We are using a DR4B lift this year (seems like that is very common with lots of teams) and we are curious on how people building their lifts to support themselves? We are implementing chains and sprockets to help raise/lower the lift but once we attach our claw to the front of our robot the lift cannot support the weight. We built everything with aluminum materials so I am lost on what I could do more. Im not asking for other teams designs but just some pointers since this will be our 1st full season of VEX.
Do not use chain or sprockets on your lift. Make sure you have motors powering from the middle of the lift not the bottom and all x braces across your lift bars. Make sure your joints are good. The best joints are long screws on bearings with a keps but to hard point it then insert to another bearing on your other piece.
We are using the chain to drive the dr4b, is that too much friction? We don’t have enough room to put the motors on the tower so we used the chain so that we can attach the motors somewhere else. Is this bad?
Well friction mainly comes in the spacing of the spacers and gears on the tower axles. BUT chain can fail a lot due to slack and the little ears that hold it together. They wear over time. If the friction on those spacers is to much then it can cause towers to go up and down at different times and as well as trip the PTC.
for axles not being a drive shaft, i suggest using “screw axles” Long screws are way more sturdy and most people just have them laying around anyways. :3
