---
title: Driver (link up objects movement) (en)
description: "Blender tutorial: use a Driver to link wheel rotation to the body movement, so 4 wheels turn automatically."
url: "https://aaronchan.com/kb/driver-link-up-objects-movement/"
updated: "2026-09-15"
category: "3D-Blender (en)"
---

# Driver (link up objects movement) (en)

Blender tutorial: use a Driver to link wheel rotation to the body's movement, so 4 wheels turn automatically as the body moves.

## Overview

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_1-1.png)

**Flow:** [1] Create 4 wheels → [2] Create the body (cube) → [3] Add a driver to 1 wheel → [4] Copy the driver to the other 3 wheels → [5] Parent the wheels to the cube

**Remarks:** Equivalent to an 'expression' in After Effects.

---

## Step 1: Add cylinder

**How:** Shift-A → Mesh → Cylinder

---

## Step 2: Scale & rotate cylinder as wheels

**How:** R-Y-90 (rotate 90) → R-X-0.2 (thinner) → S-0.5 (smaller)

---

## Step 3: Apply change

**How:** Ctrl-A Scale, Rotation

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_2-1.png)

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_3-1.png)

---

## Step 4: Apply checker texture

**How:** Material properties → New → Base Color → click yellow dot → checker texture → shader to preview

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_4-1.png)

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_5-1.png)

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_6-1.png)

---

## Step 5: Duplicate and position wheels

**How:** keypad-7 (top view) → select wheel → Shift-D (duplicate) → G-Y / G-X (move)

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_7.png)

---

## Step 6: Add and position cube

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_8.png)

---

## Step 7: Add driver

**How:** Select 1 wheel → object properties panel → Right click Rotation-X → Add driver → Field becomes purple

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_9.png)

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_10.png)

---

## Step 8: Edit driver → link up with cube Y Location

**How:** Right click purple field → Edit driver → click on Object field → Choose Cube on pull down menu → Type: Y Location

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_11.png)

---

## Step 9: Correct wheel rotate direction

**How:** Select wheel → Right click purple field → Edit driver → Driver Property → Expression → var * -1

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_12.png)

---

## Step 10: Apply driver to all 4 wheels

**How:** Right click purple field → copy driver → choose each of the other wheels → right click Rotation-X field → paste driver

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_13.png)

---

## Step 11: Make wheels and cube move together

**How:** select 4 wheels → select cube → Ctrl-P (Parent)

![](https://aaronchan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_14.png)