Is there a trick to making structural parts stick, bond or otherwise stay together?

[Coneshot]

I was attempting to build a stronger rover. In the VAB it seemed to be going ok, but when I took it outside I discovered a lot of the joints just weren't connected?

In the VAB it looked ok:

But when the physics engine started it became obvious that things just weren't right:

I took it out to drop test it and it looked like it had already been dropped ... a lot

Edited July 15, 2013 by Coneshot

[Galacticruler]

Download InfiniteDice's boat parts, remove the boat parts if you don't want them, and keep the two strong struts you cannot walk on(tiny strong one and huge yellow/black ones), use those to basically glue it together.

[Sathurn]

Parts attach to there parent only.

Exception, struts, and dock ports. Dock port start unconnected but will magnetic attract and connect in the first few seconds if they don't inter mesh.

[Sof]

Struts basically.

[painking]

Struts. Parts follow a parent->child method of stacking and attaching, so you can't connect 2 pieces together with another piece.

[Coneshot]

Thanks for the prompt replies, after further research, I did find another post asking this same question:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/34473-Connecting-Girders-to-two-Mounting-Points

It seems I'm not the only one waiting for this one.. well... STRUTS! STRUTS! and MORE STRUTS!!!!

Edited July 15, 2013 by Coneshot
fixed fat fingered typing

[John FX]

MOAR STRUTS! MOAR BOOSTERS!

As has been said, it looks connected but it isn`t because you can`t make a loop currently in the VAB. You`ll need a strut (or 4) to close a loop. Another place to get strong struts is the novapunch pack but that has loads in it and I would say to just copy over the parts you want. It has a heavy strut and a heavier strut.

[Rickenbacker]

It's an engine limitation at the moment: Your parts only connect to one thing, so you can't have a structural member connected at both ends. Some clever strut use might solve it.

[Nibb31]

Struts can solve your problem, but don't forget that struts create lag. For each strut, the physics engine has to work out the angular forces acting on the strut, in extension and compression, as well as the connections between each part. When you have lots of struts, this can bring your computer to its knees.