Hi,
New to robot building and would like some information on different setups. In particular, tracks vs. wheels. I’d prefer treads( who doesn’t like tanks?! ) but wouldn’t want to take “cool” over functional performance. In mind is the JR GM tank kit vs. the Solarbotics wheels. From what I understand, the tread setup uses 2 motors whereas in the wheeled I could use 4. I didn’t see anything regarding the materials of the JR treads. What kind of traction would the 2 motor tread design provide vs. the 4 wheeled one?
Thanks for the help!
Hi HeavyArms,
Welcome to the RobotShop Forum. Countries also have problems deciding which is the best solution: wheels to tracks. The USA has chosen tracks while Great Britain has primarily chosen wheels. Tracks certainly look more agressive, but they do provide a lot more lateral resistance when turning on a soft surface. The Johnnyrobot tracks are plastic, and don’t provide much grip, which is why they are ideal for desktop use. You can also add a small pad to each link to increase traction. You can replace the idler cogs in the Johnny tracks with a drive sprocket to make it driven by two (or more) motors on each track. There are several wheels offered by Solarbotics, although most are thin and have a rubber band around them. Traction is quite good so long as there is sufficient weight on them. Both the Johnny tracks and Solarbotics wheels are intended to be used indoors. Unless you are entering a sumo competition, go with whichever you would be more “proud” to see on your robot.
Hope this helps,
