JPL Open Source Rover

Position the main body

Design: JPL Open Source Rover by NASA JPL (open-source-rover on GitHub), Apache License 2.0

Place the completed main body upright on stable supports, with its suspension pivots accessible and enough clearance below for the wheel modules. Keep power disconnected throughout mechanical assembly. Start with the rocker, bogie, wheel/drive and steering units preassembled, retaining each unit's fasteners with it.

Fit the top differential bar

Lower the differential bar and its two linkage arms together onto the central bearing support above the main body, matching the orientation shown. Seat the linkage ends at the side attachment points and secure the bar with its two mounting screws. Keep the bearing and linkage joints free to pivot.

Fit the left rocker

Slide the left rocker inward onto the left body pivot in the orientation shown, with its long arm toward the rear and its short arm toward the bogie pivot. Retain its brackets and fasteners with the rocker, engage the existing differential linkage, and secure the pivot without clamping its rotating surfaces.

Fit the right rocker

Slide the right rocker inward onto the opposite body pivot as a mirror of the left rocker. Keep its brackets and fasteners with it, engage the existing differential linkage, and secure the pivot while leaving the rocker free to rotate.

Fit the left bogie

Bring the preassembled left bogie inward onto the left rocker's bogie pivot, keeping its front-wheel fork forward and its middle-wheel arm downward. Keep the pivot shaft, bearings, spacers, washers and fasteners in their shown order. Secure the joint without binding the bogie's rotation.

Fit the right bogie

Bring the preassembled right bogie inward onto the right rocker's bogie pivot, mirroring the left side. Keep the pivot shaft, bearings, spacers, washers and fasteners in their shown order. Secure the joint without binding its rotation.

Fit the front-left wheel and drive module

Raise the complete front-left wheel and drive module into the left bogie's front steering location. Keep its drive motor, gearbox, wheel, upright and fasteners together. Seat the steering interface in the orientation shown and retain the module with its mounting hardware, leaving the steering axis free.

Fit the middle-left wheel and drive module

Bring the complete middle-left wheel and drive module up to the downward arm of the left bogie, matching its mounting faces and holes. Keep the drive motor, gearbox, wheel and fasteners together, with the wheel outboard and the motor inboard. Secure the module with its associated mounting hardware.

Fit the rear-left wheel and drive module

Raise the complete rear-left wheel and drive module into the steering location at the end of the left rocker's long arm. Keep its drive motor, gearbox, wheel, upright and fasteners together. Seat and retain the module in the orientation shown without binding the steering axis.

Fit the front-right wheel and drive module

Raise the complete front-right wheel and drive module into the right bogie's front steering location, mirroring the left side. Keep its drive motor, gearbox, wheel, upright and fasteners together. Seat and retain the module with its associated hardware while leaving the steering axis free.

Fit the middle-right wheel and drive module

Bring the complete middle-right wheel and drive module up to the downward arm of the right bogie. Keep its drive motor, gearbox, wheel and fasteners together, with the wheel outboard and the motor inboard. Seat the mounting faces and secure the module with its associated hardware.

Fit the rear-right wheel and drive module

Raise the complete rear-right wheel and drive module into the steering location at the end of the right rocker's long arm. Keep its drive motor, gearbox, wheel, upright and fasteners together. Seat and retain the module in the orientation shown without binding the steering axis.

Fit the front-left steering motor unit

Lower the front-left steering motor unit and its top cover together into the front-left bogie fork, keeping the mounting brackets and retained fasteners with the unit. Align the output with the wheel's steering axis and seat the bearing and coupling without forcing them. Secure the unit with its four mounting screws, keeping the wheel in the straight-ahead orientation shown and the electrical lead clear of the joint.

Fit the front-right steering motor unit

Lower the front-right steering motor unit and its top cover together into the front-right bogie fork, keeping the mounting brackets and retained fasteners with the unit. Align the output with the wheel's steering axis and seat the bearing and coupling without forcing them. Secure the unit with its four mounting screws, keeping the wheel in the straight-ahead orientation shown and the electrical lead clear of the joint.

Fit the rear-left steering motor unit

Lower the complete rear-left steering motor unit together with its end mounting block onto the left rocker's long arm. Keep its brackets, bearings and fasteners with the unit. Align and seat the output on the wheel's steering axis, then secure the unit with the wheel in the straight-ahead orientation shown and its electrical lead clear of moving parts.

Fit the rear-right steering motor unit

Lower the complete rear-right steering motor unit together with its end mounting block onto the right rocker's long arm. Keep its brackets, bearings and fasteners with the unit. Align and seat the output on the wheel's steering axis, then secure the unit with the wheel in the straight-ahead orientation shown and its electrical lead clear of moving parts. Leave power disconnected.