What COTS parts would you like to see?

[Knufire]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

We had a small issue this year. We were using the cheap-o plastic Vex hubs with thunderhex shafts in the front and back (6-wheel drive, center wheel had regular hex). We had 8" pneumatic wheels on a 16:1 ratio. We noticed the thunderhex shaft was rounding out the hubs. I think it was a combination of the plastic hubs, thunderhex, and high torque at the wheel axles. We took care of the problem by switching to the aluminum hubs and regular hex and saw no more problems. I couldn't tell you which one solved the problem, whether we would have had the same issues with regular hex with the plastic bores (possible) or the thunderhex with aluminum hubs (not likely).

The problem was not strictly with the thunderhex shaft, but in that particular application, using regular hex shaft would have possibly not worn out the plastic hubs (or at least would have delayed the problem).

I think the official VEX recommendation is using a metal hub on one side (to transmit the torque) and a plastic on the other side to support the wheel.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by Knufire

I think the official VEX recommendation is using a metal hub on one side (to transmit the torque) and a plastic on the other side to support the wheel.

We had a similar issue and cracked the plastic hubs. Some very nice people with crazy pants on Team 1296 helped us out with some aluminum replacements. Reading that note on the Vex site is important.

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by Knufire

I think the official VEX recommendation is using a metal hub on one side (to transmit the torque) and a plastic on the other side to support the wheel.

I've never noticed that. Thanks for pointing it out. I knew you could get by with a single aluminum hub. I guess I misunderstood the purpose of the plastic one. In all honesty, they could just sell a plastic part with no versahub, just a mock bearing and it would work fine (and be cheaper to make).