8273 Technic Off Road Truck Review

[Lasse D]

The box

The truck comes in a big square faced box showing the main model on the front and secondary model on the other side:

The build

The model has polybags numbered 1 to 4 which makes the build very easy. It took me 2 hours to build with a sedated pace.

There are 4 instructions manuals, two for each model

The bags with 1 lets you build most of the frame

After 2 you get the rest of the frame and the bed

3 Gives you the crane and fuel tanks, while the cab is made using the bags with 4.

Functionality

Being a medium sized Technic model, I expected a lot of functionality. This model gives you:

- Working steering with the knob on the tilting cab. The ideal solution which beats the rear mounted steering wheel of the fire truck 8289.

- Rear suspension. This is done using a bogie like on many other LEGO models. I expected something more special when reading the description of this "off road truck"

- Winch. Extremely simple, but uses a technic pin with friction for... friction which is compact and nice.

- Tipping cab. And what is beneath the cab in a truck? Nothing! Last time I saw a tipping cab without an engine beneath was the truck from 8062 in 1994. It had a mechanism for tilting the cab and the excuse of being a secondary model.

- rotating crane with 2 joints. The upper joint is operated from the top of the crane which is a solution that makes the crane less fun to operate. I think all the functions should be controled remotely. If that requires pneumatic, then so be it.

- Tipping bed. The bed tips by turning a knob on the side. It works well and you can tip the side panels up if needed.

Design

The only things I really love in this model are the fuel tanks. They look very good. The rest of the truck is pretty average. The interior is pretty much a copy of 8289, the bed is placed very high, but the proportions are good.

The stickers are all on single pieces and are numbered to make the build even easier.

Conclusion

- Price: 6/10. Priced nearly identical to the Crawler Crane. Cheaper than 8289, but no real bargain.

- Functionality: 4/10. I miss an enigine with working pistons and the steering on top of the crane drags the score down.

- Design 6/10. It doesn't look bad, but not great either. There isn't much off-roading in the rear bogie and many of the ideas have been seen before.

- Secondary model: 4/10. It is pretty much like the main model, but uses the crane base to connect the two halfs in the middle. An interesting suspension, but resembles the primary too much for my likings.

- Modifiability: 4/10. It would probably not be hard to motorize it, make a better suspension or modify the crane to use pneumatic. Modifications like that would however almost make a new truck and then I would rather just play with the 8868 Airtech claw rig or 8828 crawler crane.

Overall it is pretty much like 8289 regarding both functionality and design. It has slightly better functionality, but is really only average which leads me to the conclusion that this set is average in every way - There is nothing to set it apart, but nothing really bad either.

- Final score 5/10. Better than 8289, but for the price I will recommend a crawler crane instead.

(BrickShelf gallery)

[simonwillems]

Thanks for the review of this model.

It looks nice, quite tall though. The second model looks even better in my opinion being lower than the original model. The color scheme looks pretty and I like that it has lots of lights making it a robust looking Off Roader.

I wouldn't buy this one but it's nice to see it's around for people who will.

[Asuka]

A very nice review of a nice but somehow mediocre set. *y*

What I like most is just what type of truck that is, a very neat and playable model.

Pneumatics for remote controlled features on, yep! *sweet*

[Ickelpete]

Thanks for the great review Lasse D *y*

I am a big technic fan but this set is not on my want list the early pictures were a little disappointing

and you have not said anything to change my mind.

Technic sets should have a lot of functionality and when sets are designed to fit into a price bracket this is often lost.

I would be interested to know what you think of the alternative model

[Siegfried]

Thanks very much for the review. You have convinced me that I only want this set on sale. It seems to be an odd year for Technic; most sets seem average except the Bulldozer. The crawler crane is on it's way to me now; it is still available for Australia and that is probably why we can't buy this set yet. The biggest reason for me to buy this set is for the wheels. Very disapointing the complete lack of a drivetrain. :'-(

(Any chance of passing on the instuction book codes?)

[mutex]

Thanks for the review.

Your opinion confirmed my initial thoughts : pretty bland and uninspired set.

Let's not buy this one and save money for the wonderful Power function bulldozer :-P *y*

Edited August 26, 2007 by mutex

[julencin2000]

Thanks for pics & review *y*

[Lasse D]

I would be interested to know what you think of the alternative model

I have taken some pictures of the secondary model now. It is a pretty basic tow truck with a lifting mechanism for the crane and steering mechanism as its only functionality. It is however a little more entertaining to play with than the primary model because of the way the two halves are connected. I suggest building this model if you want to play with it.

(I have changed the crane slightly using an extra pin in the end so that I didn't have to cut the line)

A thing I forgot in the review is that the crane of the primary model isn't good at picking up the pallet. I still haven't found a way to make it work because of the way the fork is suspended.

[Christian]

Thanks for another nice review!

I like the overall shape of the truck very much. Im just wondering where you bought it from and what the price was? I've been looking for it for some time now, but it isn't available at my local Tru, where I work.

[Lasse D]

You have to buy the set in a foreign country if you want it right now. It is one of the September releases so the Danish shops should begin to get it after September 3rd.

I can't remember the MSRP for this set in Denmark, but I think it is about 470kr. (

[Christian]

You have to buy the set in a foreign country if you want it right now. It is one of the September releases so the Danish shops should begin to get it after September 3rd.

I can't remember the MSRP for this set in Denmark, but I think it is about 470kr. (

[5150 Lego]

Nice review! Do you have any pics of the suspention flex? Shame there's no engine.

[Lasse D]

I used the price guarantee from Bilka, too, and used my extra 10% employee discount. actually the discount was like 20% instead, because it was taken from the total before the 40%. So I saved a total of 50% :-P .

Wow. That's even smarter! Lucky you X-O

>5150 LEGO

I don't have a picture that shows that, but I have the exact same system on this old trailer.

It is a bogie with a single axle of connection in the middle so that it can tilt a bit back and forth. Pretty much the most basic way of doing it next to having no suspension at all.

[Siegfried]

Our pal Rosco has added this set to his index.... *sweet*

EDIT: I just finished looking through the instructions.

I have taken some pictures of the secondary model now. It is a pretty basic tow truck with a lifting mechanism for the crane and steering mechanism as its only functionality. It is however a little more entertaining to play with than the primary model because of the way the two halves are connected. I suggest building this model if you want to play with it.

Indeed, it is a novel idea. I thought they used the turntable when you said it. It would be funny to see a car really made that way.

[dunamis]

Nice review, well done.

I almost picked this up at Toys R Us today. It was $59.95. I stopped because I wondered if it was one of the sets that TRU jacks the price up. Sure enough, I was right. It is only $49.95 on the LEGO site.

It appears that it looks better on the box than it really is.

Anyway, thanks again for the review.