Q&A

Legality of part usage from 393 motor refurb kit and V5 Motor Cartridges as mechanical components?

In previous years it was ruled legal that 393 motor internal gears, sold in refub kits, can be used outside of a motor as mechanical components, since they are sold as a seperate item. https://www.vexforum.com/t/answered-further-question-about-r15/23896/2 https://www.vexforum.com/t/answered-is-it-legal-to-re-use-internal-motor-parts-outside-of-motors/30764

Questions for the Tower Takeover Season: A. (R5) Does the above possitive ruling still stand regarding the legal use of refurb kit gears? B. (R14)Additionally, are V5 Motor Cartriges legal to use as mechanical components external to the V5 motor?

Thank you from Vexmen Team 81K Magik

Game Manual ver. 1.1 - Conflict between R14 (may be used) and R17 (illegal modification).

R14 sub-section i - "Food-safe lubricants (grease, oils, or other lubricants) may be used on Robots, provided they are used in moderation and cannot contaminate the Field, other Robots, Field Elements, and/or Scoring Objects."

R17 - "Examples of illegal modifications include, but are not limited to, bending, cutting, sanding, gluing, lubricating, taping, and melting"

According to <R14i>, food-safe lubricants (grease, oils, or other lubricants) may be used on Robots.

A Team member consumed french fries at a restaurant that uses canola oil (a vegetable oil) and subsequently touched the gears of their Robot without washing their hands.

Is vegetable oil / canola oil considered a food-safe lubricant that is permitted under <R14i>?

Additionally, the Robot Summary section lists “Grease, oil, graphite, or other lubricants or plastic additives” as illegal parts.

Does this incidental contact with vegetable oil render the Robot illegal?

Last year someone asked in Q&A 2087 if there was a legal replacement for this part. Is there still no acceptable legal replacement for this part? If not, will they be made available for sale in the VEX parts store?

For the 2025–2026 VIQRC Mix & Match season, is it legal to mechanically abrade (sand or roughen) the surface of an official VEX IQ rubber traction-link pad to improve friction, or is any surface modification of this part considered an illegal modification?

A 3x20 plate was introduced as part of the Rapid Relay field structure. Its legal use for a robot was confirmed by the rules committee as question 2098 in the Rapid Relay official Q&A - see screenshot below. Concerning Mix & Match, the legal parts list does not include the 3x20 plate. My question is if this plate is legal for use this season? Thank you.

<R14>

https://content.vexrobotics.com/docs/25-26/viqrc-mix-and-match/documentation/legal-parts-rev21.pdf

<R14>

The product page for the Magnetic Beam Pair states that it is legal for VIQRC but is not listed on the VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2025-2026 Legal Parts nor the VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2025-2026 Illegal Parts.

Our students are requesting that we order this part but I want to be 100% sure it is legal before ordering. Thank you!

<T6><R14>

https://events.vex.com/VRC/2023-2024/QA/1968

Given there are no exceptions to the rule requiring robots to be on the latest version of the firmware, how should events handle firmware releases mid-event?

For example, if teams have already been inspected, and matches are ongoing. A new version of the firmware was released as matches were being played but nobody in the venue was yet aware of it, but suddenly a team sees the forum thread. All robots who played matches between the release of the firmware and discovery of the update had illegal robots, correct? And if so, should they be retroactively DQd?

If not, I assume that all robots would then need to immediately be updated to the latest firmware. Since it is the responsibility of teams to show up to the field on time, should matches continue with teams sending representatives to 0v0 matches until the firmware update process is complete?

<R14>

Given reports, potentially unsubstantiated, of the firmware 1.1.3 that was released on 2/23/2024 just ahead of many Regional Qualifiers, is it possible to exempt use of this firmware for this weekend in order to give teams time to adjust, in particular, to potential changes in how current is directed to robots with 88 watts of motor power using more than 8 motors.

R14e states:

For the purposes of this rule, the V5 Smart Motor Cap is not considered “part of the motor.” Therefore, &lt;R15&gt; applies.

R15 states:

Most modifications to non-electrical components are allowed. Physical modifications, such as bending or cutting, of legal metal structure or plastic components are permitted.

• R14e states that R15 applies to the V5 Smart Motor Cap. Is it correct to say that R15 applies to the V5 Smart Motor Cap and that physical modifications to the cap, such as bending or cutting, are legal?
• R14e states that the V5 Smart Motor Cap is not considered part of the motor for its purposes. Therefore, is it correct to say that the absence of the V5 Smart Motor Cap would not be a violation of R14?

Thank you.

According to <R14c>, Teams may make the following modifications to the V5 Smart Motor’s user-serviceable features. This list is all-inclusive; no other modifications are permitted. Where applicable, the components listed below (in the specific applications listed below) are permissible exceptions to <R20>. (<R14>?)

1. (does not apply to this Q&A)
2. Removing or replacing the screws from the V5 Smart Motor Cap (276-6780).
3. Removing or replacing the threaded mounting inserts (276-6781).
4. Aesthetic/non-functional labeling (e.g., markers, stickers, paint, etc.)

<R14e> also states "For the purposes of this rule, the V5 Smart Motor Cap is not considered “part of the motor.” Therefore, <R15> applies."

Could you please clarify which (if any) of these rules also apply to the EXP smart motors?

Thank you

<R14>

Is grinding a few millimeters of metal off of a pneumatic cylinder considered a modification? It is not improving performance in any way. I have read <R14> [No modifications to electronic or pneumatic components are allowed.Motors (including the internal PTC or V5 Smart Motor firmware), microcontrollers (including V5 Robot Brain firmware), cables, sensors, controllers, battery packs, reservoirs, solenoids, pneumatic cylinders, and any other electrical or pneumatics component of the VEX platform may NOT be altered from their original state in ANY way].

