Brake system

[MadCow2357]

It's not that the micro switch's lever is not long enough. You misunderstood my question, but that's okay. The issue is kind of hard to explain in words, but I guess I'll give it another shot.

My wingnut is on a 1/4 threaded axle, and the "wings" travel over two pieces of wood as the wheels spin forward. Ther wingnut hits the microswitch, but then the back of the wingnut hits the hex nut soon after. The momentum of the vehicle causes the now locked-into-place wingnut to turn forward, smashing into the piece of wood that it travels along when going forward. Then, the wingnut, which is still locked into place with hex nut rebounds, causing the other wing to smash into the piece of wood in the back. The wingnut stays in that position, when one wing is stuck in a small indent (formed by numerous braking tests), and the other wing is slightly above the lever that activates the microswitch.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/ ... sp=sharing
Maybe these pictures help explain my problem.

[cheese]

Ohhh I see what you mean now. I had a problem similar to that. I would either change out the wood with a harder material, or put a guide block on top of the wing nut so that when the wingnut smashes into the nut and the momentum throws it up, it will block it and keep it down.

[MadCow2357]

I already spent wayyyy too much time building the frame than I should have, and I would hate to make any more significant changes. Could I put a piece of sheet metal on the part where the wingnut is biting into the wood? This way, it would probably not have the same problem.

[cheese]

Yeah that would probabaly work

[shrewdPanther46]

Sorry for not replying sooner, was a bit busy.

Metal works well, thats what we are doing. Regardless, you havae to make sure its not going too fast when the mechanical stopper engages.

also, u can extend part of the wingnut as opposed to the switch itself. Either way works.

[MadCow2357]

I filled in the indent with some gorilla glue, and now the wingnut triggers the switch fine. Thanks for all your help, btw!

[MadCow2357]

I filled in the indent with some gorilla glue, and now the wingnut triggers the switch fine. Thanks for all your help, btw!

Actually Gorilla Glue didn't work, I had to use sheet metal over the wood.