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Task 1: Wheel assembly

Preparation

Assembly time

20 min per wheel / 80 min total

Tools needed

cross-head screwdriver
2.5mm hex key (metric)
3mm hex key (metric)
lithium grease
Loctite glue (anaerobic, low-strength)

Box of parts used to assemble Leo Rover wheels

Opened box containing parts used to assemble Leo Rover wheels

Step 1: Motor assembly

Prepare:

1x DC motor with wheel cap and cable
1x wheel tube with bearings
4x 2.5x9.5 self tapping cross-head screws
cross-head Phillips screwdriver

Parts used to assemble motor of the Leo Rover, laying on the table

Hands holding motor tube and DC motor — Insert the motor to the motor tube.

Motor tube with inserted motor, screwdriver tightening the screw — Secure the motor using 4x 2.9x9.5 screws.

Rear side of the motor tube with opened wheel cap — Push the motor cap to the tube to close the assembly.

Rear side of the motor tube with closed wheel cap

Wheel cap without inserted rubber seals — Press the cable rubbers into their housings.

Wheel cap with inserted rubber seals

Step 2: Wheel mounts

Prepare:

step 1 assembly
1x lower wheel mounting
1x upper wheel mounting
4x m4x12 hex screw
3mm hex-head key

Required parts used to assemble wheels mounts

step 1 assembly with both mountings — Place the upper wheel mounting and the lower wheel mounting on the wheel tube (according to the photo).

Screwing together both mountings on motor tube — Assemble the wheel mountings together using 4x m4x12 hex screws. Tighten the connection just enough so that the mountings don't slide or rotate on the tube.

Rear view of assembled component, cable going in direction of upper mounting — Make sure the wheel mountings pair is aligned with the wheel cap as in the photo.

Step 3: Shaft seal

Prepare:

step 2 assembly
1x rubber radial shaft seal
lithium grease

Parts used to assembly shaft seal

Inserting seal into front of motor tube — Press the shaft seal in the corresponding housing in the wheel tub. The seal needs to be pressed on the motor shaft side, with a groove facing outwards.

Inserting seal with use of hands

Motor tube with properly inserted shaft seal — The seal needs to be evenly housed in the tube.

Applying lithium grease between motor housing and shaft seal

Applied grease on motor housing — Press a decent amount of lithium grease between the shaft seal and the motor housing.

Step 4: Shaft adapter

Prepare:

1x shaft adapter(stainless steel)
1x m4x10 torque screw
2mm hex key
Loctite glue

Loctite, shaft adapter, torque screw and imbus screwdriver laying on the table

Applying loctite on torque screw — Press a drop of Loctite glue on the torque screw thread.

Inserting torque screw into shaft adapter — Insert the torque screw to the shaft adapter radial hole. Don't tighten it yet.

Putting shaft adapter on motor shaft — Attach the adapter to the motor shaft. Make sure the radial hole is in the normal axis of the motor shaft plain side.

Correctly positioned shaft adapter — Press the adapter until there's only 0.5-1mm clearance between the adapter and the wheel tube. Some force may be needed, depending on how much grease needs to be pushed out to make space for the shaft.

Correctly positioned shaft adapter — Tighten rhe radial torque screw.

Step 5: Wheel rim

Prepare:

step 4 assembly
1x wheel rim (3D-printed)
1x torque plate (3D-printed)
5x m4x8 round head screw
2mm hex-head key

Parts needed to assemble wheel rim

Putting wheel rim on step 4 assembly — Push the wheel rim on the assembly bearings, some force may be needed.

Pressing wheel rim on top of bearings

Correctly positioned wheel rim — Push until the front bearing touches the wheel rim internal step and the rear bearing ends plain with the wheel rim surface.

Correctly positioned wheel rim, rear side of the wheel rim touching bearing

Assembly and torque plate held in hands — Assemble the torque plate so the plate 'teeth' match the rim openings.

Torque plate mounted on the wheel rim, holes aligned with shaft adapter — Align the torque plate holes with the shaft adapter threaded holes and screw them together using 5x m4x8 screws.

Assembled wheel rim

Step 6: Tire

Prepare:

step 5 assembly
1 x tire

Step 5 assembly and tire laying on the table — There will be 2x step 5 assemblies with a shorter cable and 2x step 5 assemblies with a longer cable. Assemble the tires to end up with 1x short cable assembly with the tire thread facing left, 1x short cable assembly with the tire thread facing right, 1x long cable assembly with the tire thread facing left and 1x long cable assembly with the tire thread facing right.

Assembling tire on the wheel rim — Each tire needs to fit on the wheel rim grooves, some force is needed to push and align them properly. Make sure the front and read lip of the tire are in the corresponding grooves.

Assembling tire on the wheel rim — Each tire needs to fit on the wheel rim grooves, some force is needed to push and align them properly. Make sure the front and read lip of the tire are in the corresponding grooves.

Tire assembled on the wheel rim

Overview of assembled wheel module

Good job! Now 3 more to go.

Screw used to mount wheel module with rocker — After the assembly step you'll end up with 2x m5x10 hex screws that will be used later to mount the wheel to the suspension. Store them in the plastic tray.