Review: 8063 Tractor with Trailer

[menad]

Thanks for the very informative review! The tractor part of the set is almost the same as the previous one. I'm thinking of buying it because I dont have its predecessor. I dont think it is just a TRU exclusive. It is available in my country (Hungary)but not in all stores. The trailer contains a lot of the new panels in a very interesting green colour. I think these panels are very useless in technic line yet but it makes a very good design of the Technic sets. I think this set is a bit expensive in comparison with this years great Front loader 8265.

Edited September 3, 2009 by menad

[Big Cam]

Great review and awesome pictures but for the price and taking in to account existing sets this is just blah.

[tomacwhite]

This is now available to buy from the UK Lego store, priced at a more reasonable £63.59.

£5 more and you can buy the awesome Front Loader...

[paul_delahaye]

Do you mean it's available on shop at home UK (which it is) or available in one of the UK lego stores? If yes, which one? Thinking of a trip to bluewater but don't want to waste the trip!

[tomacwhite]

Sorry, the online store:

http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?...;cn=57&d=70

[Rodinal]

The set is on sale in several different b&m shops here in Italy. Funny thing is, the price tag is usually higher than the new Front Loader's one

L.

[lohnashleys]

Build a functional tractor with trailer!

This detailed LEGO® Technic model is packed with realistic features and functions! Turn the top gear-wheel to steer the front wheels, then push the tractor forward or backwards to make the pistons in the engine beneath its opening hood move in and out. Turn the back gear to raise or lower the lifting arms, spin the side gear to tip the trailer, and even switch the rotating rear transmission axle on or off!

[JunkstyleGio]

Build a functional tractor with trailer!

This detailed LEGO® Technic model is packed with realistic features and functions! Turn the top gear-wheel to steer the front wheels, then push the tractor forward or backwards to make the pistons in the engine beneath its opening hood move in and out. Turn the back gear to raise or lower the lifting arms, spin the side gear to tip the trailer, and even switch the rotating rear transmission axle on or off!

Oh such great fun.....

Now i can switch the rear transmission axle on and off......

[Huffy1968]

Evening all :-)

As an AFOL rebuilding his Technic collection, I was very curious about this set when it was announced as to how the tractor was constructed. Blakbird's great and funny review has confirmed that with a couple of slight alterations it is identical to 8284. So why create an identical tractor with functions that the included trailer does not use? Unless LEGO are planning to (and if they aren't, they really should) release a further set or sets of attachments and implements that attach and make use of the transmission/liftarms? Just a thought...

[Anio]

I have the model. I would like to add a few comments.

When the arms behind the tractor are down, the hinge (middle of the set) can't move anymore. So, The tractor can't steer.

The tractor don't have a 5.5 axis anymore, at the back. So, you can't put the tool of the 8284 which have a 4L U joint. Indeed, you need a 3L U joint. Unfortunately, this part is not supplied, and not yet very common (2007).

The chassis of the trailer could have been designed in order to add the kit 8293.

I afford to give you the link of my video :

Edited November 14, 2009 by Anio

[Blakbird]

Sweet, sweet vindication. I wrote the following in August:

This set is lame. It doesn't function with itself and seems cobbled together. The idea of a tractor and a trailer is a good one, but they need to be designed to go together, which these are not. With no implements, the tractor is not even good as a standalone model.

• 
  
• Price: 4/10 (quite a few pieces, but too much money for a set that doesn't work)
  
• Functions: 2/10 (half the functions don't work which is totally unacceptble for Technic)
  
• Appearance: 6/10 (reasonably good looking but trailer is bland)
  
• Parts: 3/10 (quite a few pieces, but not much new except panels)
  
• Total: 3/10 Don't buy this unless money is meaningless to you or you are a masochist. I expect it to be on clearance for $40 within a couple of months.
  

Shop @ Home now has this set for $49.98 USD!! At that price, it is actually a good buy for parts. Whatever you do, don't buy one a TRU for double that price.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Blakbird

[Enilder]

Sweet, sweet vindication. I wrote the following in August:

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Shop @ Home now has this set for $49.98 USD!! At that price, it is actually a good buy for parts. Whatever you do, don't buy one a TRU for double that price.

wow. bought this for 75 and i thought it was steal. man this sucks and cant get them anymore :(

[CP5670]

Sweet, sweet vindication. I wrote the following in August:

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Shop @ Home now has this set for $49.98 USD!! At that price, it is actually a good buy for parts. Whatever you do, don't buy one a TRU for double that price.

Thanks for the update. That does look a good buy. I think I'll pick one up, even though I might not bother building the model itself.

[Enilder]

Thanks for the update. That does look a good buy. I think I'll pick one up, even though I might not bother building the model itself.

i doubt it's worth your time building that since you've already successfully built MOCs. it's off the website now and i believe they are completely discontinued.

