Drive Train Design - Weight & Belts

[Deke]

Originally Posted by dellagd

1) What is a good goal for total weight of the drive train? This would include all frame, wheel, axle, gearing, and motors.

This gets tricky when you combine all of the frame, wheels & axles, gearboxes and motors. Depending on the type of design you go with, each of those can impact the weight in a large way. Some wheels are around 1 pound while others can be .25 pounds. Then you get into gearboxes which can be single or double reduction, single speed/two speed/three speed, 2 cim, 4 cim, 4cim/2min cim, 6 cim, 4cim/4mini cim. Motors weigh a lot (2.8 pounds for one cim), and the amount of motors you put in a drive can change the weight totals quickly.

Generally speaking, drive trains range from 25-40 pounds depending on a team's design.

I would be careful about weight goals with a drive train. When weight becomes a primary factor in drive design, it can lead to other short comings. Of course weight needs to be considered, but it should be low on the list.