheels onto the gussets as before. mount a motor onto the cut bar and it will also work fine. If you are going to use my design, PM me for som more detailed details. I have proven and used both of these designs, so I know they work. sorry for the long post too.
Give us pictures!
Blake, next time I will definitely dig deeper than I did to find the answers. Out of all those links though, the only one that stood out in my mind as far as how I would like to do it, was yours. Could you elaborate on the set up a little bit more, please? Especially the “wheel module” part. I know how I can get them to turn once I have a way to get the wheels in the right position.
Thanks!
Sofa,
I’ll try to get some words to you late tonight after my FVC Team 3040 meeting.
That robot is in the hands of the Battlefield Robocats FRC/FVC team (1885/3316/3317) right now. I’ll send one of the faculty there a link to your request. Perhaps they can post some close up pictures to clariy things.
Help us out by clarifying your question just a bit more. Are you asking how the wheel module is built? i.e. the mechanical design that securely attaches it to the frame, while also allowing it to rotate?
Blake
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=153&catid=searchresults&searchid=6671
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=153&catid=searchresults&searchid=6671
[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-344912486358384631&q=vex+crab+drives
Blake](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-344912486358384631&q=vex+crab+drives)
hey! i reconize those.
yeah thats my crab drive, the wheel modules are just bend 15x5 plate in a u shape then there are lock-plates trippled up on top and the motors on the side. it turns with a servo for each side (front/back) the servo is in the middle with chain linking to the wheel modules. the important thing to have is 2 bearings spaced out from eachother with standoffs, this will keep the modules from wobling while you drive.
I am mostly just curious about the mechanical design of the wheel module itself. How to attach it to the frame and such I already have an idea of in my head (but more ideas are fine too). How to rotate it would be cool to find out more about too.
Thanks again!
If you need some pictures of every step, just PM me and let me know.
The big pictures are these three that I uploaded a while ago:
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=417&c=8
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=418&c=8
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=419&c=8
If these close-ups don’t have enough detail to answer your questions let me know:
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=483&catid=newimages
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=484&catid=newimages
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=485&catid=newimages
[
The last close-up listed above is probably the one to use as your overall guide, and the others are just different views of the details.
Let me know if you run into trouble trying to clone the modules.
Blake
One thing I just noticed is that the thickness of the angle gussets’ metal (used to mount the motor on each wheel) is going to tilt each wheel axle just a bit. For symmetry you might want to put an angle gusset on each side of each wheel and get rid of that slight tilt.
Also, I think that the standoffs that attach to the wheel bearing blocks are probably longer than they have to be. When I built this I don’t think that I had any 1.5" stand-offs.PS: Sofaboy, you and I both owe the Robocat team(s) (1885/3316/3317 ) a favor for taking the time to make the close-ups for us. Pay it forward.](https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=486&catid=newimages)
Thank you so much! I am either gonna build the module like that, or build a custom bracket out of 7075 1/16in. aluminum sheet metal… Also, why do you “owe you me one”?