New Vex Gears and Omniwheels

[1086VEX]

im looking forward to experimenting with some of the new gears once my team orders a kit.

~Alex~

[ManicMechanic]

Time for a "duh" question. We received the (eagerly awaited) Advanced Gear Kit but are having trouble inserting 3 bevel gears into the differential. Since the lip of the bevel gear nests into 2 of the holes on the differential, when you insert gear #1, it's locked in place and prevents the insertion of gear #2. We tried inserting 2 gears simultaneously, but nothing seems to go into place without potentially bending plastic. What are we missing?

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by ManicMechanic

Time for a "duh" question. We received the (eagerly awaited) Advanced Gear Kit but are having trouble inserting 3 bevel gears into the differential. Since the lip of the bevel gear nests into 2 of the holes on the differential, when you insert gear #1, it's locked in place and prevents the insertion of gear #2. We tried inserting 2 gears simultaneously, but nothing seems to go into place without potentially bending plastic. What are we missing?

I don't have any of the Vex differentials yet to play with, but I used to use the LEGO ones extensively. For those, I always inserted the center bevel gear first. Next, I would slide/rotate the two outer bevel gears into place (without the shafts), and when everything was lined up I would insert the shafts into the two outer bevel gears through the differential housing.

[ManicMechanic]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

I don't have any of the Vex differentials yet to play with, but I used to use the LEGO ones extensively. For those, I always inserted the center bevel gear first. Next, I would slide/rotate the two outer bevel gears into place (without the shafts), and when everything was lined up I would insert the shafts into the two outer bevel gears through the differential housing.

LEGO differentials/bevel gears don't have the nesting/locking lip -- you slide the gears in place without blockage and anchor them with an axle. We finally got the gears into place by force, bending the plastic until they snapped into place. I'm wondering if there's a better way -- we ruined several links of tank tread from too much force applied by impatient fingers, and with only one differential per kit, I can see hard-earned pennies quickly going down the drain. Makes me wistful for the the days of differentials at Pitsco -- pack of 50 for $6.

[Vince lau]

nice time to order some new parts