What gear ratios are best for optimum torque transfer with a given motor?

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    Gear Ratios
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around determining the optimal gear ratios for torque transfer in a competition involving two cars pulling against each other. Participants explore the relationship between motor specifications, gear ratios, and the torque required to overcome friction and pull another vehicle.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks a formula or procedure to find the best gear ratios for torque transfer based on the motor's specifications.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of torque requirements, questioning how much torque the opposing team will generate and suggesting that having more torque than the opponent is crucial.
  • Concerns are raised about the torque needed to overcome breakaway friction, with a note that any excess torque beyond that point may not be beneficial.
  • A participant suggests that in tugging competitions, a lower gear ratio may be advantageous, while also highlighting the need to consider vehicle weight and traction loss during testing.
  • It is mentioned that consulting with four-wheel-drive specialists could provide valuable insights for optimizing performance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the best approach to gear ratios and torque transfer, indicating that multiple competing perspectives exist without a consensus on a single optimal solution.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of considering breakaway friction and the weight of the vehicles, but specific calculations or assumptions regarding these factors remain unresolved.

ss7
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Hey guys, I am trying to determine which gear ratio is best to use for my project. We have 2 cars attached by rope, and whichever pulls the other one on its side, that car wins.

We are given a motor with the following specs:

rpm@torque=3500
rpm stall torque=0.61Nm

So I was wondering if there is a procedure/formula to determine the best gear ratios for optimum torque transfer to the shaft/wheel, considering the given motor specs?
 
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Any help guys? or at least links to info? That would be greatly appreciated!
 
ss7 said:
So I was wondering if there is a procedure/formula to determine the best gear ratios for optimum torque transfer to the shaft/wheel, considering the given motor specs?

its not a point of optimum torque transfer, but torque requirement. how much do you think your opponent is going to get? Is other team given the same motor?
Your motor should have more torque than the opponent's(assuming same car size), to pull the other car.
 
How much torque is required to overcome breakaway friction? Any torque over that value will be wasted. (In other words, once you start spinning your wheels, more torque won't do you any good.)
 
skeptic2 said:
How much torque is required to overcome breakaway friction? Any torque over that value will be wasted. (In other words, once you start spinning your wheels, more torque won't do you any good.)
yea that too! i missed that point:approve:
 
If you are having a tugging competition generally the lowest ratio will win, experimenting with the weight of the vehicle to make sure you don`t loss traction to optimise the torque output. keep in mind the fact you will be pulling another vehicles weight, take that into account when you do tests for traction loss.
The best people to talk to would be 4 wheel drive specialists
 
Last edited:

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