Wheel Trouble, ...down to 5 good wheels? |
Wheel Trouble, ...down to 5 good wheels? |
Mar 14 2006, 12:29 AM
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 90 Joined: 13-January 05 Member No.: 143 |
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just heard that there is a serious problem with Spirit's right front drive actuator after yestersol's drive. (This is the actuator that had high currents in the past and led to the backward-driving strategy.) It will take awhile to evaluate the situation, but early speculation is grim.
In a worst-case scenario, they can still drag the bum wheel along, but don't expect another summit view. Best-case scenario would be a rock or debris jammed in the wheel. This is a heads-up, sorry I can't really give more info at this time. I still thought you all would like to know. |
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Guest_Sunspot_* |
Mar 15 2006, 07:54 PM
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Guests |
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Mar 15 2006, 08:16 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 290 Joined: 26-March 04 From: Edam, The Netherlands Member No.: 65 |
Ohmy...this doesn't look good at all. Let us not forget, that dragging a blocked wheel is no problem in this loose material, but roving around rocks is a must in this situation. If it's really stuck (which is most certainly the case because of the high gear ratio indeed), rocks that could be driven over before are an obstacle now: draging along rocks isn't easy on 5 working wheels. It might get us some interesting views under rocks though....something we did not see before ! I remember thread that was about turning rocks with the arm ! And: we'll get a loooong trench ! ALWAYS look at the bright side of life (I am trying to keep the corners of my mouth up !) I hope this motor starts working again. I remember something about a gear ratio well within hundreds: this means it is going to be hard to force the motor back and forth by excerting force on the wheel itself. It might be done in combination with a high current boost through the actuator, while pushing the wheel to a stationairy surface (large, coarse rock, with the "cleats" of the wheel pushed on it): the other 5 might slip then.... Fingers crossed that they'll fix it....like they did before. That wasn't a complete stall however...it was a higher current, but still turning. |
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