pic: GBX-114 swerve with PTO

[Mike Marandola]

Originally Posted by nathannfm

Assuming your contact patch is square an X with 45° wheels is the most effective (I know that a 1" wide, 4" dia wheel with Blue Nitrile is approximately square) because you are applying force along the longest line you can draw in that shape. If you measure your contact patch and find it is a rectangle you can calculate the most effective angle to put your wheels at when you make this maneuver. (Not sure how much difference that would make tho...)

Since the contact area and amount of force would be the same regardless of the wheel angle, there might not be any difference. This is not taking the tread pattern into consideration though. Which is why the X formation might be beneficial. I think the X pattern will both reduce the wheel's ability to rotate when pushed and utilize the effects of the tread "fingers".

Originally Posted by asid61

It would increase contact area

The contact area would remain the same.

Nathan, I know you said that 365 did testing on diagonal vs. normal tread. Did you guys happen to test the tread sliding sideways as well?