pic: LEGO Coaxial Swerve Module

[Nato]

Originally Posted by Jarren Harkema

I have worked a lot with LEGO technic construction, even tried my hand at this a couple of times. 24t gears between turntables was promising. You will be putting way to much stress on chains. The key for all of this is to support the gears as best as possible. Your module is nice and compact. The only recommendation I would have is replace the 3-long axel on that 12t with something to run the full length between the two 3x5 liftarms. This will keep the 12t from skipping with the 20t, attached to the wheel, as well as prevent the driving gear from falling off its axel.

Chain is definitely not impossible. If you are going to go the chain route I would probably put a reduction in the modules themselves in order to take stress of the chain. Personally I would just go with gears, and I would certainly run the center axle through the whole module, as others have suggested. Particularly with the 1/2 stud offset, you are going to be slipping gears extremely easily.

To the OP: Search for "synchro drive" in the website I linked and you'll find tons of examples by people who have done very similar things for years now.

And because you are going crab, as an extra challenge, make it drive and steer with one motor total (doesn't have to be at the same time). Yes, it is possible.