Banebot Gearbox no longer working

[lauraleeane]

Just before bag, one of our banebot 775 16:1 gearbox stopped working. The motor is still working but the gearbox shaft is no longer spinning. We didn't have time to take off the gearbox to address the problem. Does anyone know what is wrong so we can go into competition knowing what to fix? Thanks

[jblay]

I'm thinking it might be something along the lines of the pinon on the motor isn't quite on the output shaft.

Regardless of the problem I recommend you order a new gearbox and motor assembly and just swap them when you get to competition. After that you can take apart the gearbox you took off and figure out the issue knowing that you can play.

[45Auto]

The pinion has probably slipped on the motor shaft. It happened to one of our 775's during practice this past weekend.

At a minimum, you'll want to order a couple of extra pinions from Banebots. They're only a couple of dollars each, and they ship the pinions out quick, usually only takes a couple of days to get them.

The old pinion is most likely wallowed out and ruined. Hopefully the motor shaft isn't galled up and you can just press on a new pinion.

[artdutra04]

Did you grease your gearboxes before assembling? Ungreased gearboxes can quickly turn into metal glitter.

[Akash Rastogi]

Steps for using banebots gearboxes:

1: Grease your internals and assemble
2: Run your gearbox for about 15-20 minutes. Or in 10 minute periods
3: Disassemble
4: Clean
5: Re-grease but do NOT overgrease. White lithium may be a little too thick so I usually just scoop some grease from FP gearboxes and drop it into the banebots gearboxes.
6: You should be good to go

Gear dust + thick grease without going through this process will bind up your 16:1 gearbox.

[lauraleeane]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Steps for using banebots gearboxes:

1: Grease your internals and assemble
2: Run your gearbox for about 15-20 minutes. Or in 10 minute periods
3: Disassemble
4: Clean
5: Re-grease but do NOT overgrease. White lithium may be a little too thick so I usually just scoop some grease from FP gearboxes and drop it into the banebots gearboxes.
6: You should be good to go

Gear dust + thick grease without going through this process will bind up your 16:1 gearbox.

Is it bad that I am using white lithium grease? It's the only grease my team has. And do we need to disassemble the gearbox so often?

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by lauraleeane

Is it bad that I am using white lithium grease? It's the only grease my team has. And do we need to disassemble the gearbox so often?

Use it in moderation. You only need to take it apart twice. Once to do the first application of grease then again after you break them in and have to clean/regrease.

[J.Warsoff]

When I grease the BaneBots, I actually will run them for about 45 minutes after greasing. I start with a low voltage and gradually increase it until the motor runs steadily at 12 volts with about 1-1.5 mA.

Note: if at first the motor has trouble starting to rotate, try manually spinning it with some force to get it started.

As for number of runs, depending on the gearbox ratio, run the motor about 2-3 times.

Hope this helps.

[fox46]

Get your hands on some LocTite 603 "green" Retaining compound. Use a Q-tip to coat the inside of the pinion gear before pressing it on. You have to install the pinion quickly and in one step otherwise the compound will cure and lock the pinion in place part-way through your install making it impossible to press it further onto the shaft. Be very careful to use it sparingly and do not get any on the motor's bushings. One of my teams' sponsor is a snowmobile repair and recycling company and most snowmobile (2-stroke) crankshafts are made in multiple pieces all pressed together hand held purely by interfereance. This compound is used with each press fit to lock the components together. It will not release unless it is heated. It is an excellent product and I use it religiously on interfereance fits.

[lauraleeane]

Originally Posted by fox46

Get your hands on some LocTite 603 "green" Retaining compound. Use a Q-tip to coat the inside of the pinion gear before pressing it on. You have to install the pinion quickly and in one step otherwise the compound will cure and lock the pinion in place part-way through your install making it impossible to press it further onto the shaft. Be very careful to use it sparingly and do not get any on the motor's bushings. One of my teams' sponsor is a snowmobile repair and recycling company and most snowmobile (2-stroke) crankshafts are made in multiple pieces all pressed together hand held purely by interfereance. This compound is used with each press fit to lock the components together. It will not release unless it is heated. It is an excellent product and I use it religiously on interfereance fits.

Do you have any tips on pressing on a pinion gear as we don't have a machine press. We put on the other one with a hot plate and hammer.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by lauraleeane

Do you have any tips on pressing on a pinion gear as we don't have a machine press. We put on the other one with a hot plate and hammer.

That might be part of your problem... A bent shaft or misaligned pinion can wreak all kinds of havoc on a gearbox.

Ask local machine shops -- someone is bound to have a press that either you can use, or they will use on your behalf.