LEGO Tank Steering Mechanism - Double Differential

Double differential steering,
Adder/subtractor

[dluders]

I love all of your Lego Technic tanks, and am looking forward to your upcoming large-scale design!

[DarthMeatloaf]

So I'm guessing that this was a combination of a) creativity and b) the fact that it's not easy to have two perfectly synchronized tracks when running independent track motors?

[AnkhMorpork]

I build it and it works. But one wheel have slov reaction. i like this idea :D

[aarondtorrence]

very innovative in my opinion i want to build a r/c too this is inspirational seeing how you did this with just legos

[irushiro]

I did build something similar, thanks to this idea.
but unfortunately, both motors work a little against each other.
its nice for smaller models.

[dinogoldie]

Are there instructions (or even a simple diagram) for the double differential tank steering mechanism in lego? As I understand it, the axle/s going through the diffs are for propulsion and the axle on the outside of the diffs steers? (is that right?). Is the steering axle a single fixed axle with gears on each end or is there more to it?

[certaindeed]

double differential design...back to back...same as M1 in real life.

[viperbite]

I want to make this because i have one Xl motor and a ton of m motors so i can use my Xl motor to drive it

[Metal-Possum]

It's clever, but I don't see what it offers compared to a simple 2 engine drive system.

[thenoze]

I'm making a lego tank that you control with a game controller and I want to move it with one stick. I can't be bothered with the gears so I want to write code that emulates this. If X and Y are the stick and A and B are the motors, would A = Y+X and B = Y-X work? Other ways?

[alecschaefer]

Hey man we are doing differential steering in my college piwertrains class now, could you email me instructions on how to make this unit?

[yuvallegomotorized]

Hi mate, check my clip with the sumator. Its much better mechanism then the subtractor. I have subtractor version too with buggy motors

[zafranorbian]

How well does your Steering mechanism work with heavy weight vehicles? I once read that the small lego geats get verry likely to break if the vehicle weighs 3kg or more.

[bartbakker]

Nice steering mechanism, but unfortunatly i can't mount it in my rc lego tank, tried to use something like that but some gears etc. broke and bend(only 4 gears, 4 axels and 1 connector died..). I think the main problem is that my rc lego tank 'prototype X' weights 6kg and 60cm long with 4 tracks powered by 4 xl engines...

[gregors]

Did you have to drill out one of the gears? Looks like the dark grey gear that activates the steering differential spins independently of the axle it is threaded on. I'm no Lego expert, but based on my son's lego, I've never seen a gear that does that. Is there one or did you have to get creative with a drill?! :)

[bullwonONxbox]

I would want you old tank SO Badly! But I know you would sell and if you did it would be like 500 dollars, which I don't have. Nice motors though. I love your work.

[cuzmchrs-woodworkersden]

This looks good and all, but i would need an estimstion of how much weight this susoension can carry arround. For my project i need a compact final drive steering mechanism that has to be abled to carry round about 3 liters of water( i used water weight). Can this thing handle that weight???

[monkeymaster]

you could make smooth steering anyways just use the speed controler and a bit of practice and then you can drive and turn smoothly without fancy gearing ;) cool system tho

[TheCrusader]

Iv been looking for a video like this for a while, i realy like just trying to figure out how to make lego models work from my own mind but i couldnt figure out how to do tank drive, well done and thanks.

[oxi]

If you go forward and steer it, one track will stop and second track will go forward so that is other way to steer it.
I dont know if it work on your system because i tested it on my own