SDS MK4i-Has anyone converted the 8-32 plates to 10-32?

[AdamF]

Has anyone converted the 8-32 plates to 10-32? We purchased ours right before they changed over, and I would prefer not to need to spend the $145 to switch our modules to be compatible with MaxTube if I don’t have to.
My initial thoughts on the main plate are to make the thread holes into thru holes, and just use a lock nut instead. For the bottom plate, I don’t know if I can increase the counter bore with our equipment, so I’m trying to decide what the best option is there. 3 ideas I have are:

1. Add a spacer and use button head. Upside is it uses commonly available hardware and doesn’t require machining the bottom plate. Downsides are adding a slight protrusion to the bottom, it not being our standard SHCS, and adding an additional part that can get lost.
2. Machining down the head of a 10-32 SHCS or sourcing a reduced head screw. Upside is no machining the bottom plate, no extra parts, and no-protrusion. Downside is a non-standard, not easily available fastener.
3. Countersink the bore and use a countersunk screw. Upside is the fastener is available at most hardware stores, and it shouldn’t add a protrusion. Downsides are needing to modify the bottom-plate, fastener head might not make full contact (need to validate in CAD), and is not our standard SHCS.

I’m leaning towards my second option. Non-standard screws for mounting is not far off the current 8-32 for us as we mostly use 10-32 anyways.

[bcon]

Someone correct me if i’m wrong, but it should be fine to have the 8-32s mounting the module to the 10-32 holes in the maxtube.

My recommendation for the least trouble would be to drill out the top plate and use low profile locknuts, and then spacer and button head on the bottom plate.

[AdamF]

@bcon

Someone correct me if i’m wrong, but it should be fine to have the 8-32s mounting the module to the 10-32 holes in the maxtube.

That’s what we did for our off-season robot, but are not completely square to the chassis.

Also just realized the head of a 10-32 SHCS might still stick out of the counter bore if it’s only deep enough for the 8-32. Not I’m leaning towards my first option.

[Lexeo]

@bcon

Someone correct me if i’m wrong, but it should be fine to have the 8-32s mounting the module to the 10-32 holes in the maxtube.

This is what we did last year. Worked fine.

[Peyton_Yeung]

I wonder if this will work with a drill press to increase the counterbore side.

We’ve used similar piloted counterbore tools when making gearbox plates.

[george.murchison]

The easiest solution would probably be this:

SDS MK4i, Flipped Motor, Corner Biased, Swerve Module

If I had known MAXTube was coming, MK4i modules would have had 10-32 mounting screws from the start. 8-32s are more than strong enough in this application and the weight savings is nice, but ease of use with other products would make 10-32 the choice. We plan on changing the MK4i to use 10-32 mounting screws around the start of the summer of 2023. We have decided to not change it up on everyone right before the season starts. Luckily there is a pretty good solution to use current revision MK4i…

[AdamHeard]

This is the route 581 is taking, but in hindsight I wish we had just done nothing and put #8-32 bolts in 10 clearance holes if we ever swapped a module in that form.

[AllenGregoryIV]

We have just run the 8-32 bolts in 10 holes and try to square things reasonably well when we are tightening everything up. Having a laser cut steel belly pan last year helped to square up the 2x1s before clamping the modules down.