pic: DeWalt Gearbox with two CIMs

[MAteo9944]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

Now there are other things to consider like gearbox inefficiencies and other losses but for all intensive purposes you can pass the water around all day but in the end you are still left with the same amount of water.

Another thing that you hinted at was that if you have 4 transmissions, if some of your wheels lose grip or leave the ground then you suddenly have less torque available. (If your wheels are leaving the ground during a pushing match you have other problems.)

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by MAteo9944

Another thing that you hinted at was that if you have 4 transmissions, if some of your wheels lose grip or leave the ground then you suddenly have less torque available. (If your wheels are leaving the ground during a pushing match you have other problems.)

True but I was thinking more like climbing a ramp, once your weight leaves the front wheels the weight transfers to your back wheels. If you are running a gearbox with all wheels connected your effective force is the same because your normal force and traction is constant. If you run 1 motor to each wheel (not connected) then your effective force is much less due to the loss of normal force over your front wheels. depending on the situation it could be as much as half the total power of the system.