Lawnmower Project - Drive Motor recommendations

Hi All,

First post here, such a great forum!

To get right to it, I am looking at building an RC lawn mower. At this stage the plan is to just start with a 4 or 6 wheeled frame. Each wheel will be driven directly by a motor. Basically its a big, hella strong rover! It needs to be at least 4x4 because I will be mowing on a slope (not up and down the slope, but along it so traction is vital).

After doing much research I have discovered many people use electric wheelchair motors for this type of thing. Looking at them, they look like worm gear motors, so my question is if this is the case, and because electric wheelchairs can be expensive (even ones for parts), couldent I just purchase a 12/24V worm drive motors for the same prupose? If so, can anyone make any recommendations based on experience on a motor that would be suitable for this purpose? So needs to be very high torqe, and fast enough to mow the lawn, but not too fast!

PS. The bot will be Arduino based. I plan to get the basics working first, so controlling via transmitter, and then add features as I go. Rome wasnt built in a day, nor will this! I will be using a driver for the motors similar to this: https://www.dimensionengineering.com/products/sabertooth2x25

 

Any advice very much welcomed.

A thought

http://makezine.com/2012/07/10/windshield-wiper-motor-mods/

Window wiper motors or wheel chair motors.

I have some window wiper motors. they have imense torque even at 6v. Wheelchair motors would do well too. You are right about electric wheel chair motors being expensive. I managed to get some wiper motors from my local car wreckers. I got 4 for 10 bucks each!