Docking a rover to a lander [Kethane]

[Glockshna]

Hey I'm trying to get my rover to dock to my lander/refinery like so: http://img.techpowerup.org/130724/Glockshna_pix134.jpg but I can't get the docking ports to pull eachother in like they normally do.

Anyone have any ideas?

Edited July 24, 2013 by Glockshna

[Captain Sierra]

Do you have Lazor Docking Cam? It works wonders and can tell you if you aren't lined up. The problem is likely weight + gravity. If the rover is laden with kethane, the wheel suspension will make it dip and it will be a hair too low, or maybe your lander is light (+ less gravity) so it is sitting higher. The magnetic attraction is fairly weak. In space, it can do a lot because no air, no friction, no gravity. On the ground, it's about useless.

[Glockshna]

Yeah I have the docking cam but I thought the magnetization of the ports would be enough. Anyone else have any ideas on how I could do this? I was thinking of using a piston to raise and lower the port as needed but there aren't any pistons small enough for this kind of thing.

Also I am just testing this on Kerbin, this would be used on Minmus but I would like it to work on Kerbin before I ship it off.

[stupid_chris]

Really, there's no better way than trial and error. Docking on land is pretty hard, I recommend you use KAS instead.

[Johnno]

Yeah I have the docking cam but I thought the magnetization of the ports would be enough. Anyone else have any ideas on how I could do this?

They're not aligned well enough, as Captain Sierra said the magnetic force is "about useless" on the ground. I've had plenty of times where the magnetic force has pulled things together horizontally, but didn't have the strength to adjust anything vertically and thus docking didn't work.

Either you'll have to adjust heights, which will lead to its own problems anyway due to gravity and current mass, or as you say something you can adjust yourself.

Perhaps look into getting Kerbal Attachment Systems mod, think they have portable fuel lines and portable 'docking' connections.

[Glockshna]

KAS looks like it'll do the job. I was actually wishing there was something like that in vanilla. Hadn't seen KAS before.

Thanks!

[Captain Sierra]

Gotta love mods!

[Glockshna]

That worked perfectly. Thank you guys!

Results: http://img.techpowerup.org/130724/Glockshna_pix137.jpg

Now to get it into space...

http://img.techpowerup.org/130724/Glockshna_pix139.jpg

Edited July 24, 2013 by Glockshna

[Kimberly]

To add to what others have said, there's also a few modders working on landing legs with adjustable suspension. This is useful for when you're uneven ground, but will hopefully also make it possible to lower landers a bit so they can match rovers.

[Glockshna]

Well until then this works fine. My lander works perfectly now