West coast drive (6wheel) question

[Bruceb]

Do most of you that use a 6 wheel chassis drive the center wheel directly off the gear box? If so, do you use the optional long shaft from AM? How do you attach the wheel and the 2 other drive sprockets? Can anyone detail this for me?
Thanks
Bruce

[Jon Jack]

Most West Coast Drives use custom gearboxes. If you are looking to use a toughbox, then you would probably need the extended shaft to directly drive the center wheel.

Here's a good example of how a typical West Coast Driver is set up...

[RyanS]

If you're planning to use the Super Shifter, AndyMark now sells a hex long wheel shaft.http://andymark.biz/am-0519.html It sticks out 3 inches longer than the standard shaft so you can attach hex broached sprockets (to drive chain to the outer wheels)and a hex broached wheel directly to the out put shaft. I've attached a picture of a west coast siderail. The material towards the outside of the wheels is bumper support. Hope this helps.

[Bruceb]

where do you get the hex broached sprockets and wheel? we are going to use the tough boxes unless we fall into some money. how do you make it work with them?
thanks
Bruce

[ajlapp]

Poke around the Andymark website. They have a comprehensive set of wheels, shafts, hubs and sprockets that work together.

You can visit our site as well. www.team221.com

We have an example of how to build a "West Coast" chassis using Andymark components as well as full cad files for this type of system.

Good luck.

[JB987]

Check with AndyMark for wheels/sprockets...

http://andymark.biz/pewh.html

[Borisdamole]

we make These... they are combo super shifter shaft, wheel, and we made our own dog for shifting.... They work really well, if you have 4th axis mill, or an indexer...

I have made these a few times, it can be a pain but its worth it!!!

[Bruceb]

Very nice work but we only have a 2 axis(CNC controled) mill. The third axix is manual.
Bruce

[AndyB]

Extended Key Shaft: http://andymark.biz/am-0211.html
Matching Hub: http://andymark.biz/am-0077.html

Extended Hex Shaft: http://andymark.biz/am-0396.html
Matching Hub: http://andymark.biz/am-0096.html

Use the hubs if you rather not manufacture your own wheel. AndyMark wheels all come with a bearing bore for a dead axle setup*. Attaching the hubs to these wheels will allow you to run a live axle setup**.

Check out their sprockets page as well. Assuming you're using #35 chain, your choices from AndyMark would be:
http://www.andymark.biz/am-0166.html
http://www.andymark.biz/am-0167.html

McMaster has a larger selection of keyed sprockets if the AM ones won't fit in your design.

* - Dead Axle Setup: Wheels spin on a non-spinning axle
** - Live Axle Setup: Wheels spin together with the axle

[,4lex S.]

Do most of you that use a 6 wheel chassis drive the center wheel directly off the gear box?

The west coast drive that has been described by everyone else is not the most common drive solution, at least where I am from. However it is a good option to consider if you have the machining capability.

Honestly though, a decent quality 6WD robot can be fabricated from AndyMark C-Base, and the toughboxes by direct chain run. My team last year built the Kitbot, despite not having to. I would recommend it if you want to save some time/money to focus on other aspects of your robot.