This rugged, 6-wheel-drive chassis from Dagu Electronics has independent suspension for each of its spiked 120mm-diameter wheels, allowing exceptional traction over uneven terrain, and its body is made from 2mm-thick anodized aluminum with a 10mm-pitch grid of 4mm holes, making it easy to mount electronics and accessories to the chassis. Assembly of the chassis is a simple three-step process that takes just minutes. This model is silver with chrome-colored hubs and has 75:1 steel gearboxes on the motors.

Overview

This rugged, 6-wheel-drive chassis from Dagu Electronics is designed to excel at traversing rough terrain and steep inclines, making it a great platform for any robot that needs to perform tasks in a complex outdoor environment. It features six powerful DC motors with brass brushes and 34:1 or 75:1 steel gearboxes that drive large (120mm diameter) spiked tires, and a unique “super-twist” suspension system acts to keep each wheel in contact with the ground for maximum traction, even when driving over uneven or bumpy surfaces. The suspension can be adjusted to suit different loads and conditions. The chassis is made from a 2mm-thick corrosion-resistant anodized aluminum plate, all of the nuts, bolts, and screws are stainless steel, and the brass fittings and suspension springs are nickel-plated.

When powered at 7.2 V, the version of the chassis with 34:1 gearboxes can reach a top speed of approximately 7 km/h (4.5 mph), and each motor has a stall torque of roughly 5 kg-cm (70 oz-in). At the same voltage, the version of the chassis with 75:1 gearboxes can reach a top speed of approximately 3 km/h (2 mph), and each motor has a stall torque of roughly 11 kg-cm (150 oz-in).

Specifications

• Size: 420 × 300 × 130 mm (16.5" × 12" × 5")
• Weight: 2.7 kg (6.0 lb)
• Ground clearance: 60 mm (2.5") when lightly loaded
• Maximum recommended payload: 5 kg (11 lb)
• Recommended motor voltage: 2 V to 7.5 V
• Stall current at 7.2 V: 6.6 A per motor
• No-load current at 7.2 V: 420 mA per motor
• No-load output shaft speed at 7.2 V:
  • 350 RPM for the version with 34:1 gearboxes
  • 160 RPM for the version with 75:1 gearboxes
• Stall torque at 7.2 V:
  • 5 kg-cm (70 oz-in) per motor for the version with 34:1 gearboxes
  • 11 kg-cm (160 oz-in) per motor for the version with 75:1 gearboxes

Using the Chassis

The chassis’ aluminum plate has 4mm holes spaced every 10mm, providing plenty of options when it comes to mounting your control electronics, sensors, and additional hardware, and with a maximum recommended payload of 5 kg (11 lb), this platform is capable of carrying a lot of cargo! Two compartments in the chassis have been designed to hold 7.2 V sub-C battery packs (not included) that are commonly used in RC cars. A total of four such battery packs can fit in these compartments. The interior of the chassis also features convenient screw terminals for connecting your battery and motor driver leads. The motor leads are pre-connected to these screw terminals.

General specifications