REVIEW: 8110 Unimog U400

[Marin Stipković]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention* that the cable is supposed to hang loosely under the undercarriage but that problem is easily fixed as shown on the picture.

On the single towball I see what you mean though I don't see why there's no such thing on the other side.And those two on the front axle are still a mystery. I don't think they're here to center the axle while steering, at least they don't do that after replacing the connector to center the axle.

EDIT November 2012:

* - I added it to the original post.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Marin Stipković

[Anio]

On the single towball I see what you mean though I don't see why there's no such thing on the other side.

Yes, because the right side is very different (we can see that on the photo you have posted)

And those two on the front axle are still a mystery. I don't think they're here to center the axle while steering, at least they don't do that after replacing the connector to center the axle.

Maybe it's here to prevent the whole axle from moving left/right, when the both suspensions are compressed.

Edited July 2, 2011 by Anio

[Anio]

Very bad news : it seems the 8110 has been withdrawn from the Lego stores (basically the only place where it is possible to get the set at the moment).

According to the Lego employees, a pneumatic part would have some problems.

Since the classic cylinder, the small cylinder and the switch are used for many years, I think these parts are ok.

So, the problem could come from the new compressor (keep in mind it is not the same as the one we used to know in 8049 and 8868).

And this make sense since it is the compressor (and especially its join) which is constrained when the pressure is too high.

The join has to leak, to let the air go. And that may damage the join, and so the compressor.

The delay caused by this problem on one of the pneumatic parts could be a good opportunity to fix the problem on the front panhard rod (if it turns out that this panhard rod has indeed a problem).

We should learn more about all of this in the next days...

Edited July 2, 2011 by Anio

[Brickend]

I guess that might make these sets fairly rare.

[DLuders]

Very bad news : it seems the 8110 has been withdrawn from the Lego stores...some problems.

No, not again! It seems that (for the second summer in a row) the Lego Technic flagships have not been fully tested before releasing them. I suppose it's better to fix the problem(s) now before most of the world gets ahold of the 8110 Unimog set.

[Anio]

The model is gone from Amazon. Impossible to pre-order it anymore.

edit : it depends on which Amazon website we look at, actually.

I think the best solution is to wait few days.

edit : Maybe a moderator should move the few last posts about the "problems" in the "official thread of the unimog U400", instead of this "review" thread.

Edited July 2, 2011 by Anio

[merman]

So how long does such a hiatus usually take?

[DLuders]

In the Summer of 2010 (when the 8043 Motorized Excavator had problems with its Linear Actuators), it took about 6 weeks for The Lego Group to fix the problem and make replacement LAs available to its customers.

[Seluryar]

In the Summer of 2010 (when the 8043 Motorized Excavator had problems with its Linear Actuators), it took about 6 weeks for The Lego Group to fix the problem and make replacement LAs available to its customers.

speaking of 8043, do i need to worry about that problem if i were to purchase it next month?

[Marin Stipković]

@Seluryar:

No. All of them have been withdrawn, fixed and sent back to stores so there shouldn't be a faulty one in any store anymore.

[HyperBlade]

@Seluryar:

No. All of them have been withdrawn, fixed and sent back to stores so there shouldn't be a faulty one in any store anymore.

The original ones can still be found, i brought a new 8043 off ebay 2 weeks ago, and it ended up being one of the original ones (only found out when i physically checked it).

The offical way to check from lego is the following.

To find out if you maybe have the new version of the Excavator already (which is actually very likely!), please check the number embossed on the actuator. It will for instance say 35X9, which means the actuator was produced in week 35 in 2009. The new version of actuators was produced from week 36 in 2010 onwards. So the code on the element should be 36x0 or higher.

Then you just get in contact with lego directly and they will send you out some replacement parts.

[dr_spock]

Thanks for the review. I can live with those small problems. I will be saving $$$ for this set. It is probably going to be more expensive in my country.

Nice T-shirts.

[tripletschiee]

That's a good review! Thanks!

1) For the error: I was also wondering, why the front axle was never in the middle, but I did not think about it too much, till i read the explanation here. Very strange from TLG to oversee that. I changed it and - what surprise - the front suspension works better.

2) There is a second error in the building instructions: on page 32 (step 84, booklet 2) the meter (to measeure the correct length od the pneumatic-tube) starts not at 0cm but on 2,2cm. All the other meters in the booklets are correct. See here this picture.

