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Subject: 
Re: Has anybody successfully added an RCX to 7471 Mars Rover?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
Date: 
Thu, 22 Jan 2004 20:44:44 GMT
Viewed: 
433 times
  
Calum Tsang wrote:

Kelly McKiernan wrote:

Ever since I picked up the 7471 Mars Rover a few months ago, I
thought it screamed out for an RCX modification.

   Me too - the Pathfinder rover was what ended my dark ages, trying to
replicate the suspension. I did eventually make a non-steering rover body with
the unsprung suspension that carried an RCX (massive structure, since I only had
two motors and had to power three wheels from each via the unsprung suspension.
   To replicate the MER rovers, I've come to the conclusion that I really need
ten motors. Ugh. And, as you point out, the scale issues... having aquired a 4x4
Offroader, I'm considering a MER rover based on those (huge!) wheels, with the
gear motors tucked inside the wheel. Another possibility is wheels based on
turntables driven by gear motors, but I'm short a turntable.

My issue is how to motorize the wheels without making it look
stupid, ie having giant motor pods on the ends of the "suspension".
You can't do it with micromotors (not enough torque)...

   Have you actually tried it with six of them? Perhaps geared down? I know,
that's criminally slow, but the real things only move (at top speed!) 2
cm/sec... I've only got 2-3 gear motors, but I suspect it might work for a
lighter version. I know this is getting away from the simple "motorize the
LEGO-supplied model" ideal, however.

PS-this model is more and more in my mind a disappointment.

   I loved it (but I'm a space-nut), but the lack of the unsprung suspension was
a serious dissappointment to me. On the other hand, I loved the six-wheel (4
wheel?) steering and it was my first encounter with a vitually studless design.
Impressive amount of mechanism cramed into very little structure.

--
Brian Davis
(who will *not* be entering rtl15 with a marble-bot, but I *do* have a brand-new
(40-hour-old) baby girl to show for my lack of participation ;-).



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Has anybody successfully added an RCX to 7471 Mars Rover?
 
(...) Nik built a 6 wheel rocker bogie rover (unsteered and straight drive, not geared) with 6 micromotors. It works, sort of. But as soon as you get in a little trouble terrainwise, if a motor binds up, you're done for. Those motors bind easily and (...) (21 years ago, 22-Jan-04, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
  Re: Has anybody successfully added an RCX to 7471 Mars Rover?
 
(...) I've been thinking that maybe it could work (not optimally, but it'd move) by redesigning the two center non-swivelling wheels with a motor on each, slaved from the same RCX control. Properly geared down, it may have enough oomph to move the (...) (21 years ago, 22-Jan-04, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Has anybody successfully added an RCX to 7471 Mars Rover?
 
(...) I was wondering about this one myself while building it the night before. My issue is how to motorize the wheels without making it look stupid, ie having giant motor pods on the ends of the "suspension". You can't do it with micromotors (not (...) (21 years ago, 22-Jan-04, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)

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