# K2Aley GAR-BOT Assembly Instructions
Copyright (c) 2026 K2Aley. All rights reserved.

Use this with `GAR-BOT_USER_MANUAL.html`, `GAR-BOT_CONNECTIONS.md`,
`GAR-BOT_PRINT_QUEUE.md`, and `docs/GAR-BOT_PART_ACCURACY_REPORT.md`.

## Build Order

1. Print and inspect all frame parts.
2. Install M3 heat-set inserts before bolting parts together.
3. Build the frame rectangle.
4. Install motors, motor drivers, power covers, and cable clips.
5. Install and seal the Raspberry Pi 5 electronics bay.
6. Install the 7 inch touchscreen frame.
7. Mount both claws on top of the left/right shoulder pads.
8. Install the nine RGB LED star modules as protected ground-effect lights.
9. Assemble the RP Zero 2 W + Pico Voice remote transmitter.
10. Install K2Aley / GAR-BOT badges and warning labels.
11. Complete wiring, sealing upgrade checks, and first power-on tests.

## Numbered Part Groups

| Stage | Part numbers | Parts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Frame | 8-15, 47 | side rails, crossmembers, skid plate, one-piece bottom skid, battery tray, deck, claw bridge |
| Drive and power | 3, 4, 6, 19-22 | motor drivers, buck converter, motors, covers, cable clips |
| Sealed electronics | 5, 16-18, 42 | RP5 stack, electronics bay, gasketed lid, gland panel, LoRa guard |
| Touchscreen | 23-27 | bezel, rain hood, uprights, top bar |
| Claws | 1, 2, 28-38 | claw reference, servo board, bases, pivots, palms, fingers, links, covers |
| Ground-effect lighting | photo reference | 9 RGB LED star modules, sealed lenses/pods, lighting driver, 2 side up/down servos |
| Remote | 7, 39-41 | RP Zero 2 W + Pico Voice, case front/back, LoRa bulkhead |
| Branding | 43-45 | lid badge, side badge, water warning badge |

## 1. Frame Assembly

Parts: `8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 47`

- Dry-fit left and right side rails.
- Bolt front and rear crossmembers to the rails.
- Fit the bottom skid plate under the frame.
- Fit the one-piece bottom skid plate below the frame skid, keeping wheel reliefs clear.
- Fit the center battery tray inside the frame.
- Fit the electronics deck plate above the tray.
- Bolt the top shoulder claw bridge to the forward frame/shoulder area.
- Confirm the frame is square before tightening everything.

## 2. Drive and Power Assembly

Parts: `3 4 6 19 20 21 22`

- Mount four 24V gear motors at the wheel corners so each motor direct-drives
  its own wheel.
- Use one IBT-2 motor driver per motor.
- Do not install chain, sprockets, or exposed belt reductions in the active
  sealing-upgrade build.
- Install IBT-2 driver covers after wiring inspection.
- Mount the 24V-to-5V buck converter and cover.
- Install motor splash shields.
- Route motor wires through drip-loop clips before entering sealed areas.

## 3. Sealed Electronics Assembly

Parts: `5 16 17 18 42`

- Place the Raspberry Pi 5, buck converter, and Pico Voice board on the electronics bay internal standoffs.
- Wire Pico Voice to the RP5 I2C-1 pins: `SDA` to `GPIO2` physical pin `3`,
  `SCL` to `GPIO3` physical pin `5`, with shared ground and board-rated power.
- Route external wires through the cable gland panel.
- Install the LoRa antenna guard/bulkhead as needed.
- Fit gasket material and close the gasketed lid.

## 4. Touchscreen Assembly

Parts: `23 24 25 26 27`

- Bolt left and right touchscreen uprights to the deck.
- Install the top tie bar.
- Seat the 7 inch USB touchscreen in the bezel.
- Fit the rain hood.
- Route touchscreen cable with strain relief and drip loop.

