how is everyone else planning on making their Kit Transmission. I am really asking what are you making the Cushion part that does not come in the kit we are most likely going to use PVC piping.
Did they happen to provide a DVD of how to assemble the basic transmission in this year’s kit? I know I saw a video of it in last year’s kickoff. Sorry for the thread hijack.
The ifi website has the kit transmission manual for 2006. It has step by step instructions on how to put the gearbox together.
I just assembled our transmission last night, and it was very simple…we used the pictures in the transmission manual we had from last year. If you would like, I can either mail you copy of the diagram, or try to find a web link…just let me know!
PVC piping here also
I believe this is what you are looking for …
It really helped us get our kitbot started.
Hey, thank you much! 
Okay, I found it at http://www.ifirobotics.com/docs/2006-first-transmission-manual-rev-d.pdf Thanks!
This SHOULD be the same to build this year’s kit with.
http://www.robotics.nasa.gov/first/2005/tran_chassis_01.wmv
I think the only difference this year is the addition of some more mounting holes, so that vid should still be of use.
Can someone verify that?
I can verify Elgin’s claim. We used that exact video to construct our motor assembly and it seems to be almost exaclty the same, but with the differences that Elgin mentions.
pvc pipe is perfect, it worked for last years bot and this years test bed. The video is the same, be sure to grease up your transmission.
Grease… before we assemble it?
dang, we already put it together, I guess tommorow we’ll have to do that…so what kind of grease? where at? and how?
White Lihtium grease is preferred; at the gear faces mostly;and just slather it on. The dirty way to do it (I don’t know another) is to put a generous amount on, run the gearboxes in for about ten minutes straight, then, if you want, take the tranny’s apart again and wipe out the excessive grease. We normally don’t even do the last step, though we probably should.
We found the IFI website and all that stuff, it just took us to think of a way to make it and why FIRST did not include such a piece in the kit.
IFI did not include this piece because you do not really need it. Most power transmission assemblies have a sprocket mounted to the shaft without a spacer. The set screw holds the sprocket in position. The part is included in the assembly to help teams line up the tranny sprocket with the wheel sprocket. A very important alignment!
I suggest that you loctite the setscrew or put two shorter set screws in. The shorter set screws act together to prevent loosening under vibration, same as loctite.
Paul - if there is another reason to use the PVC spacer, please let us know.
I designed the gearbox with the spacer, because I do not like set set screws. The spacer, combined with the screw and washer at the end of the shaft, positively locates the gearbox in the correct spot. When I did prototyping last year, I used PVC tube for the spacer and it worked fine.
The manual, located at the IFI website, describes all of this in detail and provides a drawing for the spacer. I have attached my original drawing for the spacer in this E-mail.
-Paul
FRC-2005-112-010.PDF (75.3 KB)
FRC-2005-112-010.PDF (75.3 KB)
My team has found a problem with the kit transmissions. They followed the directions for the standard one-CIM configuration, but upon further testing, we realized that the spring washer was rubbing against one of the gears. Has anyone else had this problem? We are planning on removing the spring washer, and just putting loctite on the set screw.
Some spring washers come in oversized and will cause this problem. Use the alternate assembly method using the setscrew with Loctite on the set screw and you will be fine.