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Re: Who is using the kitbot?
For those of you that think the kit chassis is too weak, read this post!
When John and his boss at IFI showed me initial pictures of the frame; I said, "that geometry looks weak." They didn't argue with me and they just sent me a kit to put together. I designed and built a prototype gearbox to mate with the frame (machined from solid ... lots of fun!). I loaded it up with a total of 130 lbs. and drove the heck out of it. I bashed it into everything. I hit walls at full speed, the center structure from last year at full speed. I even built a ramp to jump it over. I was trying to give it as much shock loading as I could. I drove it in the 4 wheel drive configuration (I think you should use it in the 4 WD configuration). The frame never bent, it never buckled. It held up to everything I could throw at it.
FIRST still thought it looked too weak, so I sent it to them to try to break. Nothing, nada, no failure at all. They could not break it, bend it, dent it. The frame is made from 1/8" 5052-H32 half hard aluminum. It is tough stuff. Those of you that say it is too weak, just do not know what you are talking about.
-Paul
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