Why can't i get these rovers to dock?

[phantom000]

I am trying to build a rover with the docking method, only i can't get these two to dock even though the docking ports are right on top of each other.

 

Is this a bug or am i doing something wrong?

[Wadusher0]

Your alignment should be good enough, but in my experience, you can't dock the shielded docking port to the unshielded one, despite the shielded one containing the unshielded one in the model. However, that rover has another unshielded port in the back, so you should be able to dock from that side.  

[bewing]

Nope, that's not it.

 

It looks to me like you are misaligned horizontally. Was there magnetic attraction when you got close?

 

[Draalo]

4 hours ago, phantom000 said:

i can't get these two to dock even though the docking ports are right on top of each other.

They are not alligned. Look at the targetmarker in the navball. It should be on the horizontal line. Allso your marker is slightly under the horizon.

I assume that the different weight of the 2 porttypes cause that behaviour. Wheels have springs and damper too.

 

4 hours ago, Wadusher0 said:

you can't dock the shielded docking port to the unshielded one

My experience and bewings picture right above your post proves you are wrong

[phantom000]

Here is what confuses me.

Before contact...

After contact...

How can their alignment be that far off if they are that close? Also when they were touching the two rovers were shaking, almost like the docking ports were trying to click together but not making it. Both rovers are the exact same design so its not that.

[EpicSpaceTroll139]

36 minutes ago, phantom000 said:

Here is what confuses me.

Before contact...

<snip>

After contact...

<snip>

How can their alignment be that far off if they are that close? Also when they were touching the two rovers were shaking, almost like the docking ports were trying to click together but not making it. Both rovers are the exact same design so its not that.

The closer you get, the more obvious any small misalignment will appear, for the same reason that your thumb up close can cover up the Moon. Maybe ry offsetting the wheels on the one with the shielded port slightly down, to get rid of the small misalignment, or adding a reaction wheel or two to either of them so you can wiggle them around a bit until they dock. Might even be able to get them to dock by timewarping a little bit.

Edited May 12, 2017 by EpicSpaceTroll139

[Wadusher0]

9 hours ago, Draalo said:

My experience and bewings picture right above your post proves you are wrong

I have attempted to dock these together before and had it not work. Though that may just be a mod interaction. 

[bewing]

4 hours ago, phantom000 said:

How can their alignment be that far off if they are that close? Also when they were touching the two rovers were shaking, almost like the docking ports were trying to click together but not making it. Both rovers are the exact same design so its not that.

When you attatch those kinds of wheels, they do not snap into place. You have to be extremely careful to click them into exactly the same position, front and back. (Or if you build it in the VAB, side-to-side.) So yes, the docking ports are trying like crazy to click together -- that is exactly what is happening, but your front and back wheels are at different heights so they can't do it. Docking ports need to be aligned perfectly in order to make the final click. They can exert very large forces to make that happen, but it needs to happen or you won't get a docking.

 

[Draalo]

12 hours ago, phantom000 said:

Also when they were touching the two rovers were shaking, almost like the docking ports were trying to click together but not making it. Both rovers are the exact same design so its not that.

Maybe the solarpanels cause that - Just put 1 pair in the middle of the rover and try again.

7 hours ago, bewing said:

When you attatch those kinds of wheels, they do not snap into place. You have to be extremely careful to click them into exactly the same position, front and back.

I strongly recommend building a structure with symetrical attached wheels and a dockingport in the SPH, store it as subassembly and ONLY use this subassembly for your wheeled vessels. That allows to build different rovers with the same height of docking ports.

Easy to build an Oretank-rover and an ISRU-rocer and dock them on Minmus Flats...

Edited May 13, 2017 by Draalo

[Spricigo]

7 hours ago, bewing said:

When you attatch those kinds of wheels, they do not snap into place. You have to be extremely careful to click them into exactly the same position, front and back.

if you feel you cannot be carefull enough in stock game an alternative may be:

 

[FancyMouse]

14 hours ago, phantom000 said:

How can their alignment be that far off if they are that close? Also when they were touching the two rovers were shaking, almost like the docking ports were trying to click together but not making it. Both rovers are the exact same design so its not that.

This one looks like you're controlling from the probe core below.

[phantom000]

What makes no sense to me is why would they be misaligned vertically? Horizontally, is obvious if the rover is not pointed in the right direction, by why would they be off vertically? They are the same machine so they everything should be in the same location.

I tried repositioning the wheels but they still are not aligned. Has anyone been having trouble with the SPH? pieces not snapping to the right location?

[bewing]

Some parts snap, and some parts do not. Wheels do not snap. Yes, it is the same machine, but you are attaching the front of one machine to the back of the other machine. The wheels on the front and back are at different heights, so the front and back are at different heights.

If you turn one of the machines around, so that the front of one identical machine is attaching to the front of the other, then they will be identical and it should work (so long as you get the horizontal alignment correct).