Big Rover Wheels Super-Buggy Glitchatrons?

[BlueCanary]

Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I'm making a big articulated lorry type thing for the elcano challenge, and when trying to put it together the big rover wheels seem to be making it act like a very fragile horse breakdancing. Even when standing still it jumps around everywhere and explosive structural failures are commonplace.

Now, I have next to no experience with big rovers, so I don't know if this is a bug or my poor design. Either way, could you help me find a way to make the truck stay in one non-bouncy piece, whether by design changes or whatever?

This is the remains of the craft after one such incident: (also, I don't suppose anyone knows how to make trucks that look a little less dumb whilst keeping part count sane? Other than all the exploding, the actual truck is the real weak link in my design, I'm really happy with the habitation module (not visible here) and the rest is coming on well, but that truck is just a big, laggy potato.)

[xtoro]

Two Three things.

One, use struts and attach to the tops of the wheels.

Two, using big and small wheels together cause problems because they run at different speeds, so try disabling the motors for the big rear wheels if you're going to tow it around like a trailer. Or, disable the wheels for the little truck thing so that it just steers, and have the big wheels push.

EDIT: Three, I can't tell what the truck thing and the trailer are attached with, but if it's something rigid, you're gonna have problems anyways because the big wheels don't steer. They kinda work like tank tracks, so if you try to turn left for example, the right wheels will turn faster than the left wheels. So having something that's towing the part with the big wheels is going to break them when you try to pull them sideways.

Edited June 8, 2015 by xtoro

[n0xiety]

I would say don't use big wheels. They don't really steer and work like how tank tracks work and have really fragile connection points for some reason. Instead of using 6 big wheels just use 20 smaller wheels and it will cause 10 times less problem. After all you are going for a circumnavigation you need a reliable craft.

[Stratzenblitz75]

Is that a klaw I see? If so then that could be the problem. The Klaw is still extremely buggy; I tried using it in 1.0 to create a semitruck much like yours, but gave up when it instantly crashed the game. Try removing it and using a rigid joint.

Also, just tested it and it seems that having two different wheel types does not seem to cause any problems. Was able to build and drive a truck similar to yours with the Rovemax XL3 and TR-2L rover wheels (all motors enabled) and it did not exhibit the behavior you described. It accelerated to 20 m/s just fine and stayed in one piece. The more likely explanation is the aforementioned buggy as heck Klaw.

[BlueCanary]

Is that a klaw I see? If so then that could be the problem. The Klaw is still extremely buggy; I tried using it in 1.0 to create a semitruck much like yours, but gave up when it instantly crashed the game. Try removing it and using a rigid joint.

Also, just tested it and it seems that having two different wheel types does not seem to cause any problems. Was able to build and drive a truck similar to yours with the Rovemax XL3 and TR-2L rover wheels (all motors enabled) and it did not exhibit the behavior you described. It accelerated to 20 m/s just fine and stayed in one piece. The more likely explanation is the aforementioned buggy as heck Klaw.

Damn, if the klaw is the problem that completely messes up my plans, especially seeing as I need it to stay running explosion free for a very long time. I'm not sure it is though seeing as the join between the modules was pretty much the only thing not trying to run away.

- - - Updated - - -

Two Three things.

One, use struts and attach to the tops of the wheels.

Two, using big and small wheels together cause problems because they run at different speeds, so try disabling the motors for the big rear wheels if you're going to tow it around like a trailer. Or, disable the wheels for the little truck thing so that it just steers, and have the big wheels push.

EDIT: Three, I can't tell what the truck thing and the trailer are attached with, but if it's something rigid, you're gonna have problems anyways because the big wheels don't steer. They kinda work like tank tracks, so if you try to turn left for example, the right wheels will turn faster than the left wheels. So having something that's towing the part with the big wheels is going to break them when you try to pull them sideways.

1: Thanks, I'll try this as soon as I can.

2: Yeah, I was hoping it would be fine since the truck wheels go faster (I think) but it did seem like the trailer was accelerating past the truck.

3: So that's why the trailer keeps going in a different direction to everything else. Looks like changing wheel types to the nice non-explody ruggedized wheels is the way forward then.

- - - Updated - - -

I would say don't use big wheels. They don't really steer and work like how tank tracks work and have really fragile connection points for some reason. Instead of using 6 big wheels just use 20 smaller wheels and it will cause 10 times less problem. After all you are going for a circumnavigation you need a reliable craft.

Yeah, it looks like I'm going to need to switch the wheels out then. It's as shame really because I wanted the really high ground clearance and lower part count, but then again not having to work everything around appeasing the wheel kraken would be nice too.

[BlueCanary]

Thanks for the help everyone, switching out the wheels fixed it perfectly, just need to fix up the truck, add the tanker module, and put ladders everywhere so kerbals can travel around the vehicle while it moves and I should be ready to start the challenge:

[Stratzenblitz75]

Glad everything worked out. Looks like an interesting Elcano mission! I still have nothing nice to say about the klaw, but hopefully you have better luck with it than I did.

[Mic_n]

do the underwing pylons still bug out and work like pivot points? I remember that being an issue way back.. If they're still like that then you could use those to connect your vehicles and still allow articulation if you wanted.. Otherwise, you might want to grab KAS and use winches and connectors like tow ropes..

[Sharpy]

I saw your truck towing the big fuel tank. If that tank was full, then four wheels is too few. I could carefully drive that type of tank on eight wheels, and only very carefully mounting slopes. It is REALLY heavy. Plus this type of wheels is really bad with heavy loads, as they extend far sideways from the mount point, exerting a huge momentum.

Check my twelve-wheeler with even bigger tanks. All it did was driving very slowly and carefully off the runway... then it exploded. With the tanks empty it handles like a nice buggy.