Chassis question

I currently have both a Rogue ATR and Rogue Blue, and neither of them is quite suitable in their current form, so I am looking for some suggestions as to suitable replacement chassis.

The chassis will just be a sensor platform, and it needs to be somewhat high (about a foot or so) so that the SRF08 sensors are sufficiently up off the floor. I started with the Blue, which is a round, two wheel chassis, but it rides VERY low, and couldn’t cross the transition from carpet to floor without high-centering or something else. I got the ATR because it was a tread system, and would easily cross the boundaries. Unfortunately, it is an aggressive tread system, and with the weight of the system above it, it has VERY good traction. Too good, in fact, as it can’t do ANY skid turning without throwing a track. I have yet to make one, safe, 180 degree turn.

Therefore, I am looking for something, either tracked, or wheeled, which will be able to use the same power supply as the Rogue (I think it is about a 9V NiCad power supply) (so that I don’t have to re-configure the charging system), will have enough traction/muscle to cross a carpet threshold (many 2WD seem to be low riders, which hang up on such a boundary), and yet will be reliable enough that it can actually turn without coming apart.

Alternatively, I have thought of a few modifications of the ATR, such as smoother treads (slicks).

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

I’d go with this, even if it means you need to switch to a 6-cell battery pack:

lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx? … goryID=103

Or you can build your own vehicle with these tracks:

lynxmotion.com/Category.aspx?CategoryID=94

Here is an example by cwkoelher, which I think is excellent:

lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?t=2065
putfile.com/pic.php?img=5063718

If you are throwing the treads they are probably too loose. You probably could make stronger tracks by using the linxmotion tracks and use the track sprockets for the drive and for the idler/bogie wheels. The cogs on the sprockets will prevent the tracks from easily sliding sideways from under the sprockets. Large tracked equipment have idler wheels that prevent the tracks from moving sideways under them.

Those treads look really nice. I can probably fit them on the existing chassis with only minor modifications (like new sprokets).