6 Wheel Tank Drive or Just Stait up Tank Tread?

[jcarm]

Alright my team is thinking about using either are original 6 wheel tank drive or we are thinking about using tank tread, so any any opinions, info, and possible places to get matterial or acually treads would be helpful.
Thanks

[DjMaddius]

We are having the same thoughts. Though, our decision would be 6 wheel tank drive or 4 wheel skid. (Same thing, only 4 wheels) 6 wheels would be easier to move around though going over the bump in the center leaves us in more danger of flipping. We have thought of ways around it though we have decided to go a route in which we can do either. A switch between 4 wheel and 6 wheel in 20 minutes or less.

[Peter Matteson]

Run a few searches and you find a lot of info on tank treads here on CD. Brecoflex was a popular manufacturer used by several teams a few years ago.

[BrendanB]

Really comes down to your design constraints and resources at hand. A few teams ran systems by outback a two years ago with much success.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/35293

[s.west2960]

Our team used a tank tread one year and we kept stripping off our drive chains, so we also had it set up to where we could take off the treads and quickly and easily put wheels onto it, also a good idea might be a halftrack which is two wheels in the front and short treads in the back, link related, its a halftrack

http://www.antiaircraft.org/aaimages/M16.jpg

[IndySam]

Tank treads can be cool but there are difficulties associated with them. I would recommend they not be attempted durring build season without previous experience. Save them for an off season project.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by IndySam

Tank treads can be cool but there are difficulties associated with them. I would recommend they not be attempted durring build season without previous experience. Save them for an off season project.

This x1000. Drive train experimentation should whenever possible be limited to the offseason, unless you're extremely confident you have the resources and know-how to pull it off.

Tank drives are notorious for an inability to turn due to insufficient torque. This can be overcome, but it's not trivial.

[mlantry]

i would say go for 6 wheel tank drive over tank tread because with the treads would be difficult to go fast and the treads could get stuck on the hump (if your going over it)

high school sophomore, second year mechanical

[Benjdragon]

If you are trying to get 3 robots on a bridge, the having 6 wheels might allow you to have two wheels hanging over the edge and be able to stay on the bridge. Being to turn sideways on the bridge would help also.

[Tazlikesrobots]

I'd recommend 6 wheels. Tank treads do not take side loads very well...

[SenorZ]

I'm pushing my kids towards wide-frame 4-wheel skid, probably 8" wheels with a little lift. Though about tank tread, but lack of experience is holding me back.

[techtiger1]

Stright tank tread =).

[come-at-me-bro]

The tank tread idea sounds interesting enough. When my team and I were brainstorming my robot idea involved a Tank tread.

[theprgramerdude]

Compromise. Do a half-track with turning front wheels.

[jcarm]

ok thanks for the responses, i did look around and saw some different designs. But if i could get like a list of pros and cons on the two based on experience and reaserch, i think we may be going with a wider robot this year so any types of drive train that would be good for that would be helpful.
Thanks again