AM14U Wheel Swap w/Nut Holders

[cad321]

Wondering if anyone here has a decent video of swapping a wheel on the AM14U chassis with AndyMark’s axle nut holder’s installed?

In the midst of discussing pro’s/con’s of a WCD chassis and the KitBot chassis for my teams specific situation this year, one of the students mentioned the ease of swapping a wheel on our 2020 and 2022 robots (WCD) and asked how hard it was on the KitBot. That’s when I remembered about the nut holders, and while I think they’d make things much easier for swapping wheels, was hoping someone may have a video to show the students visually.

[AdamF]

No video and wasn’t the Andymark nut holders specifically, but if you put the nut on the inside the only difference is you don’t need to weasel a wrench into the frame to hold the nut. Considering that, I would take a look at the end of the AM14U5 Assembly video: https://youtu.be/BvyrWd4fOi4.

[Thor5090]

I know from having a broken wheel this year the wheels on our custom WCD chassis were infinitely easier that on anything else we’ve built including the kit bot.

[cad321]

@Thor5090

the wheels on our custom WCD chassis were infinitely easier that on anything else we’ve built including the kit bot.

Oh the WCD wheels are undoubtedly the easiest wheels to swap with regards to “standard”/common drivetrains in FRC. We’ve loved that ability over the last few years.

@AdamF

I would take a look at the end of the AM14U5 Assembly video:

Thanks for that link. It’s been a few years since I last touched a KitBot, and after watching it, I’d forgotten about the middle wheel and how that would be challenging to swap wheels on. The middle wheel is also the one that will likely see the most wear too which is unfortunate…

[AdamF]

If you do some looking here on CD, I think someone came up with an alternative way to mount the wheels that makes it a bit easier to change them out. I remember seeing it pre-2020.

[howlongismyname]

@cad321

In the midst of discussing pro’s/con’s of a WCD chassis and the KitBot chassis for my teams specific situation this year, one of the students mentioned the ease of swapping a wheel on our 2020 and 2022 robots (WCD) and asked how hard it was on the KitBot. That’s when I remembered about the nut holders, and while I think they’d make things much easier for swapping wheels, was hoping someone may have a video to show the students visually.

Team 7461 Kitbot On Steroids -- 2020 Edition

Team 7461 is proud to release what we hope will be a valuable resource to teams through the entire FIRST Community - a collective set of modifications to the AM14UX series of chassis, that we hope will iron out many issues teams have had with it to date. [Drivebase] Sample Chassis using an 8WD configuration, with 4" SDS Treaded Wheels The modifications detailed here were made with adaptability, serviceability, and robustness in mind, and most can be made with hand tools, though nicer version…

Might be this one

[AdamF]

Yep, that’s the one! I’ll have to keep the Thunderhex bored out to 3/8" in the back of my head. Trying to get the spacers in is easily the worst thing about assembling the AM14UX chassis.

[cad321]

The improvements by 7461 are definitely nice, and I love the ease of integrating 1/2" hex into the KitBot. But in a typical 6wd configuration, I don’t quite see how replacing the middle wheel would be any easier than on a stock chassis. That middle wheel would still be direct driven, and likely need either the outer chassis plate removed, or the whole gearbox removed in order to replace said middle wheel, no?

[AdamF]

Ah yep, if you use the kitbot in 6wd with the stock gearbox I don’t see a way around replacing the middle wheel without removing the side plate (without heavy modifications). Just about anything compared to WCD is going to be worse for replacing wheels.