Help!!..wheels?

[=Martin=Taylor=]

Originally Posted by squirrel

We're looking at using 1/2" cantilevered dead axles again this year, and I notice that Colson wheels are available with a 1/2" bore bearing or bushing, although it's not the most common hole size for them. Instead of using a rotary table, maybe we could put a bearing into a sprocket, bolt it to the wheel with a 1/2" bolt, and use the holes in the sprocket as a template for drilling the holes in the wheel, bolt the sprocket to the wheel with the 3 or 6 small bolts, and then leave the bearing in the sprocket to keep the sprocket concentric with the axle on the robot.

There seem to be several different types of tread avaiable, do you have experience with some of the different ones, and recommendations?

You could buy those if you were so inclined (although they aren't cheap).

The proccess you described is exactly what we do, 3 bolts is all you will need.

You want ones with "Performa" tread, which is just about all of them. I don't think it matters what color they are.

[gorrilla]

Originally Posted by EricH

I never said the middle ones wear faster than the outside ones. Guess what else gets replaced at an average rate of once per event?

it would be a long list.........

[sdcantrell56]

We have used the colsons from robot marketplace before with great results and they seem to offer very good traction in FIRST. Does anyone have the cof of the colsons on carpet as compared to roughtop. Also how would they do on a slick plastic surface.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by gorrilla

it would be a long list.........

Not for 330... Batteries once a match, wheels once an event unless there's a really good reason to do it faster.

[sdcantrell56]

Ok so I have been thinking about the subject of wheel choice in relation to drivetrains I have been designing. All of my designs this offseason have used custom treaded wheels with roughtop. We have in the past used colsons with very very good results, and had a robot that no one could push using 6 2" wide colsons and AM shifters. Now the dilemma... We can buy colsons for about $6 and then machine hex keyed hubs for them for a total price per wheel of probably $7.50. The weight of the wheel plus hub would be right around 3/4lb. Now all of the custom wheels I have designed weigh slightly more than 1/2 lb with tread and would cost around $10 per wheel in material. The big dilemma comes from the need to change tread frequently with roughtop versus never having to with colsons. True roughtop does have higher traction than a colson wheel; however, how much of a difference is it really. Also colsons are designed to work on dirty surfaces and they might work better on a plastic surface (HDPE) as well. Given these factors what would a team choose?

Also I have been strongly considering a 8wd west-coast style design for the upcoming season. Going with Colsons would negate the benefit of quick wheel changes so the only noticeable benefits of a west-coast style drivetrain would be slightly improved lateral stability and possibly less weight. So question number 2. If we go with colsons, would there be any benefit in going with a west-coast drivetrain?

[gorrilla]

Originally Posted by EricH

Not for 330... Batteries once a match, wheels once an event unless there's a really good reason to do it faster.

we never replaced the tread on our IFI wheels

all the way through the, FL. regional, TNT,and the robot rodeo.



I think the game(maybe not the game but how you have to drive the robot in the game) also has to do with the wear pattern.

with Overdrive and turning left, we lost the right side tread twice as fast the the left.......