Is original state meant to include the base, which is just for attaching the pneumatic cylinder? I wouldn't see how grinding it provides an advantage. The new vex reservoirs take up more space than the previous version, so using the previous version provides advantages in terms of physical volume occupied.

Rule <R8> point C states that

c. VEX electronics may not be used as non-functional decorations.

Rule <R14> point E states that

e. For the purposes of this rule, the V5 Smart Motor Cap is not considered “part of the motor.” Therefore, R15 applies.

Would motor caps be considered as a VEX electronic, or are they considered not "part of the motor" (and therefore not a VEX electronic). In other words, can motor caps be used as non-functional decorations?

Thank you!

<R14>I just want to confirm that this rule makes it against the rules to directly drive a flywheel without a cartridge like many teams did last season.

During Skyrise a battery source of power for LED light strips was not allowed by rule R13 (comparable to Turning Point R14). Obviously old Q&As don't directly apply to new games, but they often do provide insight into what has been allowed/disallowed in the past.

https://www.vexforum.com/index.php/13041-answered-led-lights-for-decoration/0

In light (no pun intended) of the recent Q&A answer https://events.vex.com/VRC/2018-2019/QA/162 where LED lights are powered by a battery that isn't a V5 or Cortex battery...

Can a robot have LED lights powered by an external battery source (not Cortex or V5 battery) providing R8 isn't violated? or is it only small self contained objects that are allowed (that don't include external wiring)?

<R14> The only allowable source(s) of electrical power are as follows: a. If using a VEX ARM® Cortex®-based Microcontroller, robots may use (1) VEX 7.2V Robot Battery Pack of any type, and one (1) 9V backup battery. i. Robots utilizing the VEX Power Expander may use a second VEX 7.2V Robot Battery of any type.

b. If using a V5 Robot Brain, robots may use (1) V5 Robot Battery (276-4811).

<R8> Teams may add non-functional decorations, provided that they do not affect the robot performance in any significant way or affect the outcome of the match. g. Decorations that visually mimic field elements or could otherwise interfere with an opponent’s Vision Sensor are considered functional and are not permitted. This includes lights, such as the VEX Flashlight.

<R14>

Rule 14D states that " For the purposes of this rule, the gear cartridges found within the V5 Smart Motor are considered “part of the motor.”" Does this imply that when not used inside the motor the motor cartridge is not considered an electrical component and can therefore be modified? Can a team take apart a motor cartridge to take apart to use the internal parts for other parts of the robot?

<R14><R14><R14>

Rule R14.c.ii stipulates that "Removing or replacing the screws from the V5 Smart Motor Cap" is legal.

Is this action limited to doing so for the stated purposes of:

1 - Removing or replacing the V5 Smart Motor cartridge, &/or 2 - Removing or replacing the Threaded Mounting Inserts?

Can the motor screws be removed and NOT replaced , and the motor mounted to the motor cap using rubber bands, zip ties, or some other attachment method that facilitates the "hot swapping" of motors?

Or is this considered an alteration from their original state and not part of the exceptions carved out to address the user serviceable features of the V5 smart motor?

In Q&A 1609 (https://events.vex.com/VRC/2023-2024/QA/1609), it was ruled that it was illegal to disassemble and lubricate a motor cartridge, and that teams should instead buy a new cartridge from VEX.

Sometimes foreign debris gets stuck in the gear cartridge, or the grease gets goopy. From my understanding of the rules, it would be legal to disassemble a motor cartridge and remove any debris, and to clean off any goop. However, it would not be legal to add any lubricant back. Is this correct?

R14 simply states:

No modifications to electronic or pneumatic components are allowed.

R14c states:

Teams may make the following modifications to the V5 / EXP Smart Motor user-serviceable features. This list is all-inclusive; no other modifications are permitted. Where applicable, the components listed below (in the specific applications listed below) are permissible exceptions to R20. >i. Replacing the gear cartridge with other official cartridges. >ii. Removing or replacing the screws from the V5 Smart Motor Cap (276-6780). >iii. Removing or replacing the threaded mounting inserts (276-6781). >iv. Aesthetic/non-functional labeling (e.g., markers, stickers, paint, etc.).

It is very clear that no modifications may be done to motors or motor cartridges except for the 4 things listed in the rulebook. However, I would like some clarification on whether or not adding any lube that is allowed by R7b, would be allowed for motor cartridges.

Motor cartridges come with some factory lube already applied, but I have had motor cartridges that due to how long they have been sitting around, the lube would dry up and impact the over all performance of the motors. Can we take apart the motor cartridge, clean the dried lube, re-lube the gears, then putting the cartridge back exactly how it came? Or are we expected to buy new cartridges when the old ones preform worse? Wouldn't this count as basic maintanance instead of modification? Thank you.

As per this Q&A: https://events.vex.com/VRC/2018-2019/QA/42 it is legal to power a V5 Controller using an external battery pack.

This seems to imply that R14 b iii does not always apply. If this is correct, when does R14 b iii apply? Also, what is considered an acceptable external power source for the joystick? Here are a few examples, but more general language would be appreciated:

1. USB battery pack
2. USB wall plug
3. Laptop
4. Tablet
5. Phone
6. Solar (for trickle charging)

To be clear, the joystick would not be modified in any way; all devices would be external and power the joystick only through the micro USB port.