Drive train

Had this in the pipe line for a short while now- hoping for this to be next years uk champs entry depending how it progresses too :)

Been gathering parts gradually and almost have everything to have a go at building one sides drive unit.

I like the idea of building something different (and hopefully good :P) so it will be a tracked feather weight running off a pair of speed 900s thru a custom 2 stage gear box with an actual weapon and not a spinny one!

Since i started my new job back in november i stumbled across these timing belts with an outer rubber layer on.... which ive always thought 'god they'd make nice grippy tracks', so im giving it a go to see how they end up performing :)

These rubbered belts are used in the machines my work build and run almost 24/7 in most cases and never seem to snap/break but obviously do wear over time!

Few pics below of parts!.. the drive pullys arent the correct ones atm-just there to give an idea

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Damn, I'd seen those before but could never seem to track down; badum-tish, anyone that sold them... mainly as I couldn't seem to work out what they were called. Rubberised Timing belts and Seamless Rubber Timing belts got me close but I was never able to buy any.
Stating the obvious, but with the Speed 900's gone I wouldn't start building a new robot around them :P Aside from that, they should be brilliant!

Yeah they seem mega grippy too, those banebots wheels everyone uses feel alot softer. My work has different coloured ones yellow, red, black but the red seem to have the toughest rubber/tread.

and ive got 6 speed 900s lol! Including ts3s weapon motor so i shud be fine :)....... ive only ever snapped the output shaft on one but that was due to a welded on gear weakening it. These will all be grub screwed and everything securely mounted :)

Ahh, thats fine then, seems we have a Speed 900 hoarder ;)

If you wouldn't mind letting me know whet you get them, it will make building C4 and my new 4 Bar lifter much easier, rather than having to use double sided timing belts :-P

The world needs more tracked robots, good luck :)

I imagine you know this already but timing belts as tracks do need quite a bit of persuading to a) maintain enough contact with the ground to give decent traction and b) not to come off when you turn - the archived Hefty and Pain/Judge Mech websites are good starting points to look at when designing tracked robots in general (and if you do get hold of any of the yellow ones I may be interested in buying/trading them off you...)

Those belts the same as used on bagging machines? The rubber breaks off pretty easy...

Ye they are, and not from what ive seen + they feel tough

Started a gearbox yesterday, please with how its turned out. Going to get the shafts done next week and the main bulkhead i recon before i go about making 2 of everything incase it ends up being awful lol

speed 900 in the pic just to show how itll look :)

Got quite a few good ideas for this that i wana try out so fingers crossed!

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Starting to get things moving now, really want this to be my 2016 champs entry too :)

In the pics are the final alumec track tensioners with a sprung nylon block, on the underside will be a fixed nylon block for the robot to ride along.

The bulk head and gear box are just for show and are only standard Ali made for testing kind of purposes! Everything will be alumecAttachment 5602Attachment 5603Attachment 5604

pics below of the 1st alumec outer bulkhead!
Starting to see the robot come together now too which is cool :)

Few pics below with a new disturbance rim as I'm waiting to get my idler wheels for this made

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Havn't updated this in ages! Not far off being finished at long last - unfortunately this has been a project continously put to the side with other builds to get finished. Done alot since my last update on here so I'll just add pictures!
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Few more showing weapon gears etc too

I really like the tracks and some sweet engineering too! How far off finished do you reckon you are?

Thanks :) - it's all just little things now - mechanically it's driveable once I get round to wiring it up

Has this ever been finished? It looks amazing.