CHAPTER 19 ■ WHEELSMy Choice of Wheels for Sandwich
Based on the previous paragraphs, the wheel diameter is the most significant factor for this robot.
I performed numerous experiments with different diameter wheels to see at what point Sandwich veered off
a reasonable track. A wheel of approximately 4.5 cm seemed to provide the best combination of speed and agility.
Sandwich rides on a pair of “49.6 × 28 VR” LEGO wheels (see Figure 19-12). They are about 5 cm in
diameter. Although they are wider than desired, the semi-pneumatic flat wheels provide excellent traction.
Figure 19-12. LEGO wheels selected for Sandwich. 49.6 × 28 VR: rim #6595 and tire #6594
Table 19-1. Some Kits That Contained 49.6 × 28 VR LEGO Wheels
Part Number Description
2556 Shell Promotional Set / F1 Ferrari
3804 Robotics Invention System 2.0
3808 Shadowstrike S70
8286 3 In 1 Car / Amphipower
8440 Formula Flash / Formula Indy Racer
8445 Indy Storm
8456 Fiber Optic Multi Set / Multi Racer Set
8471 Nitro Burner
8472 Street ‘n’ Mud Racer
8473 Nitro Race Team
8479 Barcode Multi-Set
8482 CyberMaster
8483 CyberMaster
At the time of this writing, new “49.6 × 28 VR” LEGO wheels don’t seem to be available as separate items
from LEGO, and the kits are all discontinued. See Table 19-1 for a list of known kits that contained these wheels.
(continued)