Who is using the kitbot?

[Paul Copioli]

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