


The Tamiya 70097 twin-motor gearbox is a small (3-inch long) plastic gearbox. It contains two small DC motors that drive separate 3mm hexagonal output shafts. There are two ways to put the kit together: with a high-speed 58:1 gear ratio or with a slower 203:1 gear ratio. Either way, the motors provide plenty of power to drive any small robot. For a gearbox with a similar form factor and more gear ratio options, see the Tamiya #70168 double gearbox.
The output shafts are 3 mm hexagonal axles that are 10 cm (about four inches) from tip to tip. The axles work with any of the Tamiya wheels we carry, giving you many options for your robot speed. The two low-voltage motors run on 3-6 volts and draw up to a few amps, making them perfect candidates for the Pololu low-voltage dual serial motor controller. The Pololu Orangutan LV-168 robot controller, which incorporates these low-voltage motor drivers, would be a great control center for a robot using these motors. Motor overheating can be caused by excessive stalling, even at very low voltages. We recommend that you use stall-detection sensors, or just watch your robot, to make sure that it doesn’t stall for more than a few seconds at a time.
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The twin-motor gearbox is very similar to the Tamiya 70168 double gearbox, as shown in the picture to the right. The gear ratio options of the two products complement each other well, but the mounting holes and overall dimensions vary slightly. The double gearbox is shorter and wider than the twin-motor gearbox, and the gears are a bit smaller and wider. This should make the double gearbox a bit more robust, though we have not heard any reports of the twin-motor gearbox gears breaking.
For motor specs, see the Mabuchi motor FA-130 (#18100) data sheet (58k pdf). To compare all Tamiya gear box kits, see the Tamiya Gearbox Gear Ratio Comparison.
We have four different types of wheels from Tamiya’s educational construction series, each of which can be connected directly to the 3 mm hexagonal axles found in many of the Tamiya gearboxes. The sports tires and the narrow tires are the only wheels compatible with the 4 mm round shafts of the Tamiya “high efficiency” gearbox series. All of the wheels have plastic hubs and high-traction rubber tires; they differ mainly in size and springiness.
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Tamiya 70111 Sports Tire Set (2 tires)The Tamiya 70111 sports tire set contains two attractive racing-style wheels, each 56 mm in diameter and 25 mm wide. These wheels are compatible with all Tamiya gearbox kits. |
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Tamiya 70145 Narrow Tire Set (2 tires)Use the pair of tires in the Tamiya 70145 narrow tire set for small and medium-sized robots that must make precise movements. With a 58 mm diameter and solid, rounded, 16 mm treads, these wheels will let your robot turn with little friction, even on rough surfaces like carpet. These wheels are compatible with all Tamiya gearbox kits. |
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Tamiya 70096 Off-Road Tires (2 tires)The two extremely springy tires in the Tamiya 70096 off-road tires set are about 50 mm in diameter and 30 mm wide. Use these if you want your robot to have a soft, air-cushioned ride across rough terrain. (Compatible with the Tamiya gearbox numbers 70093, 70097, 70103, and 70110, 70167, and 70168). |
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Tamiya 70101 Truck Tire Set (4 tires)The Tamiya 70101 truck tire set contains four 36 mm-diameter wheels with hard, rubber, 16 mm-wide treads. Our small round robot chassis is designed to use a pair of these wheels, which are great for making small robots! (Compatible with the Tamiya gearbox numbers 70093, 70097, 70103, and 70110, 70167, and 70168). | ||
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