[CP5670]

I guess we were too late with it. It was there and in stock last night.

Edited January 20, 2010 by CP5670

[Brickthus]

I guess we were too late with it. It was there and in stock last night.

I got one last week, mainly for the green panels, which would look OK in amongst my railway scenery.

They're an alternative to using a 1x4x3 panel to hide a Mindstorms RFID sensor, which will recognise the tags on trains.

Sadly the sensors are just about gone too. I think they had 2 left in Europe after I ordered mine! You can still get them direct from Codatex though.

Combined with an NXT kit, 2 cheap Black NXTs and the 8049 Log Loader (Pneumatics - yay!) this was a great order!

It helped that the Tractor & Trailer was so cheap and I didn't have the previous similar tractor already!

Mark

[paul_delahaye]

Just picked up 2 of these tractors for parts, i have a MOC trailer in mind!

Watch this space, well maybe not this exact space...

[Enilder]

Just picked up 2 of these tractors for parts, i have a MOC trailer in mind!

Watch this space, well maybe not this exact space...

lucky you. i am away so i cant get it anyways. sucks. :(

[Brickthus]

Having built the tractor, there are 2 things I don't like about it:

1. The front axle hangs off one long axle. This makes any significant front end load prone to bending the axle. This is a cheap and nasty live axle! Not strong enough IMHO.

2. When turning the steering to the right, the right hand mudguard collides with the exhaust silencer. This is not usual for Technic sets as all functions should be able to perform their full range without colliding with static parts.

I noticed that the box pictures have incorrect images of the flexible red axles, showing one end without the round 3.2mm diameter bit. I used to wonder why these axles were not just the cross shape in cross section, but twisting one whilst it is curved by 90 degrees shows that their torque capability is very limited, so it would not be good to encourage their use in that application. ZNAP set 3571 includes 2 flexible parts with axles on either end, a bit like mini net curtain rail or the Cybermaster antennas, which were designed for transmitting a reasonable torque.

Mark

[roamingstop]

Well as a AFOL coming out of their 2nd dark period... this was the first model to be built in 7 years. (I also picked up the earlier Green Tractor off ebay).

To be honest it was a real pleasure to put together (4 hours with classical piano music in the background... sweet). However the final result does not feel as sturdy as the good old 8859 - an all time favorite (I once motorised with PTO). And I was quite surprised to see lift arms used for steering and not the improved axle joints. Similarly that the engine is the structural element on the front - a pity. A V6 with technic beams for support would allow addition of front loaders.

With the PTO - it is a pity there is no three way clutch (anyone know of one?) which could see the system motorised with motor -> engine; motor -> engine -> PTO and motor -> engine -> PTO and wheels. Guess I just have to build one.

Similarly the lift arms are no way as versatile as those on the 8859. Somehow it is a real pity that Lego chose to change the interface geometry between 8859, 8284 and 8063. However I can also see that designers change; model styles get adapted, and the childrens expectations also change. I would have expected that one day an accessories set would be produced... but perhaps not. Lego had to sell the last batch of 8063 off at 50% (damn I bought mine too early; all sold out now - anyone willing to pass on at cost?) and I guess they did not sell too well previously. As a product manager (professional job, not Lego) I would have to look at the sales of 8063 and 8284 and do a cost calculation to see if releasing (any) accessories pack would be beneficial. I would probably end up with a calculation similar to additional carriages for Emerald Night. A small fan base, mainly AFOL. Poor reviews and low sales of 8063; it would not bode well - unless there will be a 8063 version with accessories in 2011.

With improved steering axles and 3way clutch the set would be a storming base for future work. But as is it stands it is a nice complement to the combine harvester - although it is missing a rear flap for the grain to fall out.

[BrickWild]

8284's rear implement is compatible with 8063! I'd like to see 8284 & 8063 in a side-by-side comparison!

[JunkstyleGio]

8063 Tractor with Trailer

Q: How does it compare to 8284?

It is virtually identical. Obviously, the color is different. The panels on the side of the engine are new. There are slight changes in the geometry of the lift on the back to make room for the trailer tongue. Otherwise it is the same with the obvious omission of the rear implements.

This is what blakbird wrote about the two models almost a year again.

If you want a picture comparisson you better check:Parax Brickshelf

Edited August 3, 2010 by JunkstyleGio

[DLuders]

TheScooterGuy has made a Seed Drill attachment for the 8063 Tractor, and posted the Lego Digital Designer (LDD) .lxf Building Instructions file on his Brickshelf folder:

JunkstyleGio had also modeled a Tailgate for the 8063 Trailer's bucket, and posted the LDD .lxf file on his Brickshelf folder: