RC 3D-Printed Skid Steer

This is a fully 3D-printed, remote-controlled skid steer that uses off-the-shelf motors and electronics. It comes with multiple attachments, including a claw, a regular bucket, and a box plow, all of which can be automatically attached and detached from the skid steer. The vehicle supports both ISO and H-pattern controls, which can be switched between, providing flexible driving options.

The skid steer is ideal for picking up small items, such as sticks or even garbanzo beans.

It is controlled using a PS4 controller connected to an ESP32 over Bluepad32. While the project uses a PS4 controller, the program can be customized to support other controllers. The full list of supported remotes is available in the [Bluepad32 documentation](https://bluepad32.readthedocs.io/en/latest/).

All electronics, fasteners, and other components (excluding PS4 controllers and 3D-printed parts) cost approximately $90–$100. The build requires about 315 grams of PLA and 21 grams of TPU filament. The sample model was printed in black and yellow with optional red tail lights, but it can be customized in any color you prefer.

A soldering iron is required for assembly, along with 1.5 mm and 2 mm Allen keys. All parts needed for the build are listed in the parts list. If you need a soldering iron, the one used for this project is the Pinecil Smart Mini Portable Soldering Iron, which can be powered using a standard USB laptop power supply.

The custom PCB can be ordered from JLCPCB. Simply click the “Get Instant Quote” button, upload the Skid Steer PCB V2 Gerber file, select your shipping method, and place the order. The minimum order quantity is 5 boards.

For the drive gears, it is suggested to print at a higher infill and heat to (140–176 °F) for about 30–60 minutes after printing to make the PLA stronger and last longer.

Check out it in Action at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfHanY1p278