We’re assembling a 2-stage vex planetary gearbox and are running into a possible issue with clearances of the inside gears. We assemble the two stages and everything is going together fine but then when we put the front housing on (with hex output shaft), there is a gap of about 1/16 between the last ring gear and the front housing. We’re noticing that the output shaft is hitting the sun gear because the sun gear protrudes from the planet gears by that amount (see picture). Are we doing something wrong???
Unfortunately your photo link isn’t working for me. Could you upload it to a website like imgur and embed / link it that way?
That link isn’t working either(at least for me)
I get a 404 error when trying to view the image. Perhaps your sharing permissions are set to private?
Ditto. While that is getting fixed, the first easy thing to check is if the hex shaft is installed correctly. We have seen these put together wrong. Hold the hex shaft in your right hand with the spline facing up. If you put JUST the planet carrier onto the hex shaft spline, it should clear the black housing by about .060" and the carrier should be flush with the end of the spline.
FYI, I have one in my hand as I’m typing.
sorry about all this … not the best at posting pics. https://imgur.com/a/zcPEI
Something does look wrong there, are you assembling it right? From the description, I take it you’re trying to put the output plate on top? Take a look at page 8 of the user manual, it has a very nice breakout view that should help.
Ditto, That looks wrong.
The gears should be on the other side of the plate. One on each of those posts.
I followed that exploded view exactly but when I put the front plate and output shaft on top the underside of the output shaft hits the topmost sun gear and the housing doesn’t nest tightly as it should. I can’t see the top plate being upside down or it wouldn’t align with the top ring gear.
Will you’re at it:
- Make sure you’re using the right motor mount.
- Make sure the input coupler is as far down on the motor shaft but not dragging on the motor mount.
- Make sure the bearings/wave washer is installed correctly in the output housing.
- Check to see if the planet axles are pressed all the way into the carrier.
- After proper assembly, leave the screws slightly loose and get it turning by hand (or by wrench) to make sure nothing is bound. Then tighten screws.
All things that have bit us.
Not sure that’s a correct statement. The view is from the output shaft end. what appears as the bottom of the picture is where the motor attaches.
Mike,
I just e-mailed you my phone. If you’d rather work this out that way it might be easier then typing. Check your team e-mail
I’ve attached a side by side picture, with arrows showing where I think the problem is. If the motor goes in from the bottom and the output plate on top, then you are backwards.
The motor shaft gets attached to a coupler. The sun gear then sits inside of this coupler, sticking out. The planets face down towards the motor, with the plate on top of them. The output shaft has a gear on the backside that fits into the middle of this plate to mesh with it.
Edit: Look at pages 10-12 of the user manual previously linked, they show it assembled to the stage you have, with the output plate removed.
I see what you mean, the three gears are the second stage and are loose just to show the protrusion of the sun gear. Another carrier plate goes on top. My mistake.
Here is how I start… Input housing, some kind of collar, input adapter. Did I mention this is a V2? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170921/0a55f9b61d52662d0ca8c0ffa0e0c624.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170921/7afa03fc0ef90a070d6b8b1a73092b82.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170921/ea2b782f11bcc023317b1a968bdbfb89.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170921/a0488243b48750708050be28652af78b.jpg
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I think I found the issue … that middle washer makes the difference. I assumed that it was there to hold the input connector in place. Now I see that the input connector attaches to the motor, the first sun gear goes in the input connector and the assembly then slips into the input housing.
The housing now fits well. Thanks for your patience and sorry for the wild goose chase.
Thanks. I see that now on the V2 manual. We’ve been looking at the V1 manual all this time…