Hello CD,
I did a search and found some scattered thoughts but nothing concise on a procedure and tips for assembling a Fischer-Price motor to a P60 series BaneBots gearbox.
Has anyone done this assembly and can provide feedback and advice?
I am looking to consolidate a set of directions and tips for modifying the FP shaft, getting the BaneBots pinion on and assembling the motor to the gearbox.
Thank you, and good luck to all teams!
Rob
The most difficult problem(s) you will have is removing the pinion gear and reinstalling a pinion gear that fits the P60 transmission. Get a pinion puller similar to one at this link. Other designs are also available at most hobby shops:
http://www.toysonics.com/walkera-universal-pinion-gear-puller-g1001002.html
When reinstalling the P60 pinion back on the shaft, you will need an arbor press. Since the motor shaft is long and thin, unless the shaft is held perfectly perpendicular to the press ram, you run the risk of bending the motor shaft, rendering the motor useless. You may want to manufacture a fixture that will hold the F/P motor perfectly square while pressing the new pinion on the shaft.
Rob,
We’ve done this many times. The trick is ordering the right pinnion. If you order the wrong one it will split when you press it on. Call me if you want to talk through it.
Pete
We’ve used the banebot gearbox on FP motors in the past. If you don’t need to keep the Fisher Price pinion gear, you can cut it off instead of trying to pull it off. We used a dremel with a cutting wheel. If you take this approach, be sure to cover up the motor (we used masking tape) to keep shavings out of the motor housing.
The replacement pinion that fits the P60 fits VERY snuggly on the FP motor shaft. We had success turning down the motor shaft ever so slightly. The exact dimensions excape me. We powered the motor and used emory cloth to bring down the motor diameter.
Lastly, I seem to remember the FP shaft being too long, so we had to cut the shaft length down. If you have any Banebot motors from past year’s kit of parts, you can compare the shaft lengths to get an idea of how much to cut off the FP motor shaft.
Best of luck.
Well I got my Banebots parts finally and here is an update on mating the P60 to an FP motor.
First off, be sure to check your pinions. Different ratios of gearboxes use different sized pinions and this is not very clear on the BB website.
Step 1 is to get the origional pinion gear off of the FP motor. I have no experience with the gear pulling technique mentioned above. We found that the original FP pinion is too tight to punch out with a pin punch and hammer. We ended up clamping the gear in a vise and cutting it with a hacksaw. This loosens it’s grip on the shaft allowing you to pin punch it out. Be sure to cover all of the holes in the FP motor with tape! If you do not the magnets will pull metal filings into the motor and destroy it.
Step 2 is to cut the FP shaft to length. I cut 0.25" off of the shaft using a dremel. I also chamfered the tip to make it easier to set the new pinion on the shaft.
Step 3 is to reduce the diameter of the FP shaft slightly. The splines on the FP shaft make it slightly over diameter. I (gently) clamped the motor down and ran it while using a jewlers file on the splines. once again, be careful not to get metal filings in your motor.
Step 4 is to press the new pinion onto the shaft. A small arbor press is best and you MUST support the FP motor underneath where the shaft protrudes out of the motor bode. The motor should be resting on the tip of the shaft where it protrudes out the back and the gear shoudl be pressed on the top. be sure to keep everything square.
When you open up the gearbox to attach the motor to the back plate you will have to add lubricant to the gears.
Good luck everyone!
Rob
Thank you for posting this step. I ordered one of the mentioned gear pullers with no success. The puller was too small for the FP pinion so I am looking for other options. I’ll try the hack saw - punch method !
does anyone know the pitch of the pinion gears for the p60 transmission, i would really prefer to use a gear with a set screw than a press-on one
Why is this?
Pressing the gear on can be a bit tricky, but once you do it a few times it’s cake.
Using a set screw on a small shaft enclosed deep in a gearbox is just asking for trouble.
Seeing as our shop lacks an arbor press, it’s more than just a little difficult. Radio controlled vehicles pretty much exclusively use pinion gears attached with set screws. If the shaft of the motor has a flat spot in it, there is no real risk of the gear spinning on the shaft, and although I’ve never had a problem with a set screw coming out on of my cars, adding a little loctite make the gear at least as secure.
Step 1: Tool Setup. I would not suggest buying a gear puller for this task. All of the ones I have tried before were really cheap an broke as I applied pressure on the arbor press or turned the accompanying screws. You really are better off making your own tools. My suggestion is to take about 3 inches of 1/16" C-Channel and about half an hour on the mill getting it to fit like a fork with sidewalls underneath the pinion. Apply preferred bearing load to remove, with the assistance of a pin near the end.
