Is this motor legal?

[JustbeingJFK]

My team has bought this motor from FIRST but we aren't sure if it's legal

[MrForbes]

It looks just like an Automotive Van Door motor. Do the rules say you can use an Automotive Van Door motor?

I didn't know that FIRST sells motors, do you have the link for where you bought it?

[JustbeingJFK]

We don't have the link but we got from FIRST from excess parts

[Richard Wallace]

Mr. Forbes is right, this is an automotive van door motor.

If it does not appear in Table 4-1 under rule R18 in the 2015 FRC Manual (http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2015/2015GameManual0116.pdf), then it cannot be used on a robot for Recycle Rush.

I don't see it listed there.

[PayneTrain]

Mr. Forbes is right, this is an automotive van door motor.

If it does not appear in Table 4-1 under rule R18 in the 2015 FRC Manual (http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info/2015/2015GameManual0116.pdf), then it cannot be used on a robot for Recycle Rush.

I don't see it listed there.

Automotive Door Motor is listed, or am I missing something?

[devg29]

Checked the game manual; automotive door motor is listed, part numbers are various, and quantity is unlimited. While we're on the topic does anyone know this motor's weight? haven't been able to find exact spects

[PayneTrain]

Checked the game manual; automotive door motor is listed, part numbers are various, and quantity is unlimited. While we're on the topic does anyone know this motor's weight? haven't been able to find exact spects

If you have the motor on hand, just use a scale. If part numbers are various, that means there are various datasheets on every kind of door motor.

[MrForbes]

We don't have the link but we got from FIRST from excess parts

I didn't know about that as a source for parts, thanks for the info!

[Richard Wallace]

Automotive Door Motor is listed, or am I missing something?
No you didn't miss anything -- I did!:o

That van door motor (Bosch type CHP, I think) was a KoP item several years ago, and then was not allowed for several years. Glad to see it is back now.

Searching old competition info might find the spec data -- also I think maybe Ether or JVN will have it in calculator menus. I recall they went about 50 RPM and developed a little over 25 N-m stall torque, so about 35 Watt peak output. But please check that against the sources mentioned above.

[MrForbes]

from the interwebs, through a slightly convoluted path that took over a minute to find... Bosch Van Door from 2006 is my guess.

[kevin.li.rit]

The van door shown is used as a windshield wiper motor. Would that mean it is covered under windshield wiper motor?

[Richard Wallace]

from the interwebs, through a slightly convoluted path that took over a minute to find... Bosch Van Door from 2006 is my guess.That's good news, Jim. The motor is better than I recalled -- should make a good ~60 lbf elevator driver for teams that can get a ~3" diameter sprocket or pulley onto its shaft.

[JustbeingJFK]

That's good news, Jim. The motor is better than I recalled -- should make a good ~60 lbf elevator driver for teams that can get a ~3" diameter sprocket or pulley onto its shaft.


That's exactly what we plan on using it for. We have been trying to make a spool to put on the shaft to make a pulley but it's oddly shaped and metric.

[Richard Wallace]

That's exactly what we plan on using it for. We have been trying to make a spool to put on the shaft to make a pulley but it's oddly shaped and metric.Maybe enlarge the center of a piece of ThunderHex (http://www.vexrobotics.com/vexpro/hardware/thunderhexstock.html) to make a tight slip fit for the van door motor shaft, then cross-drill both pieces and press in a 5/32" pin? This would leave you with a 1/2" hex on which to mount many possible COTS drive parts (sprockets, pulleys, flanges, etc.)

[who716]

we have those motors sitting around the shop, never really needed to use them as a window motor was lighter and all we ever needed.

throttle body motors though does anybody ever use them, we have bins and bins and bins of those but have never been able to use them due to its limited power, all it ever did on a car is turn the butterfly I belive (correct me if im wrong)

[Lil' Lavery]

These motors are substantially more powerful than the window motors.

They were legal in 2012 and 2014 as well.

[Mark Sheridan]

That's exactly what we plan on using it for. We have been trying to make a spool to put on the shaft to make a pulley but it's oddly shaped and metric.

Just an FYI, the worm gear is pretty efficient (as far a worm gears go), so its actually easy to back drive it.

[JustbeingJFK]

Just an FYI, the worm gear is pretty efficient (as far a worm gears go), so its actually easy to back drive it.


We thought about a worm gear but with our experience with it last year, it overheated very easily and would stop working. With this motor, we tested 70lbs in " windshield wiper mode" for 3 minutes continuously and the motor was stone cold.

[Mark Sheridan]

We thought about a worm gear but with our experience with it last year, it overheated very easily and would stop working. With this motor, we tested 70lbs in " windshield wiper mode" for 3 minutes continuously and the motor was stone cold.

I am saying the van door motor has a worm gear in it already. Just don't expect it to hold when the power is off. however it sounds like you already know this from your testing.