January 2009

Sometimes I get carried away in the technical aspects of building a project without stopping to think, “Will this actually work?” This 6-wheel rover is a prime example of not thinking through the final design, but still using good building technique. So it is a lesson learned!

The idea was to build a skid-steer rover with 6 independently sprung drive wheels. To turn the rover would skid certain wheels, much as the common Bobcat loaders do on construction sites. Unfortunately the wheel-base of my rover is too wide, and the tire thread grip to great to allow any slippage. Instead the wheels simply popped right off the chassis when I tried to turn!

But why am I putting up this “failed” design? Because I felt that I really got an insight into “building like a LEGO designer” using construction techniques that you would find in the latest Technic sets.

So for your enjoyment and education, I present the non-functional 6-wheeled rover!