The high cost of good RC truck kits, diminishing need for such kits & the noise of gearboxes made me look elsewhere for a robot platform. 3D printing a truck from scratch, with only a few metal parts still being off the shelf, was the next step. The only parts which have to be outsourced are the motors, steering servo, & steering knuckles. Everything else is 3D printed or home made electronicals. The size was based on the original Tamiya lunchbox.
The remote control is a single paw 3 channel, with 100mW radio, ball point pen springs, hall effect sensors.
The remote control is charged inductively.
Motors are direct drive Propdrive 4248's of any KV rewound with 20 turns of 26AWG. They don't produce enough torque to go up hills. The motor sensor is a dual hall effect sensor resolver.
The main problem is cooling the motors while getting more torque. Metal motor mounts of the right shape continue to be cost prohibitive & PLA doesn't dissipate heat.
Electronicals automate just enough to drive it with 1 paw, but not so much that it's never finished.
Traction & steering are 2 separate modules. Steering uses a brushless servo with stock lunchbox servo saver.
Motors are powered by L6234's mounted dead bug style to get the heat out.
Tires are printed out of TPU in varying shapes to adjust hardness & traction.
Rear tires have a flat wide shape for more forwards traction. Front tires have a round shape for more sideways traction.
The battery is completely enclosed.
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