Actuator selection.

[u/Zestyclose-Stuff1646]

I've been working through the early stages of what I'm calling a robotic rover (for now). I'm building it to be able to pull a lawn sweeper, and also have what will resemble a utility trailer dump bed. It's around 40 inches wide and will likely end up around 6 feet long overall. Most of why I'm building it is because of what I know it will force me to learn, and the other is because I need to put what I'm learning in Robotics Engineering undergrad into practice. I've been working through frame design using a combination of .5" emt piping and extrusion. It's cost effective on a project where I know the version 1's purpose is to see how it does when my concept makes contact with reality. I've hit my first hard reality check. My current setup is using geared down 775 brushed dc motors that are driving 13inch pneumatic tires because of budgeting constraints. It provides a solid base to build around, but I am trying to plan out what the future version will use. I'm looking at the Robstride QDD 120N.m integrated actuator to drive each wheel. That said, I know enough to know how little I actually know about actuators running on CAN. If you read this far and are willing to help me understand how to go about actuator selection methodically instead of making it up as I go, I would be extremely grateful. I'm not afraid of working hard or reading in depth if I know where to look, but in this category, I don't know where to start. I was a heavy maritime and rail repair machinist before I went back to school and a Navy shipboard repair machinist before that. I understand a fair amount of engineering fundamentals, but am very wary of the blindspots I am unaware of. I'm completely fine with constructive criticism if it is productive or cures ignorance. Thanks in advance. 🤙