pic: Prototype 6WD

[Cory]

We've never broken a chain since I've been on 254.

We've never thrown a chain either.

The one time we "lost" a chain was when we got hit so hard a sprocket broke, at which point the chain derailed.

It didn't even break. It stayed on the drive sprocket in the gearbox and somehow just kept spinning without completely destroying the gearbox.

I can't ever imagine using #35 chain in a drive again. The added size of the same tooth count #35 sprocket makes every gearbox, mechanism, etc larger, not to mention the additional weight of the chain and sprockets.

I don't believe that there's any team that's not capable of properly aligning and tensioning #25 chain if they put a little thought and planning into it, regardless of their manufacturing resources.

[MrForbes]

You're probably right Cory, but there are a lot of teams who's effort might be better spent working on the game playing parts of the robot....

#35 works, it's easy, it's cheap, it's in the kit, etc.

[Gary.C]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Fault tolerance is good, but there can be several pounds difference between #25 and #35 chain in a drive. As far as I've been on 973, running a west coast drive with #25 chain, we've yet to throw a chain. I know many other teams have similar successes with #25 chain.

To me, it's a no brainer, if you can allign it right..... which isn't very difficult, it's an easy choice.

Originally Posted by Cory

We've never broken a chain since I've been on 254.

We've never thrown a chain either.

The one time we "lost" a chain was when we got hit so hard a sprocket broke, at which point the chain derailed.

It didn't even break. It stayed on the drive sprocket in the gearbox and somehow just kept spinning without completely destroying the gearbox.

I can't ever imagine using #35 chain in a drive again. The added size of the same tooth count #35 sprocket makes every gearbox, mechanism, etc larger, not to mention the additional weight of the chain and sprockets.

I don't believe that there's any team that's not capable of properly aligning and tensioning #25 chain if they put a little thought and planning into it, regardless of their manufacturing resources.

Same Here, Madtown has been using #25 chain after there rookie year back in 2004. We have never tossed chain during Competition. Its a pretty simple concept, line up the chain and tighten the set screw on the sprocket.

[Sam N.]

I really like the use of your slotted bumper mounts.

[spazdemon548]

Everything looks very sound. One trick I learned from Simbotic's drivetrain back in 2008 is, if you line up the pneumatic cylinders on the shifters, you can eliminate a cylinder by linking both to an end of a new one with double the stroke.