Step 2: Prep motor for new pinion. Take your FP, a V-Block(with preferred method of holding: Thumbscrew or duct tape) and a parallel. You’ll want to set your FP up in the v-block so that the little but end of the drive shaft is supported by the parallel, this was learned from experience through a few FPs not working properly due to the shaft being forced through the motor itself. Apply whatever method of fastening you wish to keep the motor in the v-block as you wish and set the whole apparatus upright. This also has the big, main advantage of keeping the motor perpendicular to the easily bendable shaft.
Step 3: Press the new Pinion gear. Set your entire apparatus upright under the head of whatever press you have available so that you have the parallel at the bottom and of course the bare shaft at the pressing head. Take five minutes to make yourself a new tool by taking a piece of thin gauge sheet metal and cutting a v into it thus making a shim to press your pinion against. This is also learned from trial and error, you do not want to press your gears flush to the face of the FP motor, even though it is going against a nice bronze bushing this practice causes binding and robs a lot of efficiency. A little shim goes a long way towards a free spinning pinion. Carefully line up your pinion under the head of the press and slowly and evenly apply pressure and at some point you may need to grab a socket from a wrench set and use it to press the gear the rest of the way down to your shim. This should go relatively smoothly, if you feel a hard stop or it is taking a large amount of perspiration to force the gear down stop and take a minute to assess the situation and resolve any binding you may be experiencing before you bend the shaft.
Step 4: Clean up the shaft length. Take your newly mounted pinion and FP assembly over to a bench grinder and slowly shave the FP’s drive shaft down until your grinder just taps the head of the pinion. This step could probably be refined and brought up to better standards of safety (as you have to get your fingers really close the grinder) but it has always worked for us in the past. We have had problems in the past trying to use hacksaws and other methods of cutting as it either bends the shaft, spins the shaft (locking the pinion in a vice flattens teeth) or imparts too much heat to the armature and (plastic) fan blades, all causing improper operation of the motor.
Step 5: Not much of a step really just a quick tip for the installation of the FP onto the BB mounting plates. When you get the really super short screws to install the FP to the Bane Bots mounting plate you’ll notice that they only hang on by about three or four threads into the face of the motor. You have to be really cautious not to over tighten these screws as you will strip the threads out of your motors making them rather wiggly when they only have one mounting point or not connect at all when you strip both.
I hope this little process helps those who read it and I hope to hear back with suggestions for improvement to my own methods.
Thank You.
P.S. Save any tools you happen to make for the years to come. One good set of custom gear pulling tools that work efficiently are really good to have tucked away.
I know everyone likes custom made gear pullers and I like to do things the “right” way too sometimes.
However, I have found it MUCH more efficient to simply break the gear off. It’s not like you’re planning to use it ever again. Grind a flat onto the pinion on FP motor and drill holes that run along the length of the gear but do not quite reach the shaft. You then put the gear part in a vise and, using a cold chisel, break the gear off. Make sure to cover the holes of the FP with a rag or tape or something so that the shavings don’t stick or go in. Also, put only the gear part in the vise and hold the motor so there is no lateral load on the shaft. This is a job best done with two people.
-vivek
I have done the ‘small motors’ with a drill press, vertical mill, or a large vice. The small motors & pinions don’t take alot of force.
With the drill press, don’t push on the chuck teeth, use a piece of flat steel or tighten a bolt into the chuck.
Custom FP gearpuller.
Get a battery terminal puller: something approximately like this (we use a slightly different one)…
http://mlautomotiveonline.com/OTC-Tools-Battery-Terminal-Puller-4611-P1325948.aspx
Carefully drill a 1/2" deep hole in the center of the threaded shaft slightly narrower than the FP shaft size. A lathe is a good choice for centering.
Epoxy glue a piece of a hardened drill bit into the hole. (the non cutting shaft of the drill bit facing the gear)
Works like a champ for us.
Always wear safety glasses.
Hey Adam,
We found your tips very helpful. One suggestion though…next time you have the C-channel puller and V-block setup in hand, please take some pics and post here. That would be awesome. Thanks very much. 
Piece of cake. Takes me longer to tape the motor closed than it does to remove the Pinion. 5/32 Drill Bit, one vice, 5 holes 'round, pressed right out w/ ease.