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If you've got belts, you're going to want to use a tensioning system of sort, otherwise the friction of turning will pull them off the idlers (not fun).
Don't buy expensive "shocks" which are nothing but glorified springs, just find springs of a suitable strength. Leaf springs would be fine as well.
Cheap springs can be found on a junk yard - car seats, beds etc all have either coiled springs or at least steel frames that makes good leaf springs.I have made several craft knives out of the flat-steel frame from a bed - very good steel quality.
Why are your 'bot so heavy anyway?
I just don't want the shocks to go out on me in mid operation.
I'll check at my local surplus store to see what they have. Unfortunately the closest junkyard is 45 mins away :-
The batteries weigh 80 lbs and the steel frame weighs about 40 lbs. then there is about 15 lbs in other things (motors and other things like that)
Halving the battery size (if possible) will not halve the run time, but will make it faster and using aluminum or carbon fiber would help a lot too.
As I said, I am fairly new to this suspension idea. How would I attach the spring loaded wheel to the frame? Would I need some sort of slot to allow it to slide back and forth as the spring compresses and expands?
The easiest way is to mount the (idler) wheel on one end of an arm, with the other end of the arm mounted/hinged on the chassis and the spring pulling the arm away from the belt to tension it.A roller could be used to push inwards between two wheels on the belt, if that sounds easier.