Hi all,
My team was wondering what these tiny axles in the motor packs were used for. Nothing important, just that we never used them…asking out of curiosity haha.
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Thanks!
They are designed to fit in the space between the motor and the metal it is mounted on, but I’ve never actually found a use for them.
I would much prefer that VEX packages the motors in boxes again so they are actually protected so the pins don’t break off the wires in transit/storage, and they save their couple cents by getting rid of these instead of the stupid plastic bag packaging.
Wait, are you saying that your new motors haven’t come in boxes? They come in plastic bags? Or just that the shaft extender pieces come in bags and that the motor boxes aren’t good enough?
Either way, I agree that it’s a waste for VEX to send these pieces with every motor.
Yes, they’ve completely gotten rid of the boxes. We ordered a bunch of motors over the summer, and they all came in just a plastic bag. 
It didn’t even have a label or printing, just a blank plastic bag.
Also, we finally got our backordered Aluminum C Channel, as VEX managed to run out again, and they’ve gotten rid of the boxes for that as well, not that it really matters for this. And there are also other signs of it being cheaper, and while the aluminum used to look “nice”, now it’s actually rather ugly. Again, it doesn’t really matter, but I just hope they still have the same strength/material.
Hopefully this isn’t the trend for everything, and at least the sensors will keep their boxes.
I’m not trying to bash VEX, it’s just that they’ve really been trying to cut costs, and it is quite noticeable.
Originally those axels were used with clutches. The clutch would go in the space between the motor and metal piece with you main axel in the clutch, and the small one between the clutch and motor. Those metal pieces are the replacement for clutches if you needed something for the same size.
It is sad, most people on the forum now probably have never had to use a 3 wire motor with PLASTIC INTERNAL GEARING where you only had (I think it was) 7 in-lb of torque and heavy loads would just trip the clutch instead of holding at a height.
Hmm, I don’t think they completely did away with the boxes for motors. We bought and received new motors in October and they had boxes. Although our back-ordered aluminum (which came a week later or I think two weeks ago) was just in a plastic bag.
Maybe VEX sometimes runs out of boxes for stuff and just ships it anyways?
Can you post some pictures of these parts, and if you have some old ones do an A-B comparison. I hope quality has not declined.
Yeah we ordered some, it also came with a different finish. I weighed old and new there seems to be negligible difference. Just looks like maybe the new aluminum didn’t get a brushed finish. No biggie.
Also I think bagging happens when stuff is back ordered for a while, no box is fine with me if it comes faster.
I will take a picture when I get a chance.
I doubt the bags have to do with backorders, as I would expect that they package the items into the box or bag right at the factory in China. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind items being in bags such as the C-Channels, however what I do mind is when the protection of the item is compromised. We had the pins break off one of the motors, possibly in handling/shipping, but even if it broke when we were storing it, it wouldn’t have happened had the motor been in a box.
I hope that the bagged motors may have just been a small batch and/or VEX noticed the issues, but most likely the US warehouse still has a stock of ones in old packaging, but Canada got the new lot directly.
We noticed the same thing with a bag of 5-hole C-channel. At first my kids refused to use it, claiming it was “used” and it looked “icky”. I thought maybe they were items that had been returned to Vex and repackaged. The pieces eventually got used, of course, but it was puzzling when we first got them. Did Vex actually save money by changing to this less attractive coating (or lack thereof)???
In what way did they look icky?
(Thanks all for ur responses!)
Some of the original VEX packaging was pretty wasteful so good on them for fixing that. Regarding 393 packaging, or lack thereof, don’t lose sight of the fact these now cost less so it doesn’t surprise me they’ve taken a knife to whatever they could.
The aluminum 5-hole C-channel that used to come in boxes had a grey, uniform brushed appearance. But the stuff that came to us in bags almost looks like steel from a distance, is somewhat streaky, in which some streaks are very shiny and other streaks appear dull, giving it the appearance of having been “rescued” from somewhere.
Oh dear…I don’t think any of ours have been looking like that! Hopefully they will reverse this packaging decision in the future, that sounds downright gross…
We experienced the same thing with the aluminum. We had some backordered c-channel and when it finally came it was in plastic packaging and had a very different appearance. I’m not sure if it is a “bad” or “good” appearance, but definitely different. My students were confused if it was steel or aluminum. It is clear when you feel it that it is aluminum, but from looks alone it can be hard to tell.
That is interesting. We just got a long aluminum structure kit, and it looked the same, and in it’s in the usual box packaging. maybe we just got the last few normal ones. I’m very interested to see how these new parts look. please share a picture of it. Also, has anyone tried to see if these new ones look the same as the normal ones if the new ones where wire brushed?
Yes, interestingly we ordered a long aluminum structure kit at the same time as regular long aluminum c-channels. The structure kit cam as normal, but the c-channels were back ordered. So they came later, in weird packaging, and “ugly” I guess.
Apparently, the aluminum for the kits is packaged and stored up.
If no one beats me to it I can get a picture of the “ugly” aluminum tomorrow.