Swerve Modifications
In our second year using Mk4i’s we continued to do a variety of modifications.
Swerve Corner 3D printed spacers
We had our actual frame perimeter be an extra 1/4" bigger on all sides than the tubes of the Frame Rails. The Frame Rails / Swerve modules were a 26x26" square, but with 1/4" plates or this 3D printed piece, we were actually 26.5 x 26.5" (bumpers themselves fabbed to 26.75 x 26.75 wood internal dimensions to account for tolerance, fabric, and gaff tape).
This 3d Printed piece is Markforged, standard settings, and has some set screws that come down from the module main plate to pin the rotation.
Part of this is also the drilling out of the 10-32 tapped hole in corner of middle plate and making it a 1/4-20 so we could put a screw that acts as a stud for bumper blocks with locknuts to thread onto. 1/4-20 SHCS itself is stronger, less likely to bend, but also the locknut is less likely to crossthread going on and off all the time. The bolt slips through counterbore in custom lower plate, then is red-loctited into module middle plate threaded hole, so it acts as a fixed stud.
Swerve Top Cover
3D printed top cover creates a flat landing surface for a top polycarbonate sponsor panel to velcro onto. These covers are less about protecting the encoder or gears or whatever, and just having a flat spot to let the polycarb plate sit. Various steps/heights to accomodate going up over the bearings, encoder, dodging floor intake jackshaft, etc.
Mounts with 10-32 BHCS and Locknuts through two of the extra clearance holes in module top plate (these holes originally intended for mounting Neos with their 4-bolt pattern).
Bearings in Top Plate
19mm OD, 10mm ID flanged bearings slip into the 0.751" holes in top plate with green loctite. A 3D printed sleeve serves as adapter from Falcon shaft to 10mm ID of bearing. A lot of people ask us if these additional bearings are necessary. We had some problems with Falcon V1 especially in 2020 and so took many precautions when using them in the swerve of 2022/2023. I think the Falcon V2s probably ok to run without additional top bearing, as evidenced by what all other teams do and them being fine. I think with the improved shaft design of the Kraken we will not be doing these extra bearings in future seasons if we get to use Mk4i + Krakens.
Wedges on Wheel Yokes
See this post where I detailed why and how we added these wedges. I think these helped a bit, but not that much, with traversing the cable protector. Worst case, they are more weight down low.
Custom Lower Plate
We replaced the bottom L plate of the module with a custom one made of steel, chamfered, and powdercoated. Steel to make stronger and add weight down low. Chamfer to help improve ground clearance when driving up to bridge. Powercoat to protect steel rusting / aesthetics and because we could do it quickly inhouse.
