[VEXpro] NEW Ball Shifter Shafts are Here!

[Grant Cox]

Time for one more thing from VEXpro before kickoff - the Ball Shifter Shaft v2!

VEXpro Ball Shifters revolutionized shifting gearboxes when the original 2 CIM version was released for the 2013 season. Since then, teams have started using them in ways that go above and beyond the original shifter's design. It made sense for us to accommodate these innovative designs, so we're excited to reveal our updated Ball Shifter shafts for the 2015 season.

http://content.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/images/v1-v2-Shifter-Shaft-comparison-750px.png (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/motion/gearboxes/3cimballshifter/217-4099.html)

Available immediately and shipping with all 3 CIM Ball Shifters, the new shaft includes the benefits of the original version with some key upgrades:
Steel shifter plunger allows for smooth shifting even under high load
ThunderHex output shaft provides new use options
Pinned output shaft
Adjusted plunger geometry allows for faster shifts
Modified pneumatic coupler for higher strength


This was delayed from our initial release due to uncertainty about the situation in the Port of LA. We wanted to guarantee this item's availability before its announcement. If teams want to upgrade existing gearboxes, these shafts are available for individual sale (with the new pneumatic coupler kits) and are a direct replacement for the previous version.

Ball Shifter Short Output Shaft v2 (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/motion/gearboxes/3cimballshifter/217-4099.html)
Ball Shifter Long Output Shaft v2 (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/motion/gearboxes/3cimballshifter/217-4098.html)

[ToddF]

Any idea when 2 CIM ball shifters will be in stock, so we have something to put these fancy new shafts into?

[nathannfm]

Great news! This was hinted at a few times, I was getting worried.

[Travis Schuh]

Will there be thunderhex on the dog shafts also?

[Joey Milia]

Adjusted plunger geometry allows for faster shifts


Can you elaborate on how the geometry was changed?
Edit: Never mind I found the drawing. Have you found any adverse affects from switching from 45 to 60 degrees?

[Mike Marandola]

This is fantastic. Will all ball shifters be shipping with the new shafts?

[asid61]

What is the big barrel part of the shaft made of now?
I'm sorry if it's in the picture, my eyes are just skipping over it if it is.

[Mike Marandola]

What is the big barrel part of the shaft made of now?
I'm sorry if it's in the picture, my eyes are just skipping over it if it is.

4140 steel according to the drawing.

[asid61]

4140 steel according to the drawing.

Thank you.

[Aren_Hill]

This is fantastic. Will all ball shifters be shipping with the new shafts?
2 CIM Ball Shifters will continue to ship with the v1 shafts. The v1 shafts are still perfectly suited for this application.

Teams who wish to upgrade their 2 CIM Ball Shifters have that option, but we do not feel this is a "necessary" upgrade.

Shifter Shaft v2 Short (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/motion/gearboxes/3cimballshifter/217-4099.html)
Shifter Shaft v2 Long (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/motion/gearboxes/3cimballshifter/217-4098.html)
v2 Pneumatics hardware kit (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/motion/gearboxes/3cimballshifter/217-4252.html)

Longer term we will move the v2 shaft into the 2 CIM Ball Shifters, but this was not possible for this season.

As always, please shoot me a message at prosupport@vex.com if you have any questions about this.

-Aren