Heavyweight Drive System

[Ocracoke]

For a relatively simple system, I known 800W scooter motors with sprockets and chains to be used to good effect which is relatively affordable. Beyond that, you could go with big CIM motors, NPC or Ampflow motors with gearboxes on them or even go brushless though they can be quite fiddly. In theory, wheelchair motors also work but they tend to be underpowered for this level I feel. Speed controllers, in terms of brushed motors, usually go along the lines of VEX BBs, RobotEqs and the like though I've known Cytrons to be used as well with a bit of modification.

I do advocate reading the build diaries here, they are a wealth of information of what works and, perhaps more importantly, what doesn't.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that to get a system that works and works well (that includes the motors, the gearing and the speed controllers and the batteries), it can get quite expensive and if you've never built a fighting robot of any description before, it's worth starting in a lighter weight class like Featherweights or Beetleweights simply because they are far cheaper to build and maintain plus, in my experience, they are easier to learn the basics with.

For example, my Beetleweight I put together for about £75 I want to say (albeit with some components reused from other projects) but the axe motor and speed controller in my Middleweight easily cost will in excess of twice that alone. One of my Featherweight robots cost me ~£300, my first Middleweight was in the £700 region all told and that is before the cost of keeping them running.