The following code applies a force to the joint in an update method call. The problem is that the force seems to dissipate / is applied consecutively to other parts of the model, specifically the chassis, which holds the rotating laser. How can I circumvent that?

The chassis shold be a moving vehicle so I can't just fix it to the ground plane, using a fixed joint.

This is my onUpdate() from within the gazebo plugin. Essentially its making the joint rotate back and forth on a specified axis.

    public: void OnUpdate(const common::UpdateInfo & /*_info*/)
{
        rotation = this->joint->GetAngle(0);
        double degree = rotation.Degree();

        if (degree <= -90) {
                this->joint->SetForce(rotationAxis,effort*2);
        }
        else if (degree >= 90) {
                this->joint->SetForce(rotationAxis,-effort*2);
        }
        std::cerr << degree << "\n"; 
}

The definition from the model.sdf is this:

<joint name="back_and_forth_joint" type="revolute">
    <child>laser</child>
    <parent>chassis</parent>
    <axis>
        <xyz>1 0 0</xyz>
        <limit>
            <lower>-1.57079633</lower>
            <upper>1.57079633</upper>
        </limit>
    </axis>
</joint>

Thanks.

Update:

I have asked exactly the same question on http://robotics.stackexchange.com/questions/11642/gazebo-joint-setforce-call-applies-forces-to-the-whole-model-how-to-circumve so feel free. I'll update both with the best solution I have found.

One of the possibilities is to simply add mass to the chassis like so:

    <link name='chassis'>
    <pose>0 0 .1 0 0 0</pose>
    <inertial>
      <mass>10</mass>
    </inertial>