Watch this 77 pound robot tow a 9,000 pound trailer

[Cal Jeffrey]

A company called Trailer Valet has just released a series of remote-controlled robots that can tow up to 9,000 pounds. They call them the RVR3, RVR5, and RVR9. Although they don’t say what RVR stands for, the number apparently denotes its weight class.

The RVR3 sells for $2,100 and can bear up to 3,500 pounds. The RVR5 can move 5,000 pounds and retails for $3,400. The RVR9 is the brute of the bunch capable of towing 4.5 tons (9,000 lbs). That one will set you back $4,100.

The device moves on two independently controlled treads like a tank, so pivoting a trailer is a breeze. They are relatively small measuring only 22x18x12 inches but are also sturdy weighing between 45-77 pounds.

The RVR5 and RVR9 are available now from the Trailer Valet website. A release date has not been set for the RVR3, but pre-orders have started.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/73944-watch-77-pound-robot-tow-9000-pound-trailer.html

 

[Uncle Al]

I suppose if your skills are as bad as that YouTube video of the driver at Piggly Wiggly this could be a handy device, not to mention preventing ruining a trailer that is at lease 10x the cost of one ......

 

[yRaz]

Interesting idea but I'll believe it when I see it. I see a number of problems with it. First off, assuming it's using LiPo battery cells(they don't show a plug anywhere) it would need A LOT of juice to run for a long enough time to move the thing. I'm thinking this is an early April Fools joke.

so, second, you need a LOT of traction. I can't imagine the treads on those tracks to provide more surface area than one tire.

Third, while horse power isn't king of towing and torque is, I can't imagine the motor(s) that would fit in there can provide the torque to move such a thing. Maybe the planetry gears could provide the reduced to create the needed torque but, IDK. I've seen 10,000:1+ gear reductions in planetary gear set but that would make it move EXTREMELY slow.

Speaking of the gear set, the gears, specifically the teeth on them, don't see strong enough to withstand such forces. I'm not an engineer so I could very well be mistaken but I wouldn't trust it. Going back to the torque, I've seen things moved with relatively little force on flat surfaces, but they show it moving a trailer up a small ramp into a garage. My trucker friend says that the low gears on his rig are for "cracking" the trailer. This refers to the initial force required to get the trailer moving but once in motion it's relatively easy to keep moving.

 

[ChadU]

I was going to make something like this from a mobility chair I had (Pride Jet 3 Ultra). I did convert it tracks but it was because my dad ended up needed a mobility chair that could go through some snow in the winter. It probably wouldn't have worked well for moving trailers because the speed controller doesn't allow 100% torque and zero rpm. If I put a ball on the existing seat mount it probably would move a small trailer around.

 

[GeforcerFX]

Interesting idea but I'll believe it when I see it. I see a number of problems with it. First off, assuming it's using LiPo battery cells(they don't show a plug anywhere) it would need A LOT of juice to run for a long enough time to move the thing. I'm thinking this is an early April Fools joke.

so, second, you need a LOT of traction. I can't imagine the treads on those tracks to provide more surface area than one tire.

Third, while horse power isn't king of towing and torque is, I can't imagine the motor(s) that would fit in there can provide the torque to move such a thing. Maybe the planetry gears could provide the reduced to create the needed torque but, IDK. I've seen 10,000:1+ gear reductions in planetary gear set but that would make it move EXTREMELY slow.

Speaking of the gear set, the gears, specifically the teeth on them, don't see strong enough to withstand such forces. I'm not an engineer so I could very well be mistaken but I wouldn't trust it. Going back to the torque, I've seen things moved with relatively little force on flat surfaces, but they show it moving a trailer up a small ramp into a garage. My trucker friend says that the low gears on his rig are for "cracking" the trailer. This refers to the initial force required to get the trailer moving but once in motion it's relatively easy to keep moving.

22" long by 5-6" wide tracks would have a lot more ground contact than a single tire in most vehicles I have seen. I would say it prob has the same surface areas as 2 truck tires (like pickup not semi). Battery wise it could run off those 40v lipo's you get in lawn equipment, that should give it 10-15 min of run time. As you said though the hardest part is getting the trailer rolling and changing elevation. Once it's going the motors can just cruise, not as much power used.

If it pans out this seems like a nice option that allows you to maximize your trailer storage space with large trailers.

