Drill motors for go cart project
 

The STEM guys in my local school district are doing a project of making go-karts powered by drill motors.

There are a lot of you out there that have experience with drill motors. I'd like to collect some quality information links for them.

Short of bringing them here and saying "search on drill motors" any other resources they should be looking at?

They are building small 3' 6' carts to carry one driver on a fairly straight course.

Re: Drill motors for go cart project
 

I used the guts of a Harbor Freight drill on my combat robot, though swapped with a NeveRest motor of the same size (those were the rules). I'd treat them like any other small-can motor, keep air going on them and use the clutch to keep it from stalling.

Re: Drill motors for go cart project
 

While I haven't tried to drive a robot with a drill motor, here is a piece of general advice I have given to our band & musically talented members for several years in operating tools:
Listen to the [drill/saw/other tool] motor running free. When you use the tool, make sure it runs no lower than one octave below its "running free" pitch. If the pitch gets any lower than that, back off.

Re: Drill motors for go cart project
 

For those not musically inclined and wondering the technical meaning, an octave is a doubling or halving of frequency. So he's saying don't run it below 50% free speed.

Re: Drill motors for go cart project
 

drill motors for this application are touchy. You need to very firmly support the "outboard" end of the shaft or the planetary gearbox will strip. If I recall some prior misadventures you also have to lock the clutch by putting in some set screws. Or find older drills without clutches. These are harder to find and tend to be 7.2 volts. They are nice and frisky at 12v. But unless you are sold on drill motors may I suggest the humble Barby Jeep gearbox? Cheap. Durable. Can handle 24 volts for a while. So many around that a four wheel drive machine, which you will want, will be bargain basement.

You would be happier with the end result


T. Wolter