Are we allowed to use old hard drives as counterweights to stabilise our robot?

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by MrForbes

I doubt it....there is a rule about motors, and you're only allowed to use hard drive motors if they are part of a COTS computer that is installed on your robot.

It actually says "COTS computing device". Is a hard drive a computing device? It is usually used as a computer part, it has one or more microcontrollers in it, and it computes things. There's no rule that says it has to be operable. I'd give it the benefit of the doubt at inspection, because there's no clear guidance one way or another. (The Q&A may issue such guidance, in which case my position might change.)

Also, per Q315, if you strip the motor out, the motor is no longer part of the device, and thus the motor rules don't apply any longer.

[rich2202]

I'd be concerned about the tape

[EricH]

And, per Q389, Q315 answers the question.

[Brandon Zalinsky]

Could the magnets in those hard drives affect any of the other electrical components on the robot?

[Bill_B]

Too late now?

Head on down to the auto shop and have someone cut off as many of the appropriate lengths of leaf spring as you think you might need. Drill holes for mounting brackets and dangle as low and as far from your elevator as possible. There are also some equally dense but geometrically challenging metal parts in the auto shop. Remember if you cut them they're not COTS.