[MOC] Mini Cooper with CVT

2GodBDGlory · January 11, 2021

Here is another MOC from last summer:

As some of you may recall, I was messing around with manually-controlled CVT designs last summer, and I showed my concept here:

After this, I decided to test it in a fairly large MOC. It was a struggle to decide what to build, since I wanted to build a real-life car that actually uses a CVT, but I also wanted it to be cool, and CVTs are considered to be a decidedly uncool transmission in the performance world. Eventually I settled on the original BMW-built MINI Cooper, which was offered with a CVT. My build was probably about 1:8 scale, but because the MINI is such a small car, the overall volume was similar to that of typical 1:10 cars.

Functions:

-Drive through the front wheels by two PF L-motors. Uses planetary reduction hubs.

-Steering with a PF Servo motor

-CVT transmission controlled by a PF M-motor

-Inboard rear disc brakes with a PF M-motor

-Front independent double-wishbone suspension, rear multilink suspension.

-Opening hood, doors, and hatch

-Folding rear seats

-Full interior

The model was certainly ugly, with poor proportions, but it was essentially built to test the transmission, not to be a work of art. The transmission was very difficult to fit in, but I finally found a design that worked. The shifting ended up being done by worm gears attached to the sliding tire, that, when driven, would mesh with fixed racks and slide along axles, pushing the tire along with them. I was also quite impressed with the performance! The car could cruise along smoothly at enjoyable speed, or shift into lower gears to off-road about as much as FWD, an open differential, and low ground clearance would let it go. Like in my original design, the gearbox could also shift into neutral or reverse by sliding the tire along the disc. (This won't make much sense unless you look at my older post)