## 5. Two-Claw Assembly

Parts: `1 2 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38`

- Mount left and right claw base mounts on top of the shoulder bridge pads.
- Install round shoulder pivots.
- Add sealed servo pockets and wrist servo cradles.
- Install palms, fingers, and link bars.
- Fit gear guards and forearm wire covers.
- Place one claw controller board per claw and cover it.
- Confirm left and right claws mirror each other.

## 6. Ground-Effect RGB Lighting Assembly

Parts: nine RGB LED star modules from the supplied photo reference

- Bench-test one LED board to identify the common pad and safe current.
- Group the nine modules as front underbody, left underbody, and right
  underbody banks of three.
- Mount each board under the chassis behind a clear gasketed lens or sealed
  light pod.
- Mount one up/down servo on the left side rail and one up/down servo on the
  right side rail.
- Link each side-mounted servo to its matching ground-effect light rail.
- Route lighting wires through cable glands or potted strain reliefs.
- Feed the lights from a fused lighting branch, LED supply, and RGB
  driver/MOSFET board.
- Feed both side-mounted up/down servos from the servo buck. Use a spare servo
  output on the nearest claw board for signal; planned channel is `D8` on each
  claw board if available.
- If a claw board has no spare output, use a separate PCA9685 or servo driver
  board instead.
- Do not connect LED load current or servo motor current directly to Raspberry
  Pi GPIO.
- Coat exposed LED solder pads after testing and before sealing closure.

## 7. Remote Transmitter Assembly

Parts: `7 39 40 41`

- Place RP Zero 2 W and Pico Voice into the remote case.
- Mount LoRa antenna bulkhead through the case wall.
- Close front and back case parts after boot and radio checks.
- Use the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W + Pico Voice stack as the transmitter controller.

## 8. Wiring Checks

- Fuse the 24V bus close to the battery.
- E-stop must interrupt the switched 24V load bus.
- Measure buck converter output before connecting the Raspberry Pi 5.
- Keep servo power separate from Raspberry Pi power.
- Use a separate fused lighting branch for the nine RGB LED modules.
- Verify LED board common anode/cathode and current limiting before connecting
  all modules.
- Verify both side-mounted ground-effect servo travels before installing horns.
- Tie logic grounds to one common ground point.
- RP5 USB plan: left claw, right claw, touchscreen, LoRa/radio USB bridge or hub.
- Pico Voice uses RP5 I2C-1 only; keep motor/LED/servo wiring off SDA/SCL.

## 9. Sealing Upgrade Checks

- No exposed Pi, relay HAT, motor driver, buck converter, radio PCB, USB hub,
  claw controller, LED PCB, side-mounted ground-effect servo wiring, or loose
  terminal block around splash or rain.
- Use gaskets, cable glands, bulkheads, drip loops, and covered wire channels.
- Paper towel test:
  1. Power off.
  2. Place dry paper towel strips inside sealed bays.
  3. Mist outside lightly for 30 seconds.
  4. Wait 10 minutes.
  5. Open and inspect.
  6. Fix leaks before powered testing or any splash testing.

## 10. First Power-On

1. Lift GAR-BOT so wheels and claws cannot hit anything.
2. Confirm 5.1V before powering the Raspberry Pi 5.
3. Boot RP5 and verify touchscreen.
4. Verify both claw controllers appear.
5. Enable motor power with e-stop reachable.
6. Jog one motor at a time at low speed.
7. Move each claw slowly and watch for binding.
8. Test the ground-effect lighting one bank at a time at low brightness/current.
9. Move the left and right side-mounted ground-effect servos and confirm they
   clear the frame, ground, and wires.
10. Test remote commands over Wi-Fi first, then verify LoRa RF delivery before
    driving on the ground.

## Final PASS

- Frame is square.
- All covers and lids are installed.
- All glands and drip loops are in place.
- Wheels spin correctly.
- Claws move correctly.
- Nine RGB LED modules are sealed underneath the chassis and driver-controlled.
- Both side-mounted ground-effect up/down servos travel cleanly and are covered
  for splash testing.
- RP5, touchscreen, and remote pass bench checks; LoRa RF delivery is verified
  before field driving.
- Water-resistance paper towel test passes.