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Unread 08-01-2012, 20:47
AlecMataloni AlecMataloni is offline
Excellence is Bliss
FRC #0111 (WildStang)
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Rookie Year: 2006
Location: Mount Prospect, IL
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Re: Long vs. Wide Drivebase

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrendanB View Post
If you want to be picked for elims then go wide. No long robot will get on that bridge with two other robots and balance.

Three wides will fit with 11inches of overhang. If one of those is long you are never balancing.
Those are some very bold statements. Have you already tested your bridge theory?

Coming from a team that has been Wide Base more often than not, I've learned that controlling a wide base robot on a field with terrain without tipping over is a considerable challenge. According to one of our mentors, our Aim High robot was driven very carefully (on a field with no terrain besides the ramp) to avoid tipping. Rapid acceleration and deceleration while driving a wide base robot is a recipe for disaster. Drivers used to a standard drop center 6 wheel drive will find that driving wide base is quite different than what they're used to. It obviously can be done, but it's just tougher.

Despite the drawbacks, wide bases do have certain advantages that might be pivotal. The increased area for an accumulator allows drivers a lot more leeway during pickup, regardless of ball control. I can see this reason, coupled with the attractiveness of having a smaller profile on the bridge, driving many teams to build wide base robots; however, I'm expecting that the disparity between Elimination-worthy wide and long bases will favor the latter, due to more teams sticking with what they're comfortable with.