Drift Due to Chain Tensioning

[lewislongbottom]

Lately, I attended a team meeting where we tested our off-season drivetrain. We noticed that there was significant drift when driving forward. We assumed that most of the drift was because of a manufacturing problem (the axel holes weren't very precise), this could mean that one side of the drivebase was touching the ground more than the other. And the impreciseness of the axel holes could also explain the different tensioning of the chains on either side of the drive base. I was curious if the different tensioning of the chains could cause significant drift when driving forward?

For the record the drivebase configuration is currently WCD TexasTube using 6wd 6" wheels (omni on the outside and traction in the middle) (the middle wheel diameter is 1/4" more than the omni wheels).

I do not talk on behalf of Team 3735.