Tank 4x4 w. PF, ideas & comments

[jacobkristensen]

Hi fellow AFOL's

I has been working on a speciel and heavy duty tank.

Main spec.:

1. 4 x PF XL motors
   
2. 2(3?) x PF Rechargeable Battery Box
   
3. 2 - 6 x PF M Motor
   
4. Alot of wires
   
5. 2 x PF IR Receiver, but that going up 3 or four, later on.
   
6. 2 too 4 pneumatic cylinders
   

I will/has two treads/ belts of roughly 60+ pieces. Single right now, on sprocket wheels.

But my design builds on the principles set forth by http://sariel.pl/2010/10/leopard-2a4/ and "LEGO HAN Prinoth Leitwolf with Power Functions (2007)".

I am pretty hook on Sariel idea of torsion bar, and HAN's idea of double width tracks as to lower the footprint of it.

Its stated purpose is.:

• Move securely in snow
  
• Be able to push/plow snow, ahead of it
  
• PF LED light where fitting and as many as the design warrants
  
• Rip of core Unimog, hydro-electrial system
  
• PPTO at proberly both ends, not sure about a need for, PTO(should be a XL, for this scale )
  

Bonus/add functions, could be - and the NO-GO'es.:

• pneumatic suspension of the belts
  
• Digging arm from, excavor with PF XL motor improvement as seen on the web
  
• Winch capable of pulling it straigt up in the air! Probler gonna, a strong fishing/fiber wire, I dont't trust common sewing wire for a job like that,
  but I am concerned about, it breaking streng. As roll of that easlie can cost more 100dkk, from a well sortet hardware store.
  
• Styling - This is Technic, I don't say any thing more.
  
• Weather sealing of, PF elements, could be in the build up, or could be wet wrap or tissue paper.
  

Battery power will, be sacred and needs to be, put low to as help center of mass. Right now they are, in the

same plane as the four XL. They sit side by side, and has one pulling both ends of the belt, as for the PF RC channel layout that is simple,

all I cant understand why LEGO, won't let us draw power from more than one PF power source, it down right annoying.

On the line, as to why not the merge Mindstorms with, PF and keeps mindstorms sweet, sensor array(it very usefull for a skill robot, vechiel program, with is hard, whit NASA cool mars rover algorithms under wraps ) and make PF pneumatic switch.

• 1. ch goes to track C&C(command and control) can't be more simple
  
• 2. Could be pneumatic compressor and light, but then problem of needing to carry both remotes(8879 & 8885 witch I of course gots already )
  But I don't like that speed can varie and the is now simple RC on/off buttons
  
• 3. Proberly the snowplow as LEGO design on the 8110 got only two RC C&C cylinders, but that is subject to my ideas and money...
  
• Currently unaviable todo I only got two PF reviers, right now...
  

To that end I has preorder a new Unimog U400(from www.klodskassen.dk @ 1.079DKK), because of a LEGO approved snowplow/snowplaugh design and I am also considering a 8043-1 for spare parts extra PF M-motors.

But today I am turning, 26th yrs , but I am looking forth to here a but comments, and advise. And I can't say any thing for sure, but it is crawling quit slowly around right now. But if I am pleased I, will later on up pictures to flickr, and maybe do a LDD *.lxf model, if the thing turns out nice.

[jacobkristensen]

And don't me wrong, but in line with what I am condersidering good LEGO Technic design,

i.e. focus of the main/core features.

Means that the back, snow smoother and cranes is cut off for good!

For me the other ideas are complex enough right now,

anybody got expericens with 4 x 4 pf xl vs. 4 x 4 in subtracestor? Or advise, because as Han noted,

the xl are strong and they are already geared below 1:1 and could be going lower, if the IR rc delay could be kept to a minium.

But then we(or I), are faces serious jumping of gears with a way frequency ,

on the other hands, my merge of the undercarries could turn out, great if I can make it happen.

I got the following pneumatics gear, excluding the unimog.:

1. 2 x big old
   
2. 1 x small
   
3. Too many annoying swithecs & tubes
   
4. A air tank, that could help the compressor, if it can keep up.
   

What I needs, if anybody can point me to a compact three pneumatics, pf remote control setup, using pf m motors

That would be really helpful, as the first thing I am gonna do, when the unimog comes is build the base(truck) and snowplow and the do initial test fitting on current track, base.

And that is a bit, jumpy todo lack of wheels, with underway from bricklink, from uk. So I can't test, it stablity properbly befor I get those.

Edited July 9, 2011 by jacobkristensen

[DLuders]

Have you considered Sariel's Snow Groomer? It has many of the features (I think) you are describing:

Edited July 9, 2011 by DLuders

[dhc6twinotter]

Hey Jacob,

My latest project used three remote control pneumatic valves. It worked well, except for I did not have any return to center function. It did use clutch gears though, so the motors did not stall.

Sorry, I don't have any instructions, but I do have a picture:

I hope that helps. I look forward to seeing your project.

[jacobkristensen]

Have you considered Sariel's Snow Groomer? It has many of the features (I think) you are describing:

DLuders, Sariels snowgroomer got something going for it, but it violate sereval thing of my MOC(needs a better name), design objectives. First no 4x4 and there not enough power(all plans are to use a 2:1 or 3:1, down gearing).

First I don't like to rip stuff, better just to take great idea like his notion of the torsionbars, but more importantly, I would like at some either doing four belts,

i.e. like HAN because that spreads out the weight, and I belive that is better than to coat the tracks with, beam like Sariel did.

Or keep that, for the time of being, but it is need a rebuild to make it stronger.

On the snowplower, simply seeing picturs, I suspect that for simple and strong snow pushing lego's unimog design could be better, but that is gonna need a testing. Or some guy how is quickier that I in LDD, and do a studless plow like the 8110 one.

Hey Jacob,

My latest project used three remote control pneumatic valves. It worked well, except for I did not have any return to center function. It did use clutch gears though, so the motors did not stall.

Sorry, I don't have any instructions, but I do have a picture:

I hope that helps. I look forward to seeing your project.

I seems like good initail, design do have a link to more pics, the contraption, just for inspiration?

Because I renember seeing even smaller designs some where on the english lego web?

Your idea of clutch gears, is great, minium starting point when build that, but the pneumatic two or three valve system, is long down. As I see, as a better idea, to build the treads, and that is turing out to be major issue. After that come the snowplow and then comes fitting, and reconsidering of one end of the design....

Oh a little note thursday the thing was assemble, and I put on the on some pretty steep slopes of grass and moss. And it could crawl upwards, but it made a very control decend when order to, and just leaving it on could hold still

That is the basic torsion bar design right, wich need four sprocket wheel, on the center. Witch mean that right, now it got bad habit just sitting the base plates, as the belts/treads get push to much, and the torsion bar are, rotating so much that the axle twist, therefor it is put off the road. Until those arrives and I do a better test the current setup.

Also of note, is that on a wood, floor it is already capable of pushing a door(get it swung open, when just open a little

Edited July 9, 2011 by jacobkristensen

[dhc6twinotter]

I seems like good initail, design do have a link to more pics, the contraption, just for inspiration?

Because I renember seeing even smaller designs some where on the english lego web?

Sorry, I don't have any other pictures of the pneumatic valves. I have also seen smaller designs somewhere, but I don't think they had any clutch gears. If you would like, I can rebuild a single pneumatic valve and motor contraption for you.