[cricketo]

Folks,

Got an abstract question for a potential future project. Given the wheel in the picture, what are the options to deliver the power to the wheel ? I was thinking something like a gear size of the rim can be attached to the hub, and then a motor would be mounted on that flat pivoting thing (it's a steering wheel), but the problem I am concerned about is how to protect the gears from debris. There may be enough room to fit some kind of shroud, but perhaps there are more exotic ways to deliver power in such configuration ?

That wheel is loaded with about 3000lb, so I am definitely not modifying the axle.

 

[remy_martian]

Attach a sprocket to the rim & chain drive it.

Hydraulic motor is also an option...there should be hydrostatic wheel hubs out there.

 

[floydr]

Some 4 wheel drive trim mowers use hydraulic motors at the corners. We had Jacobsen trim mowers at work.
I believe they had hub motors.
Later floyd

 

[cricketo]

Hub motors are great, but I've thrown that number over there - 3000lb. It will be a bit difficult to reengineer and fabricate the wheel hub for a motor and maintain the same weight capacity. I'd rather prefer a "sidecar" approach - that way the hub remains rated for whatever it's rated, and I only need to worry about syncing multiple motors. I need maybe 3-4HP (per wheel) at most, and ideally about 29:1 reduction.

 

[remy_martian]

Chain is a natural for that kind of ratio

 

[TeZla]

What about a gear drive into the inside of the hub? Use a large laser cut ring with a toothed edge, then have a small gear on the drive motor. that'll help keep the rpm's down because it doesn't look like you want to go too fast on that while giving a nice torque increase to deal with all the weight.

Minimal parts, easy enough to cover the whole thing with a shroud mounted to the axle face against the wheel and hub

 

[remy_martian]

Gear drives are not dirt tolerant

 

[electro wrks]

about 29:1 reduction

So, this is twenty nine : one reduction, right? 4-6:1 reduction is about the max for practical single chain drives. So, this would need to be done in 2-3 steps.

 

[remy_martian]

Not if the wheel speed is slow and you have a couple of idlers...

 

[cricketo]

ground speed for this thing shouldn't exceed 5mph, typically it's used at not more than 2-3mph