3) For th problem on the new pump: I added an airtank, so I could not discover any problems so far. The compressor makes good pressure and with the airtank in between, the risk of an overload is less.

4) I already added a gear reduction for the steering mechanism (instead of the yellow knob-wheels). IMHO it improves the steering feeling.

5) I also added a transmission for the motor input. Thus the pistons are turning faster in motor. I like that better.

6) Why did TLG uses a blue axle pin here ar the enforcment liftarem instead a black pin? See the arrow in the same picture of the two points above.

7) And finally the error I alredy talked about on the side of the box, where it says, that there should be two motors inside.

So, if TLG is changing something in the moment, they should also change the two mentioned errors (point 2 and 7).

Regards,

Gerhard

Edited July 3, 2011 by tripletschiee

[Marin Stipković]

@tripletschiee:

2) Yes, forgot to mention it but I didn't mind because it's just an error in the instructions, not the model itself.

4) I believe so. As I mentioned earlier, it's really really really hard to steer it in place. All of the axles bend so much it's a pain to do it.

5) I was thinking about that too. The pistons really do move too slowly.

6) I thought it had something to do with how easily a child could press those parts together but it didn't make sense.

7) Wow! I totally missed that!

[allanp]

I have a feeling the problem part is NOT the pump, it's not a large modification to a well tried and tested part, so I doubt they are having problems with that (unless there are internal, cost saving changes to any pneumatic part we don't know of )

I think it's more likely to be the blue ppto piece, this part, whilst it's a fantastic new addition, seems to be designed too weak, like it would break if you tried to attatch/remove a hose. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Edited July 3, 2011 by allanp

[tripletschiee]

6) I thought it had something to do with how easily a child could press those parts together but it didn't make sense.

But on the backside of the Unimog they used one of the black pins. So again: TLG uses for the same situation (as for the panhard link) two slightly different solutions.

Regards,

Gerhard

[Alasdair Ryan]

I have a feeling the problem part is NOT the pump, it's not a large modification to a well tried and tested part, so I doubt they are having problems with that (unless there are internal, cost saving changes to any pneumatic part we don't know of )

I think it's more likely to be the blue ppto piece, this part, whilst it's a fantastic new addition, seems to be designed too weak, like it would break if you tried to attatch/remove a hose. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

I dont know why thay did not use one of these and then a piece of solid hose with a 1/3 pin.

[allanp]

I dont know why thay did not use one of these and then a piece of solid hose with a 1/3 pin.

Because the pin hose would move inside the half pin.

[Alasdair Ryan]

The hose will not move if you put the hose thought a pin and then both thought the connecter .

[allanp]

Oh yes it will!

[Marin Stipković]

Yes, it will definitely. Plus the PPTO has "round" ends so as to slip the hose easily whereas a regular 3L hose has flat (straight cut) ends.

[CP5670]

This looks like a great set. I love the suspension and wheels. It's a pity that it again has problems like the excavator though. I hope they get the fixed version out in time for Brickfair, as I want to get the store discount there on this set.

What exactly is the difference with the pump? It looks the same as the usual one to me, just a different color.

[JunkstyleGio]

Then we have also a new version of the pneumatic mini-pump, with an increased 1/2L length.

This was produced in LBG color instead of the traditional yellow and blue,

likely to ease the distinction from its previous counterparts.

As previously discussed here, the pneumatic pumps used in official LEGO Technic sets,

like 8868 (Air Tech Claw Rig) and 8049 (Tractor with Log Loader), used the Small Pump (x191c01)

in combination with a Technic Engine Crankshaft (2853) in order to achieve a 1L displacement.

Despite this pump cylinder is capable of a 2L displacement, it doesn't fit within a linear setup

over a Technic beam.

In order to achieve a 2L displacement (double stroke) and optimal pump efficiency,

some other arrangements might be used, like a bent liftarm (6-4) or even some old school

studmore designs. However such arrangements wouldn't fit properly in the Unimog and would

also require more space. This was likely the reason for this re-design as the 2L displacement

would be very important to achieve maximum power and enough air supply, for smooth operation

of the crane arm.

Source and more:

TechnicBricks

[Bartholomew]

I dont know why thay did not use one of these and then a piece of solid hose with a 1/3 pin.

That was the solution used in the prototype seen at Nuremberg toy fair.

[Josh The Geek]

What is the dimensions for the new wheels? Thanks for the review.