 

[yRaz]

22" long by 5-6" wide tracks would have a lot more ground contact than a single tire in most vehicles I have seen. I would say it prob has the same surface areas as 2 truck tires (like pickup not semi). Battery wise it could run off those 40v lipo's you get in lawn equipment, that should give it 10-15 min of run time. As you said though the hardest part is getting the trailer rolling and changing elevation. Once it's going the motors can just cruise, not as much power used.

If it pans out this seems like a nice option that allows you to maximize your trailer storage space with large trailers.

My problem with the treads is the tread itself. The shape of the tread cuts the surface area in half. And I know from towing on one of my old trucks, the tires squat and surface area increases.

And while I suppose it could be powered by something similar to electric lawn mower battery packs, I don't see how they could fit electric motors in it powerful enough to move it. Even with gear reduction they can't possibly fit more than 1 HP worth of electric motors.

I will remain skeptical

 

[wiyosaya]

Interesting idea but I'll believe it when I see it. I see a number of problems with it. First off, assuming it's using LiPo battery cells(they don't show a plug anywhere) it would need A LOT of juice to run for a long enough time to move the thing. I'm thinking this is an early April Fools joke.

so, second, you need a LOT of traction. I can't imagine the treads on those tracks to provide more surface area than one tire.

Third, while horse power isn't king of towing and torque is, I can't imagine the motor(s) that would fit in there can provide the torque to move such a thing. Maybe the planetry gears could provide the reduced to create the needed torque but, IDK. I've seen 10,000:1+ gear reductions in planetary gear set but that would make it move EXTREMELY slow.

Speaking of the gear set, the gears, specifically the teeth on them, don't see strong enough to withstand such forces. I'm not an engineer so I could very well be mistaken but I wouldn't trust it. Going back to the torque, I've seen things moved with relatively little force on flat surfaces, but they show it moving a trailer up a small ramp into a garage. My trucker friend says that the low gears on his rig are for "cracking" the trailer. This refers to the initial force required to get the trailer moving but once in motion it's relatively easy to keep moving.

I've seen the Bugatti's drive axle spiral bevel gear set, and it is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. If the engineers knew what they were doing, or if they had the gearset designed for them by a gear company, then small gearsets can handle a surprising amount of force.

This robot is not designed to move trailers at high speeds, and the fact that the trailers have wheels helps reduce the required force. For me, I will liken it to the vehicles that are used at airports to tow large airplanes around the tarmac. They can do that relatively easily, but they could not move the aircraft fast enough to get it in the air.

 

[ET3D]

Interesting idea but I'll believe it when I see it.

The company already has products like the Trailer Valet XL (video review) and that can be powered by hand or with an electric drill, so doesn't seem like a stretch of the imagination to have it work by remote.

 

[Milkyjoe]

Interesting idea but I'll believe it when I see it. I see a number of problems with it. First off, assuming it's using LiPo battery cells(they don't show a plug anywhere) it would need A LOT of juice to run for a long enough time to move the thing. I'm thinking this is an early April Fools joke.

so, second, you need a LOT of traction. I can't imagine the treads on those tracks to provide more surface area than one tire.

Third, while horse power isn't king of towing and torque is, I can't imagine the motor(s) that would fit in there can provide the torque to move such a thing. Maybe the planetry gears could provide the reduced to create the needed torque but, IDK. I've seen 10,000:1+ gear reductions in planetary gear set but that would make it move EXTREMELY slow.

Speaking of the gear set, the gears, specifically the teeth on them, don't see strong enough to withstand such forces. I'm not an engineer so I could very well be mistaken but I wouldn't trust it. Going back to the torque, I've seen things moved with relatively little force on flat surfaces, but they show it moving a trailer up a small ramp into a garage. My trucker friend says that the low gears on his rig are for "cracking" the trailer. This refers to the initial force required to get the trailer moving but once in motion it's relatively easy to keep moving.

Plus the caravan would have to be mostly front heavy otherwise any slight incline the caravan might tip back and lift up the devise and roll back

 

[theruck]

And where is the robot from the heading? I can see a RC toy only in the video

 

[Cal Jeffrey]

From the manufacturer:

The RVR comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can give you up to 30 minutes of runtime. Heavy-duty caterpillar treads allow the RVR to go over different terrains including asphalt, gravel, grass, and dirt. The RVR also comes with 2 or 4 planetary gear motors that can drive both single and dual axle trailers. Includes interchangeable 2 inch and 2-5/16 inch hitch balls. (marketing copy)

 

[rabbit2502]

Recreational Vehicle Robot=RVR. But I'd probably call it River3, 